Dr. Michael Omidi and his brother Julian Omidi are the founders of the organization No More Poverty, which seeks to end the ravages of poverty both in the United States and abroad by sponsoring like-minded charities. In this article, Dr. Omidi discusses a trend in many American cities to prevent homeless panhandling via the aggressive issuance of citations and arrests.
As someone who works to stop poverty and its causes, I was struck by a series of articles concerning America’s homeless population. It seems that many cities and counties all over the country have banned homeless panhandling, and are issuing citations to the homeless in increasing numbers. However, some homeless are fighting back, and suing the cities for violation of their free speech.
Panhandlers can be irritating and sometimes even dangerous. There have been cases where people using outdoor ATM machines have been harassed by forceful panhandlers, who lurk nearby and watch the customers withdraw money. But the ordinances have cut a broad swath across the spectrum of panhandling, and even homeless people who don’t solicit vocally but through use of signs are being targeted for write ups and arrest. For homeless people for whom panhandling is the only source of income, the citations are more than just a nuisance; they are seen as a measure to criminalize homelessness and drive the homeless population out of the city.
The ban on panhandling was a bid by many city commercial districts to lessen the number of homeless encampments near their businesses, which tended to drive customers away. Yet many officials are issuing citations to panhandlers who operate on or near roadways. Since the economic downturn of the last few years, the number of citations has gone up. Some city officials argue that the citation of aggressive panhandling is a reaction to complaints. Steve Ray Evans is a Utah homeless man who has brought lawsuits in many districts for violation of his first amendment rights. He has been successful in many cities, since legislators do not want to spend city funds fighting these suits. According to Mr. Evans in the New York Times:
“This is my only source of income. I do it for survival purposes. I feel as though a lot of other individuals depend on it, too.”
Homelessness cannot be ended by harassment and handing out tickets. It is troubling that the underlying causes of homelessness are not being fully addressed by many states, cities and counties. My organization, No More Poverty, currently supports numerous charities that work tirelessly to provide resources for people that want to bring themselves out of homelessness. Foundations such as Under the Bridges and on the Streets, Children of the Night and The Children’s Lifesaving Foundation work with the homeless to find solutions, and help them by giving them the tools they need to get the educations and the jobs that will allow them to support themselves and their families. Visit us at nmp.org to learn more about my brother Julian Omidi’s and my efforts to stop homelessness and its causes.
Sources:
Frosch, Dan “Homeless are Fighting Back Against Panhandling Bans” Nytimes.com
Romney, Lee “Arcata Panhandling Law Mostly Struck Down by Judge” Latimes.com http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/27/local/la-me-arcata-panhandling-20120927
MICHAEL OMIDI, MD, FACS 