The story has been receiving maximum online attention: a man living in a sewer near Towson, spooking kids heading to school. Think Pennywise in the land of Pleasant Living. All that was missing was a red balloon. But unpacking a tale that has been sweeping social media reveals a common and c omplex reality in Maryland communities. Assisting and directing homeless individuals poses challenges for everyone involved, from residents who rightly demand safety to first responders and outreach workers who spend their days trying to connect those in need to services that can help them. “This story has come out in a Halloween-y ‘gotcha’ way,” said Terry Hickey, director of the Department of Housing and Community Development in Baltimore County. But a situation like this “is much more normal in our world than most people will think.” CBS Baltimore first reported on the “man in the sewer” case, interviewing resident Unique Wiggins, who said at first she did not believe her children about a man underground who she said was yelling at them and harassing them. But she investigated behind her Lutherville-Timonium apartment complex, and heard him singing and talking through a manhole cover. The back story involves a network of government agencies that try to balance laws and personal freedoms, and the workers who try to build trust and make sure all are safe. The official count of homeless people in Baltimore County—the number tallied in what is known as a “point in time” survey taken in January—is around 700. But that figure, collected from those in shelters plus a count on the street, is almost certainly low, says Heather Sheridan, the county’s chief of homeless services. There is a range of services available to people who lack housing, Sheridan said, which can be accessed through what Baltimore County calls its “coordinated entry system,” reachable at 410-887-8463 during businesses hours. Social workers can make available short-term rental assistance based on an assessment of vulnerabilities, and review shelter options. Outreach workers will follow up and try to reach a client in person. Video that Wiggins provided to CBS shows police making contact with the man in a sloped wooden area that leads to a large culvert for collecting stormwater—not a sanitary sewer for waste. It’s not hard to imagine someone seeking a quiet, sheltered wooded spot to find safety during a time of need. Without providing specific details about any case, Hickey and Sheridan described how many homeless individuals are wary of group shelters, and may not be ready or able to avail themselves of programs. “It’s a misnomer that people don’t want services,” Hickey said. “You’ve got folks who seek out places they consider to be safe, that they have control over.” And for those who don’t want to go to a shelter and are waiting for affordable or accessible housing options, “our team has to continue to work on that relationship,” he said, with “light touches until they are ready.” “That is the day-to-day grind,” he said. It is police, as first responders, who are often the first to make contact, using a life-safety lens to evaluate whether a person is sleeping in a dangerous place, or posing a danger to others. Police will determine if a person needs to be taken into custody or provided custodial-type services, but can also work with homeless services and other agencies. The stormwater culvert is owned and maintained by the Baltimore County Department of Public Works, and at the time of Wiggins’ encounter, was not marked with no trespassing signs. Wiggins, according to CBS, obtained a peace order that has expired. ...read more read less