Residents say a street at the corner of Fulton and Cavalcade in north Houston has become a magnet for vagrants and crime

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Neighbors in north Houston are raising the alarm about a street corner they say has become a hotspot for vagrancy and crime.

At any time of day, you'll see people loitering at the METRO light rail station and in the parking lots at the corner of Fulton and Cavalcade.

“We have seen cases where they tried to stab each other. They were fighting each other,” said Antonio Avalos, a North Houston resident.

“They use the toilet. They defecate. They urinate. They’re naked,” Monica Avalos said.

Others say they have caught people committing lewd acts and using drugs.

“Just the other day we came by and there was a woman out there prostituting herself,” said Cheryl Baxley.

Neighbors say they reported what they saw to police, but that problems continue.

Houston police told Eyewitness News that officers are handling the matter as best they can.

“If you're too afraid to get on a bus or stand at the bus station, that's not good,” Baxley said.

Councilman Mario Castillo agrees.

“Can we send an officer here to enforce loitering or camping? This is difficult when we have a shortage of officers and they respond to high priority, high level emergency calls,” Castillo said.

Castillo said his office has provided $100,000 to HPD to respond to calls in his district.

He encourages people to report problems on a special website he has set up: DistrictHPatrol.com.

“As you report, we are forwarding it to HPD. They tell us about the disposition and we put it right back on the website,” Castillo said.

METRO Police sent Eyewitness News the following statement:

“The safety of our customers, employees and the entire community is METRO’s top priority. The MPD Crime Suppression Team and CARE (Crisis, Assessment, Response, and Engagement) Department are closely monitoring this area. The CARE team visits the Cavalcade platforms and bus stops on Fulton and Cavalcade, providing resources and support to people experiencing homelessness, also have joint operations around Cavalcade, Airline and I-45 in collaboration with the Houston Police Department carried out in numerous arrests.

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