A homeless encampment has emerged in a Manhattan park just steps from City Hall, where the odor of urine, human waste and overflowing garbage has spread through the public space as children play nearby.
Roughly six tents and makeshift shelters recently appeared beneath the elevated stone pavilion at Columbus Park, effectively transforming part of the landmark into an informal living area.
The setup includes a couch positioned beside the tents, tables, a charging station crowded with cords and adapters, and clothing hanging from the pavilion’s railings. Music could also be heard coming from several shelters.
“I personally wouldn’t go up there,” said 30-year-old park visitor Kir-el McKeon. “I think it should probably be removed because it is a community center.”
A man whose pants and legs appeared to be stained with blood then approached and asked, “Can you help out the homeless?”
After seeing the man, McKeon said the situation made her uncomfortable. “I think that’s unsafe,” she said. “I don’t think he should be around, especially if there are children. That should be stopped.”
The exact date the encampment formed remains unclear, but complaints about Columbus Park have surged this year. City records show 49 reports were filed between January and September, compared with 12 during all of 2025.
The increase came after Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office and directed the NYPD not to remove homeless encampments until Department of Homeless Services workers had first conducted outreach.
Since then, encampments have appeared in locations across the city and, in some cases, remained for weeks. Over the summer, one settlement stretched for roughly 12 blocks along 11th Avenue, creating a trash-filled area where drug use and prostitution were reportedly widespread.
Columbus Park appeared to be heading in a similar direction, with refuse spilling from beneath the pavilion and a strong smell of urine lingering near the patio and lawn, where people played dominoes and children ran through the grass.
“The regulatory bodies within the government should certainly be doing something about this,” said 50-year-old Henry Schroeder. “I definitely think regulation in New York is very, very poor.”
“We don’t have a lot of public space here in New York City,” he added. “Especially green space. You want as much of it as possible to remain available to the people who live here.”
Elias Bourhila, 22, said he shared those concerns.
“I don’t know if public places are the best place for people to simply stay when others are coming to enjoy the park,” he said. “It’s their space too, but if they remain there for a long time, I feel like it affects other people’s ability to enjoy the park.”
