Tara, This is something we almost expect to see once we open our space in downtown Reno. We have a river that runs through downtown and there are always people looking for places to sleep and loiter 24/7. We too will be offering free drop-in space and expect to have our fair share of curious loiterers.
It can be a very frightening situation to deal with, especially when finding someone unexpectedly at night, but I think you handled it well. If I were in your shoes, I would probably give them the benefit of the doubt for a few visits but once the visits start to infringe on the other's comfort, I would take action. It is sad to have to take action against individuals who are less fortunate than ourselves but as you mentioned, Citizen Space and similar spaces are workspaces, not shelters. Colin On Oct 1, 3:02 pm, "Tara Hunt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Thanks Dawn, > > When asked these questions (and we've asked many to fine out more), he > doesn't speak up. He just stares defiantly. I think he may be > autistic? > > T > > > > On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 2:59 PM, Dawn Hayes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Tara, > > > Given the economy, your situation might not be that unusual. I work out of > > several locations in NYC- some public and some private- and I've seen more > > than my share of folks that remind me of RC. Due to the size of most of the > > locations, only regulars might have noticed somewhat odd behaviors or > > appearances. So, I haven't witnessed anyone mention it as a problem yet (a > > matter of time, it seems) > > > I am certainly not saying it is your problem to deal with given how you have > > tried to handle the matter, but people lie about their employment and > > housing situations. Is there anyone in your space working with or for public > > service organizations? Perhaps they may have some local references to > > suggest. Is there anyone who might be looking for an intern or have a job to > > fill? Maybe he might express interest if he didn't feel singled out and that > > may get him to open up a little more about his situation if he is facing > > personal difficulties. > > > In terms of safety, you may have to explore issuing keys (or getting > > building management to do so) for a more controlled environment; even if it > > slightly dampens the culture of the space. > > > I wonder what he would say if he were asked directly why he spends so much > > time at the space in spite of possibly getting arrested and clearly making > > others around him uncomfortable? > > > Cheers, > > > Dawn > > > On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 5:31 PM, Tara Hunt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > >> Hey all, > > >> So, I thought I'd relay a story...not to freak anyone out or change > >> anything, but just as an experience that others can learn from. > > >> For about 6 months, there has been a guy who drops in regularly at > >> Citizen Space for free - almost too regularly at times - and would > >> fall asleep at the communal tables in the back. I thought, "Whatever, > >> no biggie, really," until I got a complaint from my landlord that, > >> when CS wasn't open, he would sit outside of our door or wander around > >> the building for hours. So, the next time I saw him I told him that he > >> isn't allowed to be in the building hanging around when we aren't > >> there. So, that was problem A. But he didn't really listen and we > >> would still find him sleeping outside our door. I must have told him > >> about 10x personally. Then he hadn't come around for a while, so I > >> thought that the issue was done. > > >> But no. One day I received an email from Eddie from The Hat Factory > >> asking me if Ryan Cook ever hangs out at Citizen Space and that they > >> had to finally ask him to leave and not come back because he was doing > >> the same thing - sleeping in the building - as well as bringing his > >> clothes and showering there. Eddie and another guy had taken Ryan to > >> lunch to get more information from him and didn't find much out. > >> According to Ryan, he had a job and a place to live. So they said he > >> would have to limit the times he dropped in and no more showering or > >> sleeping there. But he continued, so they finally threatened him with > >> calling the police if he returned. > > >> After that point, he stepped up his presence at CS again, this time he > >> had no laptop with him and people in the space (renters and other > >> dropins) were starting to complain about his presence. He would come > >> in, eat stuff from the cupboards, make coffee and leave a mess, then > >> sleep at the table. So, I told him he couldn't come back to CS without > >> his laptop - "This isn't a shelter, it's a workspace." I said. But a > >> couple of nights later, I came into the office to check on a package > >> at around 10:00 pm and, after unlocking the security door, I found him > >> behind it, hanging out. Of course, this freaked me out a bit, but I > >> firmly told him he wasn't allowed to be there, to leave and not come > >> back until he gets a computer. > > >> A couple days later, Jonathan, one of the desk renters, found him, > >> again, behind the locked security door and observed a pile of luggage > >> and clothes. This was early in the morning. He instantly left and > >> called me, telling me he didn't want to have to deal with this any > >> longer. I was very angry at that point and went directly over there, > >> but he was gone. Later that day, I caught him in the building again > >> and told him to take his clothes and leave and that I would call the > >> police if he returned. That was last Friday. > > >> On Monday, I wasn't at the space, but Arne told me he came in to > >> gather 'some of his things that he had left' at the space. CS is NOT a > >> storage locker. Arne supervised him and walked him out of the > >> building. I thought that was the end of it. But no again. > > >> Today, I stopped by CS to check on a package and, lo and behold, he > >> was there again. I totally blew up and told him I was going to call > >> the police and locked myself in the office. The police came by and he > >> was STILL hanging in the building. The officer talked to him, then > >> came and talked with me. I told him the story and the officer told me > >> he would tell Ryan that he would be charged next time he came into the > >> building. > > >> I hope this is the end of it. It's driving me nuts. I don't know if > >> he's a physical threat - he hasn't made any threats or moves. However, > >> his continued presence feels like a fear tactic and he makes everyone > >> at CS extremely uneasy...even the big guys. > > >> I'm looking for advice here...but also to open up a discussion on > >> whether others have shared this problem and, if so, how have you dealt > >> with it? > > >> Tara > > >> -- > >> -- > >> tara 'missrogue' hunt > > >> Book: The Whuffie Factor: Using the Power of Social Networks to Build > >> Your Business > >> (http://www.amazon.com/Whuffie-Factor-Capital-Winning-Communities/dp/0...) > >> Company: Citizen Agency (http://www.citizenagency.com) > >> Blog: HorsePigCow: Marketing Uncommon (http://www.horsepigcow.com) > >> Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/missrogue > >> phone: 415-694-1951 > >> fax: 415-727-5335 > > > -- > > > "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, but we are spiritual > > beings having a human experience."--Pierre Teilhard de Chardin > > -- > -- > tara 'missrogue' hunt > > Book: The Whuffie Factor: Using the Power of Social Networks to Build > Your Business > (http://www.amazon.com/Whuffie-Factor-Capital-Winning-Communities/dp/0...) > Company: Citizen Agency (http://www.citizenagency.com) > Blog: HorsePigCow: Marketing Uncommon (http://www.horsepigcow.com) > Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/missrogue > phone: 415-694-1951 > fax: 415-727-5335 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. 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