San Bernardino Shopping Center Uses Cat Noises to Deter Homeless

Cat Noises as a Homeless Deterrent

• 🔊 A shopping center in San Bernardino is using loud recordings of cat noises, including fighting and hissing, to deter homeless individuals from camping on private property.
• ⏰ The sounds are played on repeat all night long, from closing time around 10:00 PM until 6:00 AM.
• 🎯 The tactic is intended to make the area uncomfortable for campers, with one worker noting it prevents them from sleeping.

Mixed Reactions and Other Tactics

• 🗣️ Bystanders and those who come to the drive-thru at Wendy's have mixed reactions, with some believing cats are being tortured.
• 📢 Workers clarify that the noises are meant to scare off people and not harm animals.
• 🚨 For extra measure, the property also features sensors with alarms that notify individuals they are on private property and should move.
• 🎶 This method follows similar tactics in nearby Los Angeles, where businesses have used annoyingly catchy music to deter the homeless.

The Unspoken Epidemic

• 😟 The homeless population has become accustomed to these deterrents, which is described as an unspoken epidemic.
• 🚫 Signs are posted urging people not to give money to the homeless, further contributing to the difficult conditions.
• 🌃 The Sterling Shopping Center aims to "claw back" its property from homeless encampments with this new strategy.