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Survey Results: Safety & Crime in South Roanoke - March 17, 2025
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How safe do you feel in South Roanoke generally?How safe do you feel in South Roanoke at night?How safe do you feel walking/biking in South Roanoke?Please describe any instances of crime you have witnessed or experienced in South Roanoke in the last year.Do you think crime in South Roanoke has increased, decreased, or remained the same in the past year?What are the most common types of crimes that you feel are a concern in South Roanoke?Are there specific locations in South Roanoke where you feel unsafe or have concerns?What factors contribute to making you feel unsafe in South Roanoke?
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222Murder, but the most common crimes are speeders, reckless driving, non-stopping at stop signs, electric scooters not following traffic laws.Increased a lotReckless drivingEvery where - Avenham, Cassell, Carolina Ave., 26th Streethomeless, kids on electric scooters, reckless drivers. Lack of ANY response from police. Lack of concern by City Council who just want to have a walk of concern.
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222Homeless camps, pan-handlingIncreased Robbery, theftFranklin Rd., Greenway Desperate people
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545I am generally unaware of crimes other than the recent murderI don't knowOnly the reecent murdernoI feel quite safe
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433Apartments at 2412 Crystal Spring Ave have had multiple situations of drug use and some instances of guns and intimidation.
Homeless people are encroaching into the neighborhood more and more, sitting on benches and pushing grocery carts.
A man in a van stopped my granddaughter at the corner of my street and exposed himself.
A resident of the Rescue Mission asked for money because he didn't like their food.
Increased.
The Susan Williams murder.
Several instances of men yelling and acting crazed around 7-11.
My neighbor one block down was burglaries by someone who went in her sliding glass doors.
A car was stolen next door to my sister on Peakwood.
River & Rail and 7-11
Alleys
Recent murder (although there have been others since I lived here) and constant presence if homeless people.
I used to feel OK about letting my grandchildren go several blocks in every direction.
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333Homeless person (with cart) walking up our alley and then setting up a tent in our elderly neighbors backyard. Also, petty theft of vehicles overnight. IncreasedTheft and trespassing No longer feel safe at night or early morning in the village, particularly close to 7-11. The amount of unfamiliar faces and foot traffic in the neighborhood. Also, the amount of people/vehicles that run through stop signs. I witness the most now in the nearly 20 years of living here.
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434Car break ins, loiteringIncreased Car break ins, loitering Lower part of Crystal spring avenue
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434Our vehicles have been broken into as well as our neighbors' overnight. I've also witnessed drug use down by 7/11 and Crystal Spring Grocery, as well as people with open containers sitting outside and along the greenway.IncreasedBreak-ins and drug useDown by 7/11, the greenway, the trolley As a lifelong resident of Roanoke, I have always been a strong supporter of our city and its services. However, recent experiences on the trolley have been concerning and have impacted my family’s enjoyment of this otherwise valuable program.

Two years ago, I started a tradition with my now 3.5-year-old son of riding the trolley from the hospital to the library and stopping for hot dogs. It’s something he truly enjoys, but in recent months, our experiences have been less than pleasant. We have encountered individuals who appear to be unhoused, struggling with mental health issues, or under the influence of substances. As a parent, this has led to difficult conversations with my young child, and I have also witnessed trolley drivers put in challenging situations when needing to remove disruptive passengers. I know of several others who have had similar experiences.

While the trolley is an excellent service for Roanoke, I am concerned that some individuals may be taking undue advantage of this free program. I believe it would be beneficial for the City and Valley Metro to evaluate who is using the service and ensure it is meeting its intended purpose—particularly for the Biomed community it was created to serve.

My trolley experience brings me to a larger issue at hand. As Roanoke’s homeless population continues to grow, as seen along the Greenway and Downtown, I believe it is more important than ever to explore solutions that both support those in need and maintain our city’s amenities as safe and welcoming spaces for all. Our Greenway space is littered with trash, unhoused people are building fires under bridges along the Greenway, using drugs and alchohol, and they are harassing people downtown during all hours of the day.

We look to our city leaders to tackle these difficult problems to enhance our city and make it a place people want to live.
