UNESCO designated the year 1987 as the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless and media was focused on young runaways who were "squatting" at abandoned buildings. Quebec media turned their attention towards Place D’Youville in 1988 when it reported a "nocturnal fauna" and the presence of youth gangs forming around the fortifications and on rue Saint-Jean. Residents and merchants responded to the redevelopment plan by accusing the municipal government of having created an area conducive to juvenile delinquency. Charitable organizations in the region noted an increase in demand of services from individuals under 24 years of age.
