Austin - Panhandlers on every corner. (home, unemployed, taxes)

[texastrigirl]

I went through a bit of volunteer training today and one of the things they said in the training is that there is link in a large homeless population to the level of tolerance in the community for it. So yes, Seattle has a homeless problem because the people and local government here (relatively speaking) are pretty compassionate towards the homeless. I think Austin is similar in attitude. I don't have anything other than that anecdotal thought to add but it makes sense to me.

[Zembonez]

I don't really have anything against these people. I know most of them are career panhandlers. Some have been on the same street corner for several years. The aggressive ones are the only real bother. It's easy to ignore the others if that's what you want. I won't give them cash, but on hot summer days I have been known to hand out a bottle of water or two.

[HappyTexan]

Austin laws are favorable to panhandlers. Any bans that have come up over the past few years got shot down.

[aaauger]

I once heard Austin homeless referred to as "city council's pets". City policy encourages the homeless (and constrains APD) but then doesn't provide for them. It's bad for the homeless; it's bad for the community. Homeless are living like animals: outside, throughout the city, hundreds of feet from where you are, just out of view. Sometimes the encampments are quite large - with no shelter, no sanitation. You see the homeless during the day as pan handlers. That's because it's hard to exist in our community without cash. Coinciding with the increasing homeless population, there has been a huge rise in metal theft in Austin. Metal can be easily obtained and exchanged for petty cash at recyclers using any ID. Unfortunately, for actual Austin small businesses, the stolen metal has been a part of expensive equipment like air conditioning units and security camera wiring. Every theft hurts Austin's small businesses, many of which are just trying to survive in this economy. Also, panhandlers, loiterers and people pushing shopping carts upset customers. Ironically, city council also has a policy not to protect Austin's small businesses - which generate revenue and jobs for the community.

You can bet that city council members would try to find a solution for the homeless if there were panhandlers, loiterers, shopping carts or metal theft in their own neighborhoods. Merely allowing the homeless to exist in Austin is not helping them.

[Zembonez]

The city council in Austin has never had a reputation of being logical. They are far out left and liberal by nature... Austin has become a favorite destination for the homeless. I lived there for 20 plus years before building a new home about 45 miles to the South due to the city becoming more and more wacko politically.

It's worth the drive.

[centralaustinite]

common, y'all! Have you attended a City Council meeting? Sheryl Cole is tireless in working for real solutions for the homeless -- which as San Antonio has found -- involve providing housing!

The bigger problem as mentioned above is that APD has bigger fish to fry and I totally support that. how do you want police resources spent? Rousting homeless from one corner, sending them to jail for night, and then reappearing on another (straining our courts and jails) OR working to break up the Mexican Mafia?! (See recent Statesman article on the police work behind that).

[verybadgnome]

As long as the homeless just "loiter" on a pubic street or sidewalk I don't have a problem with it. I don't like aggressive panhandling which is rare in Austin and of course I don't like when they commit crimes like the Hyde Park tire slasher.

I think there is a 1st amendment issue here too and jurisdictions should construct their anti-panhandling laws with it in mind.

One thing that would be easy to do and reap great rewards would be to put services for the homeless away from residential and tourist areas. So instead of a DT facility how about some blighted office space near Highland mall. The idea is that beggars - actually taken literally here - can't be choosers.

[austin944]

Originally Posted by Zembonez

This thread isn't a cut on homeless people.

It sure seems that way to me.

Originally Posted by Zembonez

I sat at a light on North Lamar near Braker and watched one of the career vagrants abuse the poor lady in front of me, taunting her for money, and an APD officer two cars over just sat and watched. These people operate with impunity in Austin. I've never seen anything like it.

I've lived here since '93 and have never once been harassed by a panhandler for money. I tell them, "sorry can't help", and have never gotten any unkind words in return.

[mark311]

Originally Posted by austin944

I've lived here since '93 and have never once been harassed by a panhandler for money. I tell them, "sorry can't help", and have never gotten any unkind words in return.

I have and I've only lived here 6 years, but I think it just goes along with living in a medium or large sized city. The "Drag Rats" are the only ones that bother me. Those are the runaway/homeless kids that hang out in front of the stores along the Drag and they can be aggressive or even have fist fights amongst themselves right there on the Drag. The ones on other street corners with signs asking for money seem pretty harmless. To be fair, it does look like Austin police is keeping the Drag Rats under much better control over the past year or so. They don't seem to be as big of a problem when I go visit the Co-op or any of the eateries down there.

[mark311]

Originally Posted by Zembonez

I sat at a light on North Lamar near Braker and watched one of the career vagrants abuse the poor lady in front of me, taunting her for money, and an APD officer two cars over just sat and watched.

If you were South of Braker on Lamar, I would expect that type of thing. Head a little more South and you're in one of the worst areas of Austin. I try to avoid that area completely unless I really have to go there for some reason. I surely wouldn't be hanging out there at night. You're much more likely to run into trouble. I guess if that type of thing really bothers you, avoid those areas. There are many areas where the panhandlers don't congregate. For example, I typically try to avoid the Parmer/I-35 off-ramp or Braker at 183 if I don't want to see a panhandler because I know that they'll be there.