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322Drug deals in our complex and smoking of pot in the parking lotIncreasedDrugs All of swThe murder that has occurred and the homelessness
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551nonenot surenot sureOne of the wonderful things about the neighborhood is the walkability. However, there are not enough crosswalks.I live between Broadway, Stephenson and McClanahan. It is basically a "land island" without a single crosswalk off that island. Walking is transportation. It is also great exercise. Sad that it is unsafe to leave the "land island" to reach the beautiful Greenway system and to walk for healthcare. There are organizations that do walkability studies. AARP has even done them for free. South Roanoke is in desperate need of walkability improvements.
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545Parked on the street, side mirror hit by golf club, repaired $1200. Reported to RPD, no witnesses , police replied that they recorded but that was all they could do.?? Seems like the same. We have been the same for 10 years.Speeding
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323Peeing and vomiting, camping and living in the woods on the trails behind the water utility, and a lady screaming and shouting at everyone walking by. Yes, along with a homeless and drug issue. Trespassing 7-11 and closer to the hospital Homeless issues
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555NoneSameNoneNoI don't
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444speeding carincreasedmentally ill persons walking down the street hallucinating (this is not a crime, but concerns me)Homeless people camp out at the kiosk by the soccer fields on Wiley Drive. This worries me. Also homeless persons at the underpass by the river and Carilion.Seeing people who seem mentally unstable.
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333PANHANDLING ON EVERY CORNER, FRANKLIN RD.CUSSING OUT CITZENS, I DONT LIKE THAT THEY HANG IN THE AREA ,AND LEAVE TRASH BEHIND,LOOKING OUT MY KITCHEN WINDOW ,I SEE THEM URINATING AND POOPING IN WOODS BESIDE MY HOUSE,SLEEPING ACROSS THE STREET IN THE WOODS ON COLONIAL AV.I have complained to Sherman Lea city attorney, eight years ago,and signs were put up,telling me hands are tied,and that they have the right to PANHANDLE, what about our rights as citizens, now new signs,that have at the bottom of the sign codes that aren't inforced,how about police to say you can't stand here 2ft median your trespassing and in dangering yourself and citzens, yes I've reported on orange av pandhandling with dogs on orange av. I cry seeing this and I do say something, but no one wants to be the one to fix,start inforcing trespassing codes and do campaigns to stop maybe,fines for giving, until city stops people from giving money, and police, start letting them know that the citys starting a new no trespassinging in the middle of the road it will never stop,panhandling leads to trouble. Panhandling Franklin rd Brandon av swHomeless
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555Theft aggressive profanity if no given money.Increased Theft Solicitation of drugs From the green way to 581 Franklin rd Walking
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324Road rage on 26th and Wycliffeabout the sametheft, we have had care broken into, and a bike stolenin area from McClanahan all the way to 29thhomeless folks near crystal spring village
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211More homeless people circulating. A number of them with obvious mental problems. I am told many of them carry knives.increasedTrespassing and threatening behaviorAround 7-11, in the alleyways and around CarillonThis was never the case until the last 10 years and has become progressively worse. The police patrols have become almost non existent. The homeless occupy public benches and sleep on or under them. They stand in front of signs that say it's illegal to panhandle and panhandle with impunity. They wander the streets in early morning. They leave trash all over. The City of Roanoke has lost the battle against these people. Our taxes go up and the protection and services go down. I frankly blame City Council.
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555Same Breaking into cars at night NoNone
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444NonesameNoneAt night until after sunrise I would not walk alone around the commercial area of DOROIncrease in the unhoused folks who sleep in that area but I have never been approached or bothered
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445Remained the same Car and out building break ins
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555NoneRemained the same TheftWest of Avenham and CornwallisReports of theft
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434Crimes I'm personally aware of consist mainly of property crimes, such as car break-ins.

More troubling, I'm personally aware of the theft of heavy-gauge copper grounding wires from numerous (well over 25) electric utility poles throughout SoRo. Presumably, the copper grounding wires are being stolen for resale. I reported the incidents to RPD, but was told they would not record the complaint, as they were sure that APCO would registered the same complaint. I contacted APCO twice to ensure the thefts were reported/recorded. During the second call to APCO, the agent said she spoke with an engineer who confirmed the loss of grounding wire, particularly grounding wire supporting transformers, was of significant concern.
