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Homeless man who refuses to leave laundromat says he 'has nowhere to go'

Posted at 9:06 PM, Apr 18, 2023
and last updated 2023-04-19 12:31:26-04

EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV) — For several minutes, Bob Boyce calmly asks a homeless man to leave his laundromat. Boyce says the man sits in chairs for customers almost everyday, and will stay for hours.

"I have someone come in here with bleach and sanitize the whole place because of the smell," says Boyce.

Some customers say they wait in their cars until the man leaves.

"I did not come in here until he left. The smell was that bad," said a customer.

Boyce says he calls the police and officers eventually come.

"There is nothing they can do about this issue," he says.

Boyce says the man has been coming to the laundromat for more than a year. The homeless man tells ABC 10 News "I have nowhere to go."

"I feel bad for him. He is older. He has been here for over a year. He cannot take care of himself," says Boyce.

There are several other businesses next to the laundromat. Staff tell ABC 10 News dozens of homeless people were hanging out in the parking lot a few weeks go.

Boyce says police installed security cameras and most of the homeless people are gone, except for the man who won't leave his laundromat. He wants San Diego County to provide more resources.

"I think the county needs to step in and do a mandate of the homeless. I don't think it's fair to have one city responsible for the whole issue," he adds.