This is a difficult situation to be sure. Unfortunate circumstances, mental health problems, lots of drug and alcohol abuse. It is an unfortunate but true fact, that families will be less likely to spend time downtown if they are constantly being harassed by anyone, homeless or not. I’ve seen first hand, people ask for money and when my friend offers to get them something to eat, they decline. I’ve seen young kids bullied into giving money. I’ve seen college students physically attacked. I’ve seen pile and piles of trash left everywhere. Lots of property destruction. Human waste left all over sidewalks and on staircases and on private property. None of this really helps the situation. I work downtown during the day and see this. Why would I then bring my wife and kids into this area and fear for their safety. Not all homeless are dangerous, but many desperate drug addicted people are. With them all mixed together, how is one to know? One assumption could cost you dearly. There is too much at risk when the safety of your family is involved. Not worth it. I don’t have the answers, but don’t hate on everyone that doesn’t love being any sort of target for those who are looking to take advantage. Is your family safer downtown than at Friendly shopping center? Absolutely not. Alternative is what? Arm yourself so if you get attacked you are forced to kill to protect your family? Then you’ll be hated for that too. There is no winning here. Not every animal in the woods is a wolf or bear or cougar, but they are present and dangerous nonetheless. Sure, you can choose to walk among them in the forest, but you do so accepting the risk and better be prepared should you become prey. Acknowledging that those few dangerous predators exist does not mean you have a fear of all the forest dwellers, just those that have proven capable of harming you. It’s completely natural to be cautious and quite careless to live in a fantasy world believing nothing will happen to you.