Given my knowledge of neighbors who have experienced car break-ins, the theft of numerous copper utility grounding wires as noted above, coupled with the recent murder of an elderly SoRo resident, crime definitely appears to be rising.Property crimes and assaults. The increasing density of homeless transiting the Roanoke area, many exhibiting mental health and substance abuse behaviors, correspondingly increases the likelihood of property crimes and assaults. Panhandlers are becoming increasingly aggressive, at least in my experience.As for SoRo, the greatest concern for safety is around the pedestrian tunnel that goes under the railroad tracks to the south side of River's Edge Park. Individuals often congregate at the concession stand, particularly around dusk and at night.Regular and visible police presence, along with adequately lit streets.
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313IncreasedTheftAnywhere near 711Increased presence of homeless
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555I have not witnessed any myself.Remained the sameVandalism and petty theftnoneI don't feel unsafe
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434activity/yelling just off the property at the main hospitalincreasedstealingnearer to the hospital (& 7-11), McClanahan & Franklin Rd, hobo camp off of 2100 block Stephenson Aveunhoused and mental health issues, lack of discipline in childhood
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312I have personally witnessed: graffiti on private property, graffiti on public property, loitering, trespassing, squatting in public property, public urination, public intoxication, littering, illegal dumping of solid waste in roadway, vandalism, running stop signs, speeding, ignoring pedestrians in crosswalks, pedestrians occupying a median less than 48 inches wide. Increased, significantly. As mentioned above, common crimes include: graffiti on private property, graffiti on public property, loitering, trespassing, squatting in public property, public urination, public intoxication, littering, illegal dumping of solid waste in roadway, vandalism, running stop signs, speeding, ignoring pedestrians in crosswalks, and pedestrians occupying a median less than 48 inches wide. I believe the aforementioned crimes are related to an increased presence of the "unhoused" frequenting the area, in conjunction with an increase in traffic (both pedestrian and vehicular) related to construction for the hospital, compounded by a lack of enforcement of city ordinances and state laws. The Crystal Spring area, from 7-Eleven to the Post Office. All areas along McClanahan, from Franklin to Jefferson. The entire area bordering/surrounding the hospital. Broadway Ave, from Avenham to McClanahan (due to an increase in traffic and speeding). The pedestrian underpass from Rosalind to River's Edge, and the River's Edge area in general (particularly the gazebos and restrooms, which the "unhoused" have begun to occupy). The increased presence of people who do not live in the neighborhood frequenting this area. The lack of enforcement of city ordinances and state laws. The increase in vandalism, littering, trespassing, and loitering, with seemingly no police and/or city intervention.
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555Car egging, hearing gun shots at the Gold and Silver ClubsamepettyThe Gold and Silver Club is a nuisance and its clientel (and/or staff) create disruptive behavior, especially at closing time around 2 am.Fighting, yelling, gun firing and racing cars on Franklin Rd after the Gold and Silver Club closes in the early morning hours.
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322We live in a condo building, and have had homeless people attempt to live in our garages, elevators, and next to our dumpsters/recycling bins. We have had shopping carts, suitcases, and used needles left in our parking lot. We have had graffiti spray painted on the side of our building, and have had homeless people trespassing behind the property. We notified the police about these issues and were told there was essentially nothing they could do unless there is an altercation between the offender and a resident, and the offender is present to be apprehended. It is inexcusable that it has to be that dangerous before the police will step in. Increased, significantly. Littering, vandalism, trespassing, squatting, loitering, speeding, running stop signs, ignoring pedestrians in crosswalks. The entire area from 23rd Street to Wiley Drive (to include River's Edge) and from Franklin Road to Jefferson (to include the entire area surrounding the hospital). The 7-Eleven needs to go. It draws people recently discharged from the hospital with nowhere else to go, who proceed to loiter, litter, and vandalize in the surrounding area. We are also concerned the parking garage Carilion just built in our neighborhood will become a new home for the people who were previously living in the Ramada, before it was torn down, which drove them to migrate in to our neighborhood in the first place.
