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Did you know that in ABQ,NM on Monday 11/6/17 they made it a law that it is alegal to drive up to a homeless person in your car,if a police catches you would get a fine(it's a stupid law,)If I was the government I would make a law to help the homeless people,but not give them money because most of them spend it on alchohal or drugs(not trying to be judgemental,but it is the truth),(even on the street roads)to give them money or food.20% of Albuquerque said that they do not give money or food to homeless people anyway.27% of the population said that they would just obey the law(,but whoose law would you follow anyway,GOD'S LAW or the governments law...I would follow GOD'S LAW NOT the governments law,because we all will go to heaven just for GOD to ask us what we did for HIM,the ones that did not do things for HIM will go to HELL.
I'm homeless myself (If living in your van qualifies), and I agree it's pretty ridiculous. There are no resources for these people, no place for them to go and clean up... and then they get a $100 ticket for sitting or lying down, or urinating when there are no public restrooms. Would you pledge allegiance to a nation that steals from people who have nothing? The NIMBYs would argue that it keeps the "undesirables" out, but it's policies like these that further marginalize them. Anyway, my 2 cents. Shalom
Albuquerque has several city initiatives to help the homeless. The There's a Better Way and Heading Home programs have both been very successful and have been copied by over one hundred cities nationwide.
We also have a tiny homes initiative on the county level.
This law addresses the impropriety and danger of panhandling at intersections. I fully support it.
I see more and more twentysomethings hitchhiking and panhandling because they want to party rather than work. Their selfishness and laziness are hurting those that seriously need the help.
I'm homeless myself (If living in your van qualifies), and I agree it's pretty ridiculous. There are no resources for these people, no place for them to go and clean up...
Albuquerque poster here. This is simply not true. Take a leisurely drive along the west side of the railroad tracks between Coal and I-40 and you'll see homeless (and occasional wanna-be homeless) clustered to take advantage of the free services. Health Care for the homeless, The Storehouse, a few churches, methadone/detox facilities. I don't want to claim it's a panacea if you're homeless, but neither is it as described.
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and then they get a $100 ticket for sitting or lying down, or urinating when there are no public restrooms.
Unlike California, NM is a little less barbaric when it comes to public restrooms. Though since a certain minority of homeless tend to tear stuff up, many restrooms that would ordinarily be public are now access-controlled in the areas they frequent. You can still find restrooms even in those areas, and our dry air does a lot to reduce the stench of urine that you're blessed with in California's homeless hangouts like San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, LA, and San Diego.
We have a different kind of homeless here too. NM's homeless are very seldom crazy or violent. That dude (almost always a dude) on the corner holding a sign is almost certainly not one of our homeless.
The reason you call anybody a panhandler is they hold their hand out like the handle on a pan. That's not what beggars at freeway offramps do with their hands. What those beggars do is clog up traffic. The idiot three cars in front of me will wait 20 seconds until the light turns green to call the guy over and hand him a $20, holding up the line. That's a traffic hazard. It should be (and is now) illegal.
Did you know that in ABQ,NM on Monday 11/6/17 they made it a law that it is alegal to drive up to a homeless person in your car,
Don't confuse "homeless people" with panhandlers. They are not the same thing! Most homeless people are not out panhandling on the medians. And many panhandlers are not homeless. Most homeless people do not look indigent or smell bad, will not ask for handouts, they are neat and care for themselves and are indistinguishable from you and me.
In any case this law isn't explicitly about panhandlers, it's about preventing drivers from interacting with pedestrians while in a traffic lane.
Albuquerque has lots of services for the homeless. When I volunteered for St. Martin's we were told in training never to give money to panhandlers. It only serves to prevent them from seeking out social services that can really help them. Many times the money they get just ends up serving their addiction. SO if you want to stand between a panhandler and services that can actually help them, then give them money.
If you want to help people in need, donate to these people:
They provide meals, showers, mailbox services, clean clothes, job training, help for stranded people, and many other services. In fact when I volunteered there (for a year) I heard many times that Albuquerque has the best services for the homeless across a five-state area, so we attract a lot of out-of-town homeless people.
"There's a Better Way" initiative provides work and services for panhandlers in Albuquerque, but clearly this is not enough:
This isn't a religious issue, it's a safety issue. It's not safe for panhandlers to stand on roadways, near off ramps, and at the corner of every intersection. It's not safe for drivers and it's not safe for the panhandlers themselves. I've seen one panhandler playing a violin at the I-40E/Juan Tabo off-ramp and another playing a guitar at the same intersection. This type of thing creates a distraction for motorists. I've been sitting at the corner of Tramway and Central and as soon as that green arrow appears, out comes the money or whatever food was on the passenger's seat causing a back-up. People can give to help those in need but a busy intersection, really isn't the place where that should be happening, especially if it causes a safety hazard.
I'm homeless myself (If living in your van qualifies), and I agree it's pretty ridiculous. There are no resources for these people, no place for them to go and clean up... and then they get a $100 ticket for sitting or lying down, or urinating when there are no public restrooms. Would you pledge allegiance to a nation that steals from people who have nothing? The NIMBYs would argue that it keeps the "undesirables" out, but it's policies like these that further marginalize them. Anyway, my 2 cents. Shalom
I'm homeless myself (If living in your van qualifies), and I agree it's pretty ridiculous. There are no resources for these people, no place for them to go and clean up... and then they get a $100 ticket for sitting or lying down, or urinating when there are no public restrooms. Would you pledge allegiance to a nation that steals from people who have nothing? The NIMBYs would argue that it keeps the "undesirables" out, but it's policies like these that further marginalize them. Anyway, my 2 cents. Shalom
Albuquerque has several city initiatives to help the homeless. The There's a Better Way and Heading Home programs have both been very successful and have been copied by over one hundred cities nationwide.
We also have a tiny homes initiative on the county level.
This law addresses the impropriety and danger of panhandling at intersections. I fully support it.
Good for you,I am glad that you support that.We all should,but most people don't(not trying to judge).
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