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GREENSBORO — Panhandlers could soon have a hard time finding a place to beg.

The City Council will consider amending an ordinance tonight that would limit where panhandlers can stand in their quest for money.

Parking lots and decks would be off-limits, and panhandlers would have to put some distance between themselves and ATMs, as well as the parking meters that line much of downtown.

Entrances to businesses and residences also made the list, along with visible barricades for outdoor cafes. The new rules also make it a misdemeanor to panhandle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Councilman Zack Matheny said he started looking at restricting panhandling after talking to businesses and groups with interests downtown, including the homeless day center. They had concerns about aggressive panhandling by some people, and the homeless felt that reflected badly on them, Matheny said.

The changes would affect all of Greensboro, not just downtown.

The concerns revolved around areas where people feel less safe when they’re approached, said Matheny, who led the push for the changes.

“I’m just trying to listen to what everybody’s saying and trying to come up with some kind of happy medium,” he said.

Michele Forrest, whose blog “Chosen Fast” focuses on homeless issues, said most people who panhandle have underlying drug or alcohol issues. Not all are homeless, she said.

“I’d much rather see our friends address the issues that are causing them to panhandle,” Forrest said.

The current ordinance bans panhandling in areas such as bus stops, on private property, on school property when students are arriving or leaving, and on sidewalks next to movie theaters or where a line of customers has formed.

The city began requiring panhandlers to obtain licenses in 2003. That year, the city issued 43 licenses. Now, 295 people have them, according to city records.

But that might not accurately reflect the number of people who panhandle, Forrest said. Many homeless are transient and some get the license just in case, she said.

If passed, the new rules would take effect immediately.
 

Contact Jennifer Fernandez at 373-7064 or jennifer.fernandez@news-record.com