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434Too many to mention. I subscribe to the Roanoke Police Crime AlertIncreased significantlyAssault, theft, burglary, theft from vehicles7-11, River and RailHomeless people, reported assaults, thefts from motor vehicles, murder
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434As someone who grew up in South Roanoke, I chose to move back to Roanoke and raise my family in this neighborhood because of how safe it was for kids to explore independently/with friends, specifically between Crystal Spring Elementary and McClanahan(Sweet Donkey, Fork in the Alley, Rivers Edge Park, 7-11). With the rise of social media and its negative effects on children, I do believe that spaces that encourage children’s independence and social skills are vitally important now more than ever. This particular area in South Roanoke was just that- a critical area for kids to develop their sense of independence and social skills through walks and bike rides with friends. Unfortunately, it has now become filled with transient adults, many of whom are visibly unwell. Therefore, I do not think it a fair assessment to ask how crime has changed in the past year. This area of South Roanoke has been slowly declining for many years. It has left the residents and business owners feeling as though the once valued neighborhood hub is actually now a sketchy place for kids and families to enjoy. The tragic murder of our neighbor is a devastating boiling point to a problem that has long been brewing. Actions by intoxicated and visibly unwell transient adults, including but not limited to verbal/physical harassment, public intoxication, public indecency, theft, and murder. The South Roanoke business corridor (Sweet Donkey, Rivers Edge Park/tunnel, 7-11, trolley stops)The original intention of the trolley was to provide free and reliable transportation for the medical and bio-medical community, specifically employees of Carilion and Virginia Tech. I still believe this intention is a valuable one. As a resident with a young child, the trolley also provides a great service for transportation to entertainment options downtown (Kids Square, Science Museum, Transportation Museum). However, it is also my belief that the free nature of the trolley as well as its route have significantly contributed to the decline of the South Roanoke business corridor. Unhoused and transient adults are accessing the trolley and using its free nature to either ride around aimlessly or specifically to the 7-11. It is therefore my recommendation that potential helpful solutions to the overall crime and decline in the area would be assisted by either: a) shutting the trolley system down entirely b) implementing both a badge reading system and toll. Those who have an employee badge from Carilion/VaTech can continue to ride for free, as was the original intention. Any other members of the general public who wish to ride will have to pay a toll. It is my belief that such a system would also provide actionable data for the city to accurately understand and speak to the ridership. I do believe this data could be used to determine a correlation between the trolley and quantitative data around reported incidents as well as qualitative data such as a similar neighborhood survey after the system has been implemented for 6 months-1 year. Simultaneously, I do wish to see increased police patrol presence/action around the aforementioned areas in South Roanoke.
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413Strange car parks in middle of Longview rd. Man gets out walks around while leaving drivers door open. He walked up Longview and went inside a porta potty, staying for 30 mins. All the while his driver door was opened into the street. Porta potty was soon afterwards discovered covered in blood. Hazmat had to clean. This was 1 week ago during the day. IncreasedChecking for unlocked doors; homeless people vomiting in parking lots at CSG. Near 7-11. Lower Stephenson Too many vagrants and would be thieves. Trolley coming into south Roanoke. A few intersections that are confusing. In front of sweet donkey. Broadway at Wycliffe and Avenham. Broadway at winju and Franklin.
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444Cars running stop signs!SameBreaking into cars and out buildings. Running stop signs. Down around the hospital and near 7 Eleven. Homeless individuals loitering
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312See a lot of homeless peopleIncreasedBreak into cars, breaking into garages, of course there was a murder, homeless people here due to trolley and benches and one at a time beer sales at 7:11.Particularly Longview Avenue and 24th St. leaving Longview.People walking up 24th St. from Longview apartments and homeless on benches
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324homeless panhandling/vagrancy/camping in the alleyways - pestering residents for moneyincreased burglary of cars/garages - people should not leave anything in their cars. Alleys, the business district at night, 7-11especially The homeless are allowed to bother people without recourse. Their rights/feelings seem more protected than responsible, contributing members of society
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322Rivers Edge man urinating on the football fields next to the road while my son and I throw football 30’ away. Theft from porches early morning, one directly next door. Increased. Indecent exposure, drug use on the mountain in the homeless camps. Rivers Edge and mill mountain trails, 7-11 area, anywhere after darkHomeless population and drug use near the area. Finding needles while out with children.
