Homeless men and women sleep in the park nightly, defecating and urinating in public, dismayed residents said.
"I don't feel safe here anymore. You are seeing fewer and fewer families come in here - and I don't blame them. It's sad because it's such a great park."
Queens
LOCALS WHO have been grappling with an influx this summer of homeless people to Astoria's largest park are hanging their hopes on the autumn chill to accomplish what city agencies found a tough problem to crack, according to the New York Daily News.
Astoria Park has been a homeless hot spot, residents said, despite the addition of a police squad car to patrol the area and more outreach by the city Department of Homeless Services, both of which began in August.
Homeless men and women sleep in the park nightly, defecating and urinating in public, dismayed residents said.
Margaret Clark, 65, said she was grateful for the beefed-up security but hadn't noticed much of an improvement. "I don't think it will get better until the weather gets cold," she said.
"It was horrible this summer," said George Fountalakis, 57, who lives nearby on 31st St. "You couldn't walk through the park without tripping over someone using the bathroom or sleeping."
He said he used to enjoy walking through the park in the early mornings, but that changed after a man was killed there by a homeless couple in July.
"I don't feel safe here anymore," Fountalakis said. "You are seeing fewer and fewer families come in here - and I don't blame them. It's sad because it's such a great park."
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