Increasing drug activity and homelessness plague east-side businesses [Video]

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — An alarming rise in incidents involving drugs and homelessness is causing significant problems for businesses on Tucson’s east side, near Pima Street and Tanque Verde Road.

According to CrimeGrade.org’s interactive crime map, the area has higher levels of vandalism and property crime than surrounding neighborhoods.

This is the same area where, just last week, a group of five men were arrested for pointing guns at passersby. The guns were later found to possess illegal automatic triggers.

Dr. Jeff Vendsel, who has run Advanced Chiropractic in the area for ten years, describes a disturbing shift over the past few months.

“Somewhere September, October, we started getting a large number of homeless people that have been making our buildings, buildings both the north and the south of us, their home base,” Vendsel said.

Vendsel added that conditions have worsened since the smoke shop moved in.

He recounted frequent issues with people sleeping on his property and engaging …