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444Speeding, wreckless drivingNeitherCar break insGreenwayVagrancy near 711
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222Murder of Susan WilliamsIncreasedTraffic - speeding, not stopping at stop signs, scooter riders disobeying all rules of the road.Avenham - 2 stop signs too close together, 26th Street, Cassell, Carolina, around the school.homeless population, lack of policing, lack of parental guidance
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423Crystal Spring retail area, Fern Park trailThe growing number of unsheltered individuals
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323Murder of our neighbor, Susan Williams, on 22nd Street, SE right outside of the Fairfax condominiums.IncreasedTheft, homeless population (some on drugs, etc.) hanging out around the 7 Eleven and on the benches on Crystal Spring Avenue. Crystal Spring area where the trolley stops, 7 Eleven, Greenway and the railroad underpass to the Greenway.Increased homeless population hanging around the neighborhood where families walk,
run, children play, people eat and shop. Carillion needs to charge $$ to ride the trolley…that could help keep some of the homeless from riding back and forth from the Rescue Mission and downtown to the Crystal Spring area to hang out. Carillion could let their hospital employees ride the trolley free.
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545A lot of homeless people
One sleeps in portico of first Presbyterian church,
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222Homeless people wandering the streets, homeless people setting up camp on private property. Trash and trash that is a biohazard thrown out on our streets. Speeding. Individuals entering my neighbors home and squatting without the owner being aware. For that event, the RPD was contacted. We had to install security cameras and felt very unsafe. The individuals were being dropped off "down the street" out of sight by random vehicles. Very disturbing! And we had a neighbor pushed into her home and burglarized in broad daylight. This was also reported to the RPD.INCREASED!!Homelessness crime. Theft, trespassing, breaking and entering, and murder. Just to name a few.The most troubling area is our "village" area where the shops and the post office are. The whole area down toward that end is becoming very dangerous.Lack of police presence or support. Lack of city involvement as this neighborhood deteriorates.
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545Though the recent murder has affected my sense of safety, i have not witnessed / experienced any crimesNo changeRobberyNoneNone
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333The trolley provides transit for unsheltered persons who welcome a “safe” community to hangout. The 7-12 is a magnet.

Mill Mountain is a city park. Hours need to be enforced, no one should be sleeping in our City Parks. No one should be sleeping in the Blue Ridge Parkway property - unless the Day Use area is reverted to a camping area.
The recent murder of Susan Williams has caused the neighborhood to reevaluate the presense of the unsheltered persons living in neighborhood.Neighbors used to watch out for each other. People used to sit on their porches and knew their neighbors. More transient people has meant that neighbors are more longer .Mill Mountain- especially the Star Trail and Chedtnut Ridge trail.
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434NoneRemained the sameCar breakin and car theftNoPoorly lit streets at night and dogs that are allowed out of their yards without leases
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434NoneI really don’t have an answer. I have not witnessed crime in my area of SR. I don’t know if there are other areas that may have more crimeLoitering Kids and Homeless 7-11 and around the benches where the homeless sit and also Fern Park. We walk and see the come out of the woodsI love the benches but rarely do I see neighbors using them. Most of the time it’s Rudy playing his drums( which I love) or the homeless
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433The area around CS and 7/11 has become a place for transient and homeless to hang out.i see so many more since the game machines went into 7/11. I don’t feel safe around that area. I try to avoid the area in the evenings due to people asking for money, etc. IncreasedPetty crime The area around 7/11Homeless and transient population
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545SameCar break ina
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444Someone going through car glovebox Increased Theft Traffic speed on Avenham
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433No crimes…but our car doors have been tried at night several times. Sometimes have people wandering from the hospital and around 7/11. The murder at the Fairfax has really shaken the neighborhood up, the boy who was hit on Avenham etcIncreasedTheftClose to the 7/11, close to Carilion, greenway tunnel, busy roads such as Avenham and Broadway due to speeding Some of the apartment complexes on (esp on Longview) are sketchy, lack of street lights
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555Young boys ringing doorbells and running away. Repeatedly the same group. Very disruptive. Handled it directly with the parents. Some were appropriately disappointed in their children. Others were sadly dismissive of the actions. Homelessness, litter, speeding, traffic volume, while not necessarily crimes, have all increased and create a less idyllic neighborhood feel. 7-11, panhandling at Franklin & McClanahan, homeless encampments in the woods.
