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Just curious - anyone notice an increase in