Thoughts on all the Panhandlers (Denver: hotels, home, cost)

[rschreck]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krg5...mbedded#at=179

[artisan4]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

You apparently missed the street scene of panhandling/begging that took place in Boulder during the 1960's. There were a lot of people who chose to make it a lifestyle of living in the parks of Boulder, and aggressively panhandled along Broadway, near and around the CU campus and up on the hill. This all predated the Pearl St Mall. Boulder City Council finally had to crack down on the camping out in the parks because the crime rate that came with it ... from mostly those who were "homeless" by choice, as a lifestyle ... became a sizable problem for the area. There was a sizable street drug scene, a continuous drop-out party for those who wanted to be a part of it ... MJ, psychedelics, and other substances to abuse. Alcohol, too, was a big street problem. Boulder was nationally famous for rivaling the scene in SanFran in the era ....

As a financially struggling college student in that time, it was interesting to see the places that some of those folk could call "home", when they chose to go there instead of the ongoing continual party scene in the parks. Many of those "homeless" folk had very nice apartments and cars, expensive musical instruments, and other trappings of affluence that I sure couldn't afford to have. They funded their "homeless" lifestyle from their panhandling, getting money, services, food, and make-work jobs to a level that was a very livable income in Boulder.

More than a few times, I overheard them talking about the trips they'd taken to far-off places ... how they could hitchhike (an adventure in and of itself) to warmer climate cities for the winter, head to South America, etc., on the cheap for extended vacations. Some had enough money to take student discount stand-by airfare trips to Europe and bum their way through a bunch of countries. Nobody bothered them because they looked like they were penniless and they got a lot of assistance from folk who were truly poor. I heard more tips about youth hostels and places to stay for next to nothing from them than any other source. And still others traveled through Canada and up to Alaska via the same means .... hitchiking and playing upon the sympathies of others.

The Boulder Daily Camera did some exposes' on these folk. Rather than handing them money, they'd offer the "homeless" a job which wasn't very tasking, or they'd offer to take the person to a restaurant and buy them as much food as they'd care to eat. It was a pretty consistent result that the "homeless" would turn down such offers with a request for money. Some were even pretty snotty about an offer for a fast food burger. BDC also tracked some of the panhandlers to their vehicles at the end of a day ... some driving very nice cars/trucks/jeeps that they'd parked a distance away from their panhandling locations.

I lived at Euclid & 10th Street for a year in a small upstairs bedroom in a large house a few blocks off Broadway, and then a few blocks away on Pleasant Street for awhile in a basement apt. Several of the folk who had the main floor apartment of those houses would head out in the AM to panhandle the major intersections of Boulder along Broadway, where traffic would stop for pedestrian traffic in the morning rush. They'd spend the rest of their day passing time around the park, maybe heading up Boulder Canyon to go fishing, etc. Afternoon rush hour would find them back on Broadway. They weren't hurting for money, although this was still in an era when Boulder wasn't very expensive.

Lest you think that panhandling was unique in the era to Boulder, I saw similar folk up in Aspen on the streets. Most only stayed around for the summer months, but some of the hard-core would camp out during the winter months. They survived with an adequate income for their food and necessities from the money they got. Others survived by preying upon the more affluent campers in the summer months ... stealing food/equipment/valuables from campsites up in the 'belles area, or breaking into obviously unattended homes in the surrounding areas ... taking what they needed for survival (food, etc) and not bulky stuff that was valuable or look out of place if they were hitchiking down the road into town. In later years, folk like "preacher Tom" were a prominent fixture in the Aspen street scene ... you couldn't be around the downtown area of Aspen and not see and hear these folk plying their panhandling trade. Think of it ... these "homeless" got to live in Aspen ... and you didn't, because you couldn't afford it. They did.

From my perspective, I don't give money to panhandlers on the street. I'm not able to make a snap decision about who is truly unfortunate or who is plying a trade. I've been approached many times at gas stations around the region by folk seeking fuel or money, usually with a terrible story of hardship and needing to be down the road ... stranded but for the lack of a tank of gas. But I've seen them get $10-20 from one person and then repeat this on several other folk, getting $40-50 in a matter of the time it takes me to fill up my vehicle. They're still there, hitting up other folk when I leave. I've also watched kind people offer to take them into the restaurant at the truck stop for a meal, and they turn down the offers. Most of the truck stops I fuel at now discourage the panhandlers and will call the local police/sheriff dept if the folk become obvious on their premises.

