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Miami Unveils New Plan for Panhandlers

Miami Unveils New Plan for Panhandlers

October 02, 2009 By Doug in Miami: Local News | 14 Comments

What do you do when you’re out and about on Washington Avenue or Lincoln Road, and a bedraggled stranger engages you in his tale of woe, requesting change? Do you happily dole it over? Or are you sometimes a little skeptical about where it’s going and how truthful his story is? Do visions of redlight rustlers earning 6 figure incomes dance in your head?

If you’ve wondered how to truly help that person—without enabling them—one local group has a solution.

BUDDY, CAN YOU SPARE A CARD?

Ron Book, chairman of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, announced Thursday at a press conference that instead of handing cash out to area panhandlers, residents should hand out a business card instead, containing the number of a hotline those in crisis can call to find food, shelter, and other services.

“Instead of giving money to people on the street, give it to the Trust,” he said, assuring the audience that 100% of the funds they receive will go toward helping the homeless.

“Most people don’t know that all homeless people don’t panhandle,” he explained, “and all panhandlers aren’t homeless.”

So how exactly do you give to the Trust? Book had the solution to that, too.

SUPERMETERS

(above) Meters like this one from Denver, CO provide an alternative way to help the homeless

He unveiled two containers—one a six foot pyramid-shaped device, and another smaller one resembling a parking meter. Both were fashioned by renowned artist Romero Britto and painted bright yellow with floral designs on them.

Book explained that the goal was to place these meters in area malls, office buildings and other businesses, where they would be sponsored by the business, at a rate of $1200 for the larger pyramid-shaped container, and $1000 for the smaller parking meter-type device.

WILL IT WORK?

(above) Neil Donovan

Neil Donovan, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, is skeptical. In comments appearing in a recent article in the Miami Herald, he insists that similar programs launched in other cities around the country have been unsuccessful in that they don’t stop panhandlers from asking for money.

“Homeless people are our neighbors, our brothers and sisters,” he contended, “and we should consider them one of us instead of a distinct group that should be treated separately.’’ He added that giving to someone who needs it should be a personal decision.

In Miami Beach, the Overboard Panhandling Ordinance prohibited the solicitation of money, either passively or aggressively, but unfortunately, until recently, the loosely-worded regulation also outlawed Salvation Army volunteers, Girl Scouts selling cookies and street entertainers. Citing a violation of free speech guarantees, the ACLU successfully sued the city in 2005. The City revamped the law in 2007, allocating specific zones in which street entertainment was permitted, and the ACLU sued again.

Despite the ordinance, panhandling remains a common practice in Miami Beach today.

Whether The Miami-Dade Homeless Trust’s campaign will be successful or not will depend on large part on the enthusiasm of local businesses and residents, whose own pockets are running low as a result of the current economic troubles, making charitable donations on their part all the more difficult.

However, lest we look too dismissively at that fellow asking for a quarter, it’s useful to remember that most of us are only a paycheck or two away from being in his shoes.

Thanks to Maria de Los Angeles for the above photo.

Related Links:

â€¢ Florida leads country in homeless attacks

Related Categories: Miami: Local News,

Douglas Eames is a freelance writer, homespun philosopher and budget bon vivant who divides his time between Southern California and South Beach.

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14 Comments on

"Miami Unveils New Plan for Panhandlers"

Maria de los Angeles says:

Thanks for bringing this to our attention here on 411, Doug. The site of homeless people on Washington Avenue is always heart breaking.

I wonder, does the cost of the special parking meter go back to the trust?

By the way, that’s my photo there on the bottom ... did you get it from the Flickr group?

Posted on 10/02/2009 at 11:49 AM

Aaron in Miramar says:

It probably sounds harsh but I would keep arresting them with the offer of receiving some sort of mental health help from one of these programs (as the vast majority are suffering from those type issues and not a personal economic crisis) in lieu of spending time in the county jail. Sure the jails are overpopulated but they are also full of people serving time for non-violent misdemeanors so that argument is a moot issue. We just as easily as Maricopa County in Arizona could have a tent city full of these people that have have the option of doing community service by day until they choose to get some help and stop causing a blight on Miami Beach, Coconut Grove and Downtown.

I think this is a better solution than handing them a $20 and making yourself feel better about being a charitable human being than actually solving any problem. It’s also more humane than NYC’s plan to give them a free bus or plane ticket out of the area.

Posted on 10/02/2009 at 1:03 PM

Doug says:

Maria, I just googled homeless Miami Beach and found that! It was a great shot! Sorry I didn’t credit it, but I didn’t realize it was you! Mea culpa.

Aaron, the problem with arresting the mentally ill is that the jails are not efficient as places to house them. They tend to keep coming back due to missed court dates and repeated infractions. Other inmates beat them up, as do many of the guards, who are unskilled at dealing with mental illness.

Diverting them to outpatient treatment only takes them off the streets for a limited time, and it isn’t legal to commit someone involuntarily unless they threaten (or attempt) to harm themselves or others.

