Homeless in southern/inland OC

[Two4damoney]

Originally Posted by robbybee

I can understand a homeless person's desire to be in SoCal rather than Wisconsin, y'know?

Definitley. If you do have to be homeless then SoCal is your best bet weather wise.

[Traveller44]

To avoid "stolen valor" alleged homeless veteran panhandlers - i.e. those in cast off military pants or jackets who claim to be homeless vets (but aren't)- ask to see their Veterans Administration Medical ID card - it's credit card sized, has their photo and name on it, it's white plastic with Department of Veterans Affairs written on the top, an American flag furled to the left side, the photo and a barcode to the right of the photo. The barcode does not have a barcode number under it. No card - NO MONEY. Every veteran has one of these now - or if they ask you where to get one - send them to the nearest VA hospital to apply for one. It's also good for healthcare and you know no one is going to pass up free or very low cost healthcare if they are eligible - so again - Claims to be a "homeless veteran" and wants you to give them money? No CARD - NO MONEY.

[Coldjensens]

If you were homeless in NYC, Chicago or Detroit woudl you stay there and freeze to death int he winter, or woudl you make your way to LA or OC and sleep comfortably under a bridge or overpass enjoy warm weather, beaches and beautiful scantily clad women? Homeless tend to congregate in warmer cities. Because there is more competition for begging moeny, they must be more aggressive.

Yes they are all over orange County,but not like in LA. They wil approach oyu in mall or grocery store parking lots usually with a story about how their car broke down and theny need to get their kids home, or something similar. Sometimes they will even point to someone else's car containing someone else's kids and say there they are waiting for daddy or mommy to gt a couple of dollars for bus money. You rarely get mobbed they way you sometimes do in LA, excpet maybe at the Santa Ana Civic center parking lot at night.

[Dennis P]

Originally Posted by Don9

There are street beggars in Newport and Huntington now but not nearly as bad as some areas in LA like Santa Monica, Venice or downtown LA. I just started noticing beggars on the street corners where people waiting at traffic lights will give them money. I see people living in cars throughout the city. They probably feel safe in OC compared to other areas. A few days ago I was at Shoreline Village in Long Beach and saw many homeless that would aggressively come up to you and beg for money. It’s a growing problem and will get much worse before it gets better. Our government is currently doing nothing to fix the problem, they are making it worse.

I used to work in downtown Long Beach in a high-rise building on Ocean Blvd. back in the mid 90s. Most of us in the office would park in a lot behind the building, which got "worked" by a couple of homeless people, and every one of us was approached by these two. One of the homeless was this guy who rode his bike down to the Convention Center one day when there was some kind of big gathering going on. When the meeting was over and the people were walking down the staircase, there was this homeless guy standing around in the vicinity asking for money from almost everyone who walked past him. I have to hand it to him for knowing when that meeting was so he could get his TAX FREE money. But, I agree that these panhandlers in downtown Long Beach can get quite aggressive and pushy, which is one reason I don't like going there if I can help it.

[jackie100]

Has anyone seen the "new" begging set ups on some corners, I think one of them is Warner /Harbor. These are professional beggars. I've SEEN with my own eyes them changing the guards! The beggar switched places with another one who took his place and then he sat and rested. Who do they work for? Who runs the ring? I think I've seen others like that around the streets of O.C. They are professional beggars and then when they rest someone else takes their place...

Warner/Harbor.... Anyone seen this??

[Vascodagama]

Originally Posted by jackie100

Has anyone seen the "new" begging set ups on some corners, I think one of them is Warner /Harbor. These are professional beggars. I've SEEN with my own eyes them changing the guards! The beggar switched places with another one who took his place and then he sat and rested. Who do they work for? Who runs the ring? I think I've seen others like that around the streets of O.C. They are professional beggars and then when they rest someone else takes their place...

Warner/Harbor.... Anyone seen this??

Ive seen this on Beach and Center in Huntington Beach when getting off the 405. One guy working that spot is a middle aged black guy dressed like a rapper ... he has professional scammer written all over his demeanor and appearance including a big gold cross hanging on his forehead. He is there during afternoon rush hour and collects from people coming home from work. The other day he was just sitting with his beggar sign down and had take-out food from Macaroni grill. He was obviously on his lunch break and not even trying to collect money.

[zoomba]

Why anyone would give these people money is beyond me. They are all scamming.

[jackie100]

Originally Posted by Don9

Ive seen this on Beach and Center in Huntington Beach when getting off the 405. One guy working that spot is a middle aged black guy dressed like a rapper ... he has professional scammer written all over his demeanor and appearance including a big gold cross hanging on his forehead. He is there during afternoon rush hour and collects from people coming home from work. The other day he was just sitting with his beggar sign down and had take-out food from Macaroni grill. He was obviously on his lunch break and not even trying to collect money.

Yep, that's one of the other spots. There are others throughout OC but I can't remember where off the bat; I just see them around as I drive.

Any idea who they work for? Is it a begging organization? Gang?

[Dennis P]

Originally Posted by Don9

Ive seen this on Beach and Center in Huntington Beach when getting off the 405. One guy working that spot is a middle aged black guy dressed like a rapper ... he has professional scammer written all over his demeanor and appearance including a big gold cross hanging on his forehead. He is there during afternoon rush hour and collects from people coming home from work. The other day he was just sitting with his beggar sign down and had take-out food from Macaroni grill. He was obviously on his lunch break and not even trying to collect money.

Last year I had dinner with a friend at that Macaroni Grill. When we were exiting the restaurant, we were approached by a panhandler, but he was a middle-aged, bearded white guy. That freeway exit is an active one for them, it seems.

[wrcousert]

Originally Posted by dennismpat

Last year I had dinner with a friend at that Macaroni Grill. When we were exiting the restaurant, we were approached by a panhandler, but he was a middle-aged, bearded white guy. That freeway exit is an active one for them, it seems.

Next time they ask, tell them there is a temporary agency on Beach Blvd. that pays daily. If they need money, they can go there and do some honest work.