The solution to Atlanta's vagrant problem - parking meters! (Franklin: home, college)

[atlantagreg30127]

Well, past reports have shown that Atlanta has one of the worst problems with panhandlers downtown of many cities. The city will crack down for a day or two, then stop until studies show that tourists actually avoid going downtown because the problem is so incredibly bad. Then they'll crack down for a week or so. Then stop.

The Mayor now has the ultimate solution: Set up five parking meters to collect money for charities, and then give the citizens CARDS to pass out to the panhandlers to direct them to these services.

Yes. Cards. Please remember to vote during the next election.

Meters In Downtown Atlanta Will Collect Cash For Needy - News Story - WSB Atlanta

[RoslynHolcomb]

I thought about you when I saw this on the news today Greg. Cheer up, they said it worked in Denver. I can't believe people actually give money to these people out of compassion. I always assumed it was intimidation. Presumably everyone knows that there are services available. Not great services, but certainly three hots and a cot. I haven't encountered any here, but I always directed the ones back home to the nearest shelter--yeah, I got cussed out a lot.

[gt6974a]

How ridiculous, and $40K to start the program,
next year's budget $150K.

Franklin and her idiot staff, hard at work as usual.

[J2rescue]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

I thought about you when I saw this on the news today Greg. Cheer up, they said it worked in Denver. I can't believe people actually give money to these people out of compassion. I always assumed it was intimidation. Presumably everyone knows that there are services available. Not great services, but certainly three hots and a cot. I haven't encountered any here, but I always directed the ones back home to the nearest shelter--yeah, I got cussed out a lot.

Exactly. Its a method that has been used in several cities around the country. I believe some other city in the state of GA is also doing this... Athens maybe? At any rate a key component of this effort is public education that giving money does not help and help is available.

[J2rescue]

Originally Posted by gt6974a

How ridiculous, and $40K to start the program,
next year's budget $150K.

Franklin and her idiot staff, hard at work as usual.

The money for this is coming from Central Atlanta Progress, the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, Georgia World Congress Center, and the Atlanta Police Foundation - not the city and the program will be administered by Central Atlanta Progress, a private organization.

I don't really understand the 150K comment.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

Well, past reports have shown that Atlanta has one of the worst problems with panhandlers downtown of many cities. The city will crack down for a day or two, then stop until studies show that tourists actually avoid going downtown because the problem is so incredibly bad. Then they'll crack down for a week or so. Then stop.

Why do they stop? As with any problem (well, many problems), it's only through continuous action that change is accomplished.

If it becomes obvious to panhandlers that they are not wanted in an area (and if the hassle becomes too great for them), then they will probably leave on their own.

I don't get it... Are there legal issues preventing better enforcement of loitering laws in Atlanta? Manpower issues? What?

[HUEY P]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

I thought about you when I saw this on the news today Greg. Cheer up, they said it worked in Denver. I can't believe people actually give money to these people out of compassion. I always assumed it was intimidation. Presumably everyone knows that there are services available. Not great services, but certainly three hots and a cot. I haven't encountered any here, but I always directed the ones back home to the nearest shelter--yeah, I got cussed out a lot.

I actually give money out of compassion,you know it's a human trait when you feel bad for a individual and you know that everyone is not as fortunate to have what you may have in life and to also know that what you have could be gone in a instance and you can be on the same corner with them.
The best way to deal with panhandlers is to not challenge them with criticism but to challenge them with work.
Lot of trash on the side of the road and a lot of big fields that need to be cleaned out.Show these people they can earn a paycheck like everyone else and maybe they might start doing something.
Now you say this will not work for all of them but what has worked for all of anybody?
One more thing,it's funny how the middle class people hate rich people because they feel the rich look down on them but we forget how the poor and lower class look at the middle class,maybe in the same way.

[Sweet Atlanta Peach]

Well, I am usually a giving person. I went to Georgia State and encountered aggressive panhandling. It seemed to be the same ones, at the same time, everyday. Good ole' Downtown Five Points. Nothing like it.

I saw one man attempting to collect money on an interstate exit, then walk away and jump into a brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee WITH HIS KEYS and drive off. Or perhaps, someone had given him the car. Hmmm....sort of flips your thought process.

Let's look at it through an ecomonic perspective. If a panhandler gets a dollar from 10 people in one hour, they've made 10/hour. Imagine if they do that for 8 hours. That's 80 bucks; a full-time day's work. And of course, they are probably getting more. Why fill out a job application, take a drug test, and go through a background check?

Am I compassionate? Of course. However, spending 90% of my college life with these panhandlers and seeing what I've seen, it makes people who really need it suffer because of the abusers.

[HUEY P]

Originally Posted by Sweet Atlanta Peach

Well, I am usually a giving person. I went to Georgia State and encountered aggressive panhandling. It seemed to be the same ones, at the same time, everyday. Good ole' Downtown Five Points. Nothing like it.

I saw one man attempting to collect money on an interstate exit, then walk away and jump into a brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee WITH HIS KEYS and drive off. Or perhaps, someone had given him the car. Hmmm....sort of flips your thought process.

Let's look at it through an ecomonic perspective. If a panhandler gets a dollar from 10 people in one hour, they've made 10/hour. Imagine if they do that for 8 hours. That's 80 bucks; a full-time day's work. And of course, they are probably getting more. Why fill out a job application, take a drug test, and go through a background check?

Am I compassionate? Of course. However, spending 90% of my college life with these panhandlers and seeing what I've seen, it makes people who really need it suffer because of the abusers.

What you said makes total sense when you put it like that.Now we need to talk about possible solutions that these "Rocket scientist" in the mayors office have not figured out yet.

[J2rescue]

Originally Posted by Sweet Atlanta Peach

Well, I am usually a giving person. I went to Georgia State and encountered aggressive panhandling. It seemed to be the same ones, at the same time, everyday. Good ole' Downtown Five Points. Nothing like it.

I saw one man attempting to collect money on an interstate exit, then walk away and jump into a brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee WITH HIS KEYS and drive off. Or perhaps, someone had given him the car. Hmmm....sort of flips your thought process.

Let's look at it through an ecomonic perspective. If a panhandler gets a dollar from 10 people in one hour, they've made 10/hour. Imagine if they do that for 8 hours. That's 80 bucks; a full-time day's work. And of course, they are probably getting more. Why fill out a job application, take a drug test, and go through a background check?

Am I compassionate? Of course. However, spending 90% of my college life with these panhandlers and seeing what I've seen, it makes people who really need it suffer because of the abusers.

I don't doubt your description. One of the points made at the press conference today was that most of the agressive panhandlers are NOT HOMELESS and they've noticed a curious increase in the panhandler population when there are big conventions or other major events in town. There was a study done in San Francisco, which also has a bad panhandling problem, that determined that less than 25% of panhandlers there were actually homeless.

For those that do have compassion and want to help those less fortunate, this gives them information on local charities they can donate to that will actually help and information on where to direct someone they want to help.