New York City nonprofit organizations have been trying to move the homeless residents of Times Square into housing for years. Now, they've almost reached their goal, save one lone homeless man who tells workers he'd rather stay put. Known by the nickname "Heavy," he's been a staple in Times Square for decades.
Day after day, he has politely declined offers of housing, explaining that he is a protector of the neighborhood and cannot possibly leave, said the workers who visit him every day.
While nonprofit workers fear he may be suffering mental delusions, they respect his wishes, hoping that he will accept housing in time.
"I just have this dream that all of a sudden something will snap, and he'll say, I'd love to have housing," said Amie Pospisil, an associate director at Common Ground Community, a nonprofit that conducts street outreach. "I don't rule out that it could happen."
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