Growing homeless camp has Austin property owner at wits end, may force him to leave: 'Doesn't make sense'

A property owner in Austin, Texas is begging the city for help in response to a homeless encampment that he says is negatively affecting his life and business to the point where he may have to pack up and leave.

Pedro Morales, who owns a building in the South Lamar neighborhood of Austin, told Fox 7 Austin this week that a homeless encampment popped up in a narrow area by his building complete with bedding, shelving, kitchen items and a laptop. 

Morales explained to the outlet that the encampment started with just one person but then began to grow and he says he has been vandalized and even found an ankle monitor lying around.

"Eventually it's just going to be overwhelming, and it's going to cost us business, and it's going to cost us money, and it's going to cost us time," Morales said. 

AUSTIN MAN WHO WAS ONCE HOMELESS MAPS CAMPS SPRINGING UP AROUND THE CITY, BRINGING LIGHT TO CRISIS

Morales said he has called the city and the police and received a lackluster response. The police department removed someone from the property on May 5, Morales says, but the individual soon tried to come back.

"There's absolutely zero accountability. I have to clean up somebody else's mess. The city created this mess. I didn't create that mess between my buildings," Morales explained.

HALF OF ALL 'UNSHELTERED' HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE LOCATED IN ONE STATE: REPORT

"The way the city has been progressively moving toward a direction of tolerance has caused this. I want to be tolerant, but you can't affect my business. I can't allow that. I'll be tolerant to an extent. Once we start really losing business, it doesn't make sense. We won't live in Austin anymore. It's that simple."

Fox News Digital reached out to the city of Austin for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

It was recently estimated that just under 5,000 people are currently living on the streets in Austin which represents an increase since 2021, Austin Monitor reported.

Dozens arrested in anti-monarchy protests during Charles III coronation: 'NOT MY KING'

Dozens of people were arrested in London amid the coronation celebrations Saturday – a day when police said they would have a low tolerance and deal "robustly" with disrupters.

Some of the arrests included offenses like disrupting public order and conspiracy to cause a public nuisance, but some anti-monarchy protesters with the group Republic also found themselves in handcuffs following a demonstration at Trafalgar Square. 

Republic’s head Graham Smith was among those arrested, according to Reuters. 

The arrests of peaceful protesters caused some alarm among human rights groups. 

CORONATION OF KING CHARLES III: THE HISTORIC DAY IN PHOTOS 

"This is something you would expect to see in Moscow, not London," Human Rights Watch UK director Yasmine Ahmed told BBC News. 

Commander Karen Findlay defended the arrests. 

"Protest is lawful and it can be disruptive," she said in a statement. "We have policed numerous protests without intervention in the build-up to the coronation, and during it."

She added it was their "duty" to have a "proportionate" response. 

KING CHARLES FACES PROTESTERS HOLDING ‘NOT MY KING’ SIGNS AT EVENT

"We also have a duty to intervene when protest becomes criminal and may cause serious disruption This depends on the context. The coronation is a once in a generation event and that is a key consideration in our assessment. A protest involving large numbers has gone ahead today with police knowledge and no intervention."

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In total, 52 people were arrested Saturday and all remain in custody, police said.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla were officially crowned in a ceremony at London's Westminster Abbey Saturday morning that drew thousands to the area to see the king and queen riding to and from Buckingham Palace. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.