The presence of houseless people is a very prevalent issue among almost all public universities across the nation. Many schools, similar to UF, were funded with land grants in impoverished areas to create a greater incentive and more accessibility for education. These once scarce agricultural areas, like Gainesville, faced extreme economic growth and instability of the market when enrollment began at a consistent rate. Housing prices and other, once affordable, necessities for non-university affiliated residents skyrocketed. Those who once had no problem paying rent now face extreme market competition with college students and professors, who often have a higher standard of living and are more likely to pay these higher prices.
The issue of homelessness has always been present on UF’s campus, especially near West University Avenue, with people often congregating near popular food retail shops, like Chick-fil-A or McDonald’s, where they seek food and shelter. Though many homeless people pose no threat to others, some pose a risk to all students, more specifically, young college women.
When speaking to a freshman girl, who remains anonymous, about her experience with Gainesville’s homeless population during her first semester, she shared a very worrisome anecdote about her first night out with friends.
“We were heading to a house right behind JustSalad and Cava, all walking, thinking we were safe because we were only on the other side of the road from campus,” she began, “but as we approached the building, my friend noticed an older man on a bike behind us coming at a rapid speed.”
She proceeds to go into detail about the wave of emotions she felt, initially thinking he was a harmless man who was just biking around the area, “but then we saw his bike speed up and continue toward us as we were waiting at the locked front door for my friend to finish getting ready.”
She gulps before telling this next part, as if feeling the same emotions despite this occurring months ago, “we started banging on the glass door hoping anyone who lived in the complex would let us in. And as he got closer we really didn’t know what was gonna happen, was he going to touch us? Talk to us? Did he have a weapon?”
Luckily, this girl did not have to see the outcome of this interaction. Her banging on the door did work, as another resident of the condo complex heard these young girls’ desperation and let them in just seconds before they were to interact with this man. Though she did share that because of the fact that the door she had gone through was glass, the man was still able to watch them through it. He stayed outside of the complex before her and continued to eye the two young girls for what she described as close to ten minutes. Eventually the man became disinterested and left the area.
She was so shaken up from this interaction, that she decided to head home that night instead of going out to her planned dinner with her friends. Because of the lack of safety on campus, a girl was scared to go out with her friends during what is supposed to be the most social time in a young person’s life.
It is important to note that this story also took place during the beginning of this spring semester in January, meaning it was during one of the worst cold fronts Gainesville has ever seen. There is a direct correlation between aggression from the homeless and colder weather, and unfortunately this girl had to experience it directly.
During these cold fronts homeless populations become more desperate for the necessities that they are lacking, food and shelter. Therefore, they become significantly more daring when asking for favors from pedestrians or cars. Many even attempt to go in the main road lanes as a way to seek attention or feign accidentally getting injured,indirectly gaining shelter through emergency medical care. With this desperation, there is a greater risk to those whom the homeless often see as an easy target, young girls.
A young sophomore from the University of Florida named Harmony Martin shared an experience of this from this past weekend. “I was getting gas at the Chevron on University, because it is the closest station to my dorm,” she begins, “and as I’m waiting for the gas to finish in the pump, a lady begins running toward me.”
Harmony depicts this part almost like it was coming out of a movie. She was so unaware, her only focus was about how she was going to be late for work because of stopping at the station, when she looked up to see this woman flying in front of her.
“Please help,” Harmony said the woman screeched, “anything, anything at all will help.”
Harmony was utterly shocked, having little experience with the homeless before moving to campus, she didn’t know what she was supposed to do in this situation. She was virtually cornered.
“I told her I had no cash,” Harmony said, “and I saw her begin to eye the insides of my car as almost checking that I wasn’t lying.”
The woman continued to stay next to the gas bump Harmony was waiting for, and the two stood next to each other in silence. When Harmony went to remove the pump, she saw the lady attempting to get into her locked car, pushing and pulling on the passenger side handle.
“I didn’t know what to say,” she whispered reliving the interaction, “I just ran to the driver’s door and she eventually backed off when the engine started.”
Harmony shares she was relieved that nothing further came out of that interaction, and that it was strange but she was unharmed. But who knows what could have happened if the woman was just a little more desperate for food.
The University of Florida and Gainesville city must take greater attention and care to the homeless population in this city. Not only for the safety and health of homeless people, but for the safety of the young female college student population. It is not fair that a girl has to worry about whether she can fill her gas tank without being harassed by a person desperate for a meal, or better yet be chased by someone that just wants to feel a bit of heat in the freezing weather. Until this is fixed, homeless people will continue to face such trials, and young college girls will continue to be targeted and exposed to these dangers with virtually no aid.