Another problem is that while it is true that mentally ill people make up a large percentage of homeless—though not necessarily panhandlers—the oft-heralded antipsychotic medications are not the panaceas the mental health industry would have you believe. Many patients are treatment resistant. The most positive outcomes involving people living with mental illness actually come from developing countries, where they are more integrated into social and family social structure.

Posted on 10/02/2009 at 8:20 PM

Doug says:

Also, the mere act of being homeless—or crazy—isn’t a crime, and does not merit arrest or detention.

Posted on 10/02/2009 at 8:23 PM

Maria de los Angeles says:

Doug, that photo was shot at the funeral home just off Alton, across from Walgreen’s.

Posted on 10/03/2009 at 8:11 AM

Maria de los Angeles says:

By the way, for a photo survey of the Real Miami Beach, visit my Flickr group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/758229@N21/

Posted on 10/03/2009 at 8:19 AM

Doug says:

I like the lighting and it also conveys the sense of desperation of living on the streets.

Posted on 10/03/2009 at 8:20 AM

Sungal says:

I see so many homeless people every day. It was sad when I was walking the dog on the boardwalk one evening. It began to rain and I saw a man slipping into his sleeping bag to take cover. I kept thinking, oh we have to get home quick because of the rain, but that man didn’t have the option of running for cover.

I really don’t like passing by pan-handlers, but it’s a fact of life. If I want to give money, or a drink, or a sandwich from Starbucks to a homeless person I will. I think it’s shocking that this man is saying to people, “Give your money to my charity and not to the people on the street.” It does not have to be either or.

One lady I really feel for has a shopping cart filled with things, sweeps water into the gutter with a broom, mumbles, and writes in sidewalk chalk about aliens and things.

Doug, would the shelters allow her to bring her cart inside?

So Mr. Book thinks we should give the homeless a card. Doug, do you have the number on the card? Maybe I can start giving them out, but I guess they’ll also need to come with fifty cents for a pay phone.

Posted on 10/03/2009 at 10:21 AM

Doug says:

Hi Sungal, I just googled the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust and found this phone number:

If you, or someone you know
is homeless, or about to become
homeless, please call the
Homeless Helpline
1-877-994-HELP

It’s toll free, so it won’t cost anyone money at a payphone or elsewhere.

I appreciate the position of not giving money out to panhandlers. As Mr. Book pointed out, not all panhandlers are homeless and not all homeless are panhandlers. Also, just giving money out directly gives them less incentive to seek out help. If they’re mentally ill, they often lack the skills to get a nutritious meal and a roof over their heads. Substance abusers would frequently rather dumpster dive than use any donations to buy a meal.

If they can get the program to work, I think it’s a sound idea. It also needs to be followed up by a homeless task force for the people who lack the mental ability to make the phone call.

Posted on 10/03/2009 at 10:38 AM

John says:

Well I find all this fascinating. I’m currently in the throws of hitting the streets and begging. I’m really down on my luck, sort of speak…no money, no job…though aggressively looking and very desperate. It’s heart warming to see there are people with hearts out there, I’m literally writing this through tears. I really have no choice even if it means jail time.

Posted on 10/31/2009 at 12:42 PM

Doug says:

Hi John, I’m sorry to hear about your situation. Maybe you could try contacting someone at the Homeless Trust for help or at least some advice. Unfortunately, the economy is going to put a lot of people in this very same situation.

Posted on 10/31/2009 at 12:53 PM

John says:

Thanks Doug, I will contact them, perhaps they can help in someway.

Posted on 10/31/2009 at 1:01 PM

Erizon Aliaj says:

Hello,
I would like to get in touch with someone that can give me more information about this. We are trying to duplicate the same thing here in Detroit.

Posted on 06/03/2013 at 10:23 AM

Jason says:

Funny, I’m a homeless database administrator. All of these “programs” for homeless people (like myself) are either full, don’t accept walk-ins, or won’t accept someone who isn’t a drug addict/alcoholic/crazy person (no joke, I’ve either been to or called them all). Some “programs” are just masks that accept donations, which are used to fund someone else’s political compaign. To outlaw panhandling is a violation of free speech and expression, nevermind the fact that you are actually “outlawing” the practice of asking for help. What society says “you can’t ask for help—you must starve to death”? Oh yeah, the cities of Miami & Miami Beach. Much thanks to the efforts of people like Maria de los Angeles.

Kick ‘em while they’re down. Have the police arrest them so they lose ALL their posessions. Heartless cities full of inconsiderate people. No wonder I’m walking away from it, never to return. And yes, I will tell everyone I know to avoid this place like the plague.

What an embarrassment it must be—Two cities that rake in BILLIONS of dollars each month between tourism and sports. Yet they can’t even feed their own people. Grow a heart—or a brain, Miami & MB. Nobody wants to be homeless. Try HIRING some of these people, instead of treating them like garbage. You might find that many of us have a lot to contribute.

Posted on 06/17/2013 at 10:07 AM

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