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434Vagrants drinking, intoxicated and urinating in public on 7-11 property. The Free trolley dumps these vagrants to our neighborhood. The city needs to defund the trolly as they are millions in debt.IncreasedTheft, trespassing, vagrants harassment of women and children at 7-11. Recently a man robbed 7-11 at knifepoint. Three summers ago two drug dealers fought in 7-11 resulting in one shooting the other man. We knew to demand 7-11 closes at 11pm and discontinue selling single beers. The vagrants buy a single beer walk around littering and defecating on private property. Ask the owners, a fact! 22nd street, alleys behind Crystal Spring Ave and 7-11.The vagrants, , violent criminals the Rescue Mission pays to have brought to Roanoke. A fact!
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555Cars rifled through. About same Petty theft 7-11 area and near Franklin/Broadway. Homeless and opportunists (testing car doors at night).
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323There are drunks walking down my alley on any given weekend. They’re also homeless people going through my trashcan, throwing the trash out into the alley and when I asked them to stop, they normally cuss me out. This is getting out of hand. I’m tired of it.Dedinately increqaedCar theft , home robberies, property theft 7-11 area and over near the ball fields and around yellow mountain RdAll the homeless people wandering around. Siri f in benches where our children normally sent, begging doe mi why. Defecating on sidewalks walking around drunk or worse. Hanging out around 7-11 leaving needles and drug paraphernalia around.
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434none witnessesFrom attending neighborhood meetings we were advised of "times of year there are higher rates of crime" and yes in general crimes of theft seem to increase. It use to be theft of home and car itemsGoing through Tunnel to get on greenway often homeless are around there, we have also had people just sitting on benches around 7-11 area for hours, even sleeping there. This is new to our area. A reliable source who's family live in another shared he has seen signs at the bus station "free tickets to Roanoke"I like when streets, schools, stores and home are not well lit, having a vacant lot in the middle of Crystal Spring. Coming from NYC,a littered city feels less safe to me and since the Carilion Expansion there is more litter all around the neighborhood. When walking to share information about our neighborhood programs I was also taken aback at the number of poorly maintained apartment buildings which made me feel badly for those who lived there and also aware that in NY these areas tended to have more crime.
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212Homeless walking and camping overnight in alleysYES!car vandalism and breakinsaround my homeHomeless walking and camping overnight in alleys
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555Only indirectly due to the murder across our street.Has remained the same.Too frequent break-ins to cars and homes.The intersection of McClanahan and Carolina and Broadway desperately requires a Traffic Circle; it is an accident "waiting to happen". Add a speed bump or two to slow down traffic in our neighborhood. The new parking garage appears to have entrys and exits that will back up traffic for a block or so.Lack of a Traffic Circle as above. Cars parked too close to intersections which blocks our sightline for being able to see oncoming cars.
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555I run early mornings and late at night. 5am or 9pm every day. My runs usually are 2 hours have never experienced any crime or felt unsafe DecreasedNone NoI do not feel unsafe. I walk and run all over So Ro. Walk the greenway and hike the trails
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312I've been followed a couple times with my young daughter with me, had a woman ram her head into my car window after trying to get into my carincreasedrobbery7-11 areaLack of mental health services for some of the unhoused
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333Car got broken into.Stayed the same, but a woman got killed a few weeks ago.Property crimes, potential violent crime associated with the homeless people near 7/117/11 areaHomeless around 7/11
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323Carr broken into IncreasedCar break ins. Loitering at 7-11Around 7-11. Also feel unsafe near fern park due to occasional homeless person staying thereThe number of homeless hanging in the 7-11 area
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