Homeless Ordinance

[musicman]

City Council is addressing whether the homeless ordinance should be expanded from Downtown/Midtown to the Avondale/Hyde Park area. While there were many in favor of it, it was interesting how many people were going before Council saying how it isn't working in the Downtown/Midtown area.

I tend to agree with the those saying it isn't working. Running the homeless off is just going to move the problem elsewhere.

[urbanspace]

City Council is addressing whether the homeless ordinance should be expanded from Downtown/Midtown to the Avondale/Hyde Park area. While there were many in favor of it, it was interesting how many people were going before Council saying how it isn't working in the Downtown/Midtown area.

I tend to agree with the those saying it isn't working. Running the homeless off is just going to move the problem elsewhere.

I was actually at the Council meeting and I only recall two people (other than Ada Edwards and MJ Kahn) speaking out against it. It was the guy from the ACLU and then Anthony Love.

I think the guy from Neartown nailed it when he said that it was not the homeless Avondale and Hyde Park had issue with, but rather those that come into the neighborhood for no other purpose than to commit a crime and that they wanted this ordinance passed to allow HPD to be able to break these groups up before the drug deal or trick goes down. Those of us that live in the hood all know who these guys are.

While the ordinance was originally crafted to address the homeless issue downtown, Avondale and Hyde Park want to extend the same ordinance, but target a different audience. I'm not sure they did the best job of making that distinction known at the meeting.

I do agree with you that this ordinance does nothing to effectively address the homeless problem. The City really needs a comprehensive plan to address this issue and stop the patchwork policies.

[Pumapayam]

Running the homeless off is just going to move the problem elsewhere.

And the prostitutes, drag queens, and drug dealers will follow too I hope.

[musicman]

It passed in Hyde Park, Avondale and 6th Ward today.....let's see if the homeless disappear.

[DJ V Lawrence]

It passed in Hyde Park, Avondale and 6th Ward today.....let's see if the homeless disappear.

I heard that there eventually could be a law banning pan-handlers in Houston. Is a ban against the homeless living on Houston's streets considered cruel if our taxpayer dollars paid for the streets some live on and homeless shelters that have food, beds, and job searches available?

[Subdude]

I heard that there eventually could be a law banning pan-handlers in Houston. Is a ban against the homeless living on Houston's streets considered cruel if our taxpayer dollars paid for the streets some live on and homeless shelters that have food, beds, and job searches available?

Sure, they can pass laws banning pan-handlers and the homeless, but how are they going to be enforced?

From today's Chronicle:

Sept. 7, 2006, 12:32AM

City expands sidewalk law

Sitting or lying banned in 3 more neighborhoods; citywide extension of the law debated

By ALEXIS GRANT

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Responding to residents' demands to reduce crime and clear out vagrants, the City Council on Wednesday added three neighborhoods to an ordinance that bans sitting or lying on sidewalks during most of the day, and some members said it should apply citywide.

The ordinance, which also prohibits putting personal possessions on the sidewalk, already exists in downtown and Midtown, but now will apply to the Old Sixth Ward, Avondale and Hyde Park.

Before the panel approved the measure, several council members sounded off about why the sidewalk restrictions should apply only to some areas of town. That simply pushes people who are on the streets from one neighborhood to another, they argued.

Councilwoman Addie Wiseman said it makes no sense to say it's legal to lie on the sidewalk in front of one house but not another. "That to me is not equal protection," she said.

In the Old Sixth Ward, for example, the ordinance applies to the sidewalk on the northern side of Washington, but not to the other side.

The city's Legal Department has said since 2002, when the law went into effect downtown, that enacting it citywide might prompt lawsuits.

Link to Chronicle article

[musicman]

Sure, they can pass laws banning pan-handlers and the homeless, but how are they going to be enforced?

Concur, police aren't responding to non-emergency calls now. Of course the generic answer is overtime. But quite frankly the police officers that i know are burned out.

[Montrose1100]

Would the drug dealers be the same guy that is "actually from Maryland..." and offers "These great shoes", and asks for you to come look in his bag?

[musicman]

article

Isiah Carey had an interesting comment on his blog concerning the homeless and how they are keeping people from coming to downtown.

The comment concerning parking and harassment is becoming more frequent.

[Pumapayam]

That, and I also feel like I am being subjected to donating moeny at almost every intersection in the Galleria area.

I just want to drive from point A to point B without have to pay a "bum toll".

[Original Timmy Chan's]

Thanks, Houston! Now South Union is getting your homeless...

This weekend we had a homeless guy sleeping in the park on Tierwester...first time I've ever seen it.

I tried to ask him where he moved here from, but he wouldn't wake up.

And by the way, Pumapayam...you don't HAVE TO PAY the "bum toll". It's completely optional. I usually opt out.

I think I might start carrying around bus passes to hand out to all these guys that are always saying they just need $1.00 to get on the bus to go to work!

[kjb434]

I never give money to the homeless directly. I only will give to a homeless shelter or charity.

A pan handler law could be passed without even a discussion of the homeless. many cities have rules about pan handling at street corners. Often, cities with ordinances about pan handling will have a permit available if you are a charity group and want to do fundraising. Outside of that, only the police and fireman are allowed to ask for money when they run their fundraising.

A pan handling ordinance will justify putting the homeless in jail without politically saying you're jailing the homeless.

Also, I think the mayor's campaign to not give the homeless money when they are on street corners is helping. Some of the street corners I pass by daily are being less occupied by the "so called" homeless. Yes, many pan handlers are by no means homeless and can easily earn $30-40k a year (tax free) for just putting up with Houston weather and some humility.

[The New Juniper]

Traffic is bad enough in this town. What irks me the most are the people walking in and out of lanes of traffic at stop lights asking for money. Homelessness is an issue that can be discussed separately from "traffic beggars". These people walking in an out of moving (or, more likely stopped) cars pose a danger to themselves and provide even more congestion. Yes, this includes churches, football teams, volleyball teams, etc. that "raise money" by walking through traffic with cups under the auspice of needing money to "go to state" or whatever. I am all for providing money so that less fortunate kids can take part in something like that, but LETTING YOUR KIDS BEG FOR MONEY IN TRAFFIC IS RECKLESS and the parents or sponsors should be disciplined.

It is, as i understand it, currently against the law to do as i described above. However, the argument put forth against enforcement is "who has the time"? That is a nonsensical argument. We need to clean up the streets.

Other than that, i really have no opinion on the subject.

[Double L]

Sure, they can pass laws banning pan-handlers and the homeless, but how are they going to be enforced?

You hit the nail on the head. I can't think of anything better for downtown than making sure that laws like this one actually work.