Stupid News Story of The Day

(They're homeless. How the heck are they gonna come up with that kind of money?)

Owner of ritzy NY shop sues homeless By Matthew Verrinder

NEW YORK (Reuters) - It's a case of Madison Avenue versus Penniless Lane. A Manhattan antique shop owner's lawsuit against transients who camp in front of his store is generating debate about what to do with New York's homeless, many of whom spend winter nights on the street.

Karl Kemp, owner of the posh Karl Kemp & Associates Antiques, Ltd. on Madison Avenue, sued three men and a woman for $1 million (506,807 pounds) earlier this month, alleging they scare away customers when they drink alcohol, urinate and warm themselves above a heating duct in front of his shop.

Kemp's suit, filed in state Supreme Court, also seeks an order to keep them 100 feet (30 metres) away.

Some New York homeless advocates are upset, saying Kemp was too quick to sue poor vagrants instead of trying to help them through social services.

Nearly 35,000 people spent Wednesday night in New York City homeless shelters. About 3,800 shunned shelters and slept outside in 2006, according to city data.

"(Kemp) could have called any number of homeless service organisations that reach out to people on the street," said Shelly Nortz, deputy executive director for policy for the Coalition for the Homeless. "Suing them for $1 million is just wrong."

Michael Zen, a lawyer for Kemp, said that since 2004 the shop owner contacted police, who came and shooed the transients away, and the manager of the building, requesting the hot air flowing out of the heating duct be rerouted.

"Filing the suit wasn't our first instinct," Zen said. "Mr. Kemp's business has been interfered with. We want these people to move on. Unfortunately, it has come to this."

The New York Post backed Kemp, writing in an editorial on Friday, "We're no fans of frivolous lawsuits. But kudos to Kemp."

Dace Kins, who was visiting the posh Upper East Side shopping area from Chicago on Thursday, called the issue "a sad situation on both sides."

"It would be wonderful if the city could do something for them so they wouldn't have to be out in this freezing weather," Kins said.

People who worked in nearby stores were less sympathetic, saying that one of the men can usually be found on the grate cursing at passersby.

"He says a lot of things to people," said doorman Shakeem Hodge. "To me he says, 'Burn in hell.'"

(Additional reporting by Bob Mezan)