The rise of homelessness in Homewood has become a significant topic during the 2025 municipal election, with multiple candidates discussing it at forums and events.
According to residents who spoke to 1819 News, the issue has been talked about around kitchen tables, at ball games and practices, and at gatherings where the community comes together—whether at church, small businesses, or community events. Those same residents are now expressing concern that John Manzelli, one of the two candidates vying for a seat on the Homewood City Council in the current runoff election, has dismissed their concerns, labeling them as “political.”
In response to the latest incident, which led to police intervention, Chris Lane, Manzelli's opponent, took to social media to describe the situation, express his thoughts, and commit to finding a solution.
"This afternoon, a couple of very upset parents on Roseland reached out to me with an incident that should concern us all. Today, as their children were walking home from school, a man with little clothing on was reportedly bathing in the creek," Lane wrote. Parents reported that their children saw a man "lathering up" in the creek on their way home from school.
Some of those residents also called the Homewood Police Department (HPD). Sgt. Mark Tripp told 1819 News in a statement, "Homewood police responded to a call of a man in the creek on Kenilworth Drive."
While the man did not approach any residents or children, parents and residents expressed concern. According to HPD, "An officer made contact with the subject and offered him assistance and a ride to a shelter. He declined any assistance and left the area on his bicycle."
Lane addressed this issue in his post, saying in part, “We must address this with both compassion and conviction. We cannot ignore what appears to be a small problem now and allow it to grow unchecked, because history has shown that the larger it gets, the harder it becomes to solve.”
“Homewood deserves thoughtful, proactive leadership that protects our families and also recognizes the dignity of every person. That’s the approach I’ll bring to City Council,” She concluded.
His post prompted a conversation that is still ongoing days later; however, in a now-deleted Facebook post, his opponent, John Manzelli, took aim at Lane, saying, “It's unfortunate when complex issues are reduced to posts like these that are designed to stoke unease, without real discussion.”
He further commented on Lane’s post, which featured an image of a man found bathing partially clothed in a creek by children, with his face obscured, saying, “This post, with a vague description and an image with a black dot over their face, is designed to create anxiety, then ‘hear’ that anxiety, and then be the one who will take the anxiety seriously.”
The backlash against Manzelli’s attack on Lane and those who share his concerns was so intense that Manzelli deleted his original post and reposted about it, this time acknowledging the problem: "I deleted the post because I thought the dialogue had turned unnecessarily aggressive. I acknowledge that we have a growing homeless issue/concern. I acknowledge we must address it."
The second post continued, "I believe Mr. Lane's post is political and not the way I believe we should address these issues. I hope we can address them in a more thoughtful way in the future."
In the ongoing discussion on his social media page, Lane went on to say, “I’m convinced it is something that our city council must address seriously. Pretending it doesn’t exist and implying that residents who are uncomfortable with the situation lack compassion is not an answer.”
This is not the first such incident where concerns were dismissed. Images shared with 1819 show encampments at several places around town, individuals outside businesses and others sleeping in public areas.
One resident shared videos and images of a homeless man recently seen pushing a cart in a residential neighborhood, agreeing to speak to 1819 News anonymously because of the hostile nature of progressives in the city, who have bullied and shamed those expressing concern for their safety and that of their children.
The Homewood Police Department is unable to precisely pinpoint how many homeless encounters they have had in recent months, as most often they do not result in charges or formal trespass warnings.
According to the police department, many of the homeless people they encounter refuse services, leaving them with few options unless the individual is trespassing or actively committing a crime. HPD said, " Homewood Police Department officers proactively patrol all areas of Homewood, especially neighborhoods, and will continue to do so."
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