I do, however, donate money and time to those services that provide food/shelter/counseling and assistance to the truly needy. As well, there are charitable organizations that I donate to that volunteer their time and resources to assist those in distress. Right now, one of those organzations has folk in areas of the USA where natural disasters have struck and left people in bad situations ... and they are also in overseas locations right now. Some of the members are taking 3-month tours of volunteer service, paying all of their own expenses to be where they are helping and donating additional money of their own to the work.

Additionally, I employ folk when I have the need for labor through Labor Ready that would otherwise be out of work ... to the point that I don't personally do a lot of the major projects around my businesses anymore, I find it mutually beneficial to put folk to work who need the money and can do stuff that I can't do very well anymore. And I pay for their gas money to reach my jobsites or find them transportation, too. I've found that I can sort out the ones who are destitute by choice, those who have substance/alcohol problems, and those who are generally just passin' through and need a helping hand in exchange for their labor. There's a few of them that I will request from the dispatcher because I know they can do a decent job for me with a good attitude and they're worth the money they earn ... and generally, I'll send them home with food as a tip for their efforts because I know they don't make a lot of money from LR.

It is far better to give through organizations, I agree. We moved to Boulder in '75 and I don't recall panhandlers, just a lot of hippie stores along Broadway which were later demolished for the Randolph Centre.

The people who just stand on street corners, I have never seen them become aggressive. The 'Rainbow' people (if that's what they are), or maybe they are just runaways, those are the people I've had problems with. Even homeless people in NYC I've encountered are not as volatile or rude as these kids. If they are young and dirty and attired in a certain way, I avoid them.

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by artisan4

It is far better to give through organizations, I agree. We moved to Boulder in '75 and I don't recall panhandlers, just a lot of hippie stores along Broadway which were later demolished for the Randolph Centre.

The people who just stand on street corners, I have never seen them become aggressive. The 'Rainbow' people (if that's what they are), or maybe they are just runaways, those are the people I've had problems with. Even homeless people in NYC I've encountered are not as volatile or rude as these kids. If they are young and dirty and attired in a certain way, I avoid them.

You will see the same kids on the 16th Street Mall. They are typically lazy and have a sense of entitlement IMHO.

[LarsMac]

I have to think that if they have nothing better to do with their lives than stand on street corner waiting for handouts 6 to eight hours a day, they need the money more than I do. And yes, I very often give them money. Better to line their pockets than those of many of the charity managers.

I don't really care what they will spend the money on. Charity is about what you do, rather than what the receiver will do.

[MtnJam]

I stock up on protein meal bars at Costco to distribute to the cardboard fliers when encountered at red lights occasionally. All are very appreciative. Nutrition is a much better donation than cash, which only enables substance abuse, in most cases.

[headingtoDenver]

Originally Posted by MtnJam

I stock up on protein meal bars at Costco to distribute to the cardboard fliers when encountered at red lights occasionally. All are very appreciative. Nutrition is a much better donation than cash, which only enables substance abuse, in most cases.

I think it is great that you give them food, but to assume that most are on drugs or alcohol is just wrong.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by headingtoDenver

I think it is great that you give them food, but to assume that most are on drugs or alcohol is just wrong.

Mental illness is likely the biggest problem.

[ChrisFromChicago]

Originally Posted by hammertime33

The big problem with your idea is that the transference of money is also protected speech.

hmm, maybe. Didn't think of that.


Okay, make it illegal to panhandle without a license. Pan handling cost $100 per hour license.

[hammertime33]

Originally Posted by ChrisFromChicago

hmm, maybe. Didn't think of that.


Okay, make it illegal to panhandle without a license. Pan handling cost $100 per hour license.

A license to engage in constitutionally protected speech? I imagine you'd have problems with that one too.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by artisan4

I didn't see panhandlers here until the Reagan years. In the early '80s they could be pretty aggressive on the Pearl St. Mall in Boulder (Rainbow kids, usually). I have not been bothered since then. As far as homeless people with signs in Denver, I have seen quite a few over the years but no aggressive ones. You'd think the trickle down would be working by now.

I agree with that. In the 1970s panhandling was almost non existent in Downtown Denver. I only remember two regular panhandlers on 16th St. One was a blind guy who sat in front of a barbershop selling pencils. The other was the phony priest who carried a collection collection plate up and down 16th St. all day. The phony priest keep up his act though most 1980s. Only disappearing only when the cops busted him for various crimes. Homeless people on the streets in Downtown were also pretty much non existent. There were always a few hobo guys down near the rail yards in Lower Downtown, but they mostly keep to themselves and rarely panhandled.

And yep, every time a panhandler asks you for money, you can thank Ronald Reagan. He is almost 100% responsible for the homeless problem in this country. From his shutting down the mental hospitals to his scorched earth economic policies.