Residents: Transients causing trouble in Williamsburg

Williamsburg residents say the neighborhood is turning from a hub for hipsters into a haven for hobos. Residents report seeing more panhandlers and squatters in the area often dwelling in vacant buildings

News 12 Staff

Jul 17, 2009, 11:48 PM

Updated 5,563 days ago

Share:

Williamsburg residents say the neighborhood is turning from a hub for hipsters into a haven for hobos.
Residents report seeing more panhandlers and squatters in the area often dwelling in vacant buildings and abandoned construction sites. Many of the buildings they?re squatting in were supposed to be luxury condos, but were never completed.
Both the NYPD and the Department of Buildings are working to combat the problem. The 94th precinct has a homeless outreach division and the DOB has created a special unit to monitor abandoned construction sites.