Pew! Human biohazard camps outside historic NYC church
A homeless man with apparent medical issues has been living near an abandoned church in NYC's East Village, creating a foul odor that neighbors describe as a biohazard. Residents have reported the situation multiple times, but authorities have been unable to intervene due to the man's refusal of care and legal restrictions. The city's outreach teams continue to monitor the area and attempt engagement, while locals call for policy changes to address such cases.
- ▪The man has been seen near the former First Hungarian Reformed Church and Tompkins Square Park, leaving behind a strong stench and bodily waste.
- ▪Over a dozen 311 complaints and at least two 911 calls have been made, but no sustained action has been taken.
- ▪City officials state that treatment cannot be administered without consent unless there is a medical emergency, which neighbors argue exists.
- ▪The abandoned church is set to be converted into residential units following approval by the city’s Landmark Preservation Commission.
- ▪Local businesses have been affected, with one owner removing a bench to deter the man from sleeping nearby.
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Metro exclusive Pew! Human biohazard camps outside historic NYC church By Gabrielle Fahmy Published May 2, 2026, 7:50 a.m. ET A homeless man in the East Village has everyone around him saying ‘pew.’ Neighbors are calling the vagrant — who apparently has no control of his bodily functions and has decamped on the stoops of an abandoned historic church on East 7th Street — the smelliest man in NYC. “There’s always rats and homeless people there, but the odor has never been so pungent as to make me gag from the middle of the block,” said Raf Astor, a longtime East Village resident, who first came upon the putrid scene 10 days ago. 3 The man has been wandering between the abandoned church and the park over the past 10 days.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at New York Post.
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