A business owner in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood has voiced alarm over an increasing sense of danger associated with a resurgent homeless encampment near his business. Bentley Meeker, owner of Bentley Meeker Lighting and Staging on West 45th Street, reported that a woman from the encampment attempted to set fire to his $250,000 Mercedes Benz G63 on Thursday by using a T-shirt and a lighter. Employees reportedly intervened and prevented the act.
Meeker stated that the makeshift camp outside his new office began growing in July and escalated to alarming conditions this month. He described the situation as evolving into something "aggressive" by September. Following the incident, Department of Sanitation crews, with assistance from the NYPD, cleared shelters located directly in front of Meeker's business. At its peak, Meeker estimated up to two dozen individuals were living in shelters constructed from tarps and boxes around his office.
The inhabitants of the encampment were observed setting up a new camp a few blocks away on Friday, near West 52nd Street and Eleventh Avenue. Meeker expressed concern that the encampment would return to his block, noting that such encampments have repeatedly appeared and disappeared in the area near the Intrepid Museum for months.
"Today it seems to be quiet. That happens occasionally but historically they come back," Meeker said. He attributed the recurring nature of the problem to a city policy that requires outreach workers to spend seven days offering shelter and services before an encampment can be cleared, describing it as a "whack-a-mole" situation.
A spokesperson for City Hall acknowledged the area as a "critical area of focus" for the Department of Homeless Services, stating that the administration is committed to connecting New Yorkers to shelter and housing.
Beyond the attempted arson, Meeker also cited other incidents that have created a hostile environment for his employees. He stated that one employee was chased with a metal rod, and another nearly drove over an individual sleeping beneath a company truck after a tarp was affixed to the vehicle to create a makeshift shelter. Meeker emphasized the need for a safe working environment for his approximately 100 full-time employees, including designers, artists, and theater professionals, stating, "I want my employees to have a safe place to work... but the city of New York should be able to provide them with a safe street."