Two recent police calls highlight a growing frustration for some downtown Portsmouth business owners who say they are increasingly dealing with issues tied to homelessness, trespassing, and people using private property as a place to stay.
🎭 SQUATTER FOUND INSIDE HISTORIC COLUMBIA THEATER
Portsmouth police were called to the Columbia Theater on Gallia Street after workers discovered someone had apparently gained access to the building.
According to the report, a side door had either been pried open or left unsecured.
When building representatives checked the upstairs area, they found signs that someone had been living there.
Police noted there were food items and a can of pop in the area, suggesting the person had been staying inside the historic building.
Fortunately, owners reported that nothing appeared to be stolen.
The building’s representatives told officers they planned to secure the door and install cameras, but declined to pursue a criminal report.
🚨 CUSTOMERS DRIVEN AWAY FROM BUSINESS
In a separate incident, officers responded to a marijuana dispensary on Second Street after employees reported ongoing problems involving homeless individuals and loitering on the property.
According to the report, employees said a homeless person was chasing away customers and that a broken-down truck had been sitting in the parking lot.
By the time officers arrived, the truck had already left.
Employees told police they have been dealing with repeated problems involving people using the parking lot for activities unrelated to the business.
The manager requested additional patrols around closing time.
🏠 A CHALLENGE FOR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES
Neither incident resulted in arrests, but they illustrate a growing issue facing many businesses in Portsmouth.
Owners say they increasingly find themselves dealing with:
- Trespassing
- Squatters
- Loitering
- Encampments
- Customers feeling unsafe
- Property damage concerns
- Unauthorized use of private property
Many business owners sympathize with people struggling with homelessness, addiction, and mental health challenges.
At the same time, they say they’re being forced to spend more time securing buildings, monitoring parking lots, and calling police.
⚖️ WHEN COMPASSION MEETS REALITY
The debate over homelessness often becomes emotional.
Most people agree that individuals struggling with housing, addiction, or mental illness need help.
The challenge comes when those struggles begin affecting businesses, employees, customers, and private property owners.
In one case, someone appears to have turned part of a historic downtown building into temporary housing.
In another, employees reported customers being driven away from a business.
Neither is the outcome downtown merchants are hoping for.
👀 WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
For now, the Columbia Theater is being secured and the dispensary is requesting extra patrols.
But both calls serve as another reminder that homelessness isn’t just a social service issue.
For many downtown businesses, it’s increasingly becoming a daily operational challenge.
