When will the city of Austin admit they have a homeless problem?

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by PRND321

How come solicitation at intersections is so popular and there seems to be nothing against it unlike a lot other places?

In other cities a permit is required to do fundraising (in addition to age limits). It depends on the city as to how well it's enforced. I would be afraid that if an ordinance like that were to go into effect in Austin that it wouldn't be enforced.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by A-Tex

Right, but it would also apply to anyone else looking for funds, advertising events, soliciting for businesses etc. So no more UT spirit groups fundraising on the side of the road and on medians, Austin firefighters passing the boot, religious groups selling raffle tickets, church kids advertising car washes, Girl Scouts selling cookies, people advertising businesses with sandwich boards etc. etc.

None of those should be on medians or curbs (not further back on the sidewalks, but up on the curb itself) of high speed roads.

[A-Tex]

Originally Posted by Novacek

None of those should be on medians or curbs (not further back on the sidewalks, but up on the curb itself) of high speed roads.

Of course they shouldn't -- and they make me nervous as heck --- but they still do it and it isn't against the current laws. The firefighters, Texas Spirit Groups, religious fundraisers (particularly those wearing the white uniforms) not only do it on curbs and medians, but also freely roam in stopped traffic --- often after the lights turn and people start moving. The firefighters are city employees and doing this -- wearing their uniforms and often having a fire truck there on site.

The point is, Austin has a long tradition of allowing this kind of solicitation, and we can't create laws that target one population without enforcing it with the others. That's where you enter civil rights violation territory.

[A-Tex]

Originally Posted by sojourner77

Those activities should take place at the front of grocery stores, and other businesses instead. If they are a legitimate "fundraiser", then HEB, Randall's etc. should have no objection to it.

There are plenty of businesses that do not allow these kinds of solicitations on their premises. Look at the difficulty Salvation Army has encountered in recent years in their holiday kettle drives.