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Salt Lake City is considering ways to stop aggressive panhandling. A proposed ordinance would place some restrictions on people asking for money. KSL's Bruce Lindsay discusses the issue with Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, Downtown Alliance executive director Jason Mathis, ACLU executive director Karen McCreary and homeless advocate Pamela Atkinson.
Segment 1: Proposed Ordinance
The Salt Lake City ordinance proposes tightening rules, banning what it calls aggressive "commercial solicitation." The ordinance would prohibit panhandling in many locations, such as within 20 feet of an outdoor restaurant, in buses or trains, and after sunset and before sunrise.
Mayor Becker says the ordinance, first proposed in fall 2009, is getting closer to facing city action. He agrees with the goals of ordinance.
"I support the concept," Becker says. "We have had, not only, the business community come forward, but we have residents and visitors, on a regular basis, come to the city and describe circumstances they've faced where they were intimidated. And not just by someone who is asking for money, but by people who are impeding their way, and people standing behind them and poking them on the shoulder at an ATM machine. Circumstances that many of us would feel uncomfortable."
There are many issues at play, which is why the city is taking its time with the ordinance.
Related:
Begging Question: What to do about Panhandling?
Since last summer, the Salt Lake City Council has been considering a new ordinance against aggressive panhandling. What it's like for shoppers and panhandlers."And so what we are looking at is how do we have an inviting and welcoming downtown? How do we make sure that we protect people's rights of free speech? How do we operate as a compassionate community and society? And, how to we protect people from the most aggressive and really kind of egregious practices that don't make our downtown an inviting place to be?" Becker explains.
The Downtown Alliance started an "End Panhandling" campaign and website last year. The goal of the campaign is to encourage people to stop giving to panhandlers and to instead donate to homeless service providers in the city.
"The goal of our campaign is to really encourage people to give money to shelters, to the Catholic Community Services, St. Vincent's dining room, Fourth Street Clinic, there are so many fantastic social service organizations in our community that are doing such good things," says Mathis. "We just think there are much better ways for people to give money than to give it to a panhandler."
Panhandling is a major issue for downtown businesses.
"This is the number one issue identified by downtown business owners who say that it hurts their business, it impedes the customers coming in to purchase from them, hurts their ability to hire more people who may be able to come off the streets and start working in downtown businesses," describes Mathis.
The proposed ordinance has caused some controversy. The American Civil Liberties Union is concerned the ordinance violates freedom of speech.
"The ordinance right now is styled as a commercial solicitation ordinance which is really, I think, a misleading title," McCreary says. "The U.S. Supreme Court has recognized that charitable solicitations, like begging and panhandling, really fall within the heart of the First Amendment."
The ACLU views the ordinance as unnecessary. "We believe that there are already in existence adequate ways to deal with menacing behavior and with impeding traffic," explains McCreary.
Segment 2: Homelessness and Panhandling
How much overlap is there between panhandling and homelessness? Atkinson says that some panhandlers are homeless, but many are not.
"Many of the people who show themselves as being panhandlers and say they are homeless, they are not," says Atkinson. "We are seeing a few more people, with the recession, who are actually homeless. But many of the panhandlers are not at the shelter, they do not stay at the Road Home, they don't access a lot of the services that are available."
When Atkinson is panhandled, she offers information.
"I try to give them a brochure to show them the kinds of services that are available, and I try to direct them towards the different agencies, places where they can get food and places where they can get help with rent," Atkinson explains.
Rather than give to panhandlers, Atkinson recommends donating to social services that help the homeless. "Give to an organization that is providing the services that will help people become self sufficient, that will keep them sheltered and will keep their stomachs full," Atkinson says.
