Genius NYC Landlord Uses Megaphone To Remove Homeless From His Property
The owners of 20 St. Marks Pl. in the East Village have taken measures to deter an increasing number of vagrants and intoxicated individuals from using the vacant building as their private restroom. To achieve this, they installed a megaphone alongside a 24/7 surveillance camera that constantly monitors the premises.
Whenever anyone steps foot on the stoop of the three-story landmarked building, a loud and attention-grabbing voice booms from the sound system, commanding the violator to “stop!” or “move on!” This jarring and obnoxious tactic, which can be heard up and down the block at all hours, is designed to scare away loiterers and troublemakers.
Chaim Gluck, the COO of Live Lion, a Brooklyn-based security company behind the setup, stated that if the megaphone fails to deter offenders, they resort to calling the police to ensure that appropriate action is taken.
The owners hired Live Lion after the building had faced multiple incidents of miscreants and unwanted activities. The service provided by Live Lion is proactive, with guards changing every five hours to maintain vigilance and make regular arrests. According to Gluck, their approach leads to eight to 10 arrests per week across their various installations.
While some neighbors appreciate the measure as a defensive mechanism to protect the property, others find the loud speaker system disturbing and feel it should respect the neighborhood’s culture and people. Nonetheless, some see it as a unique and ingenious solution that embodies the spirit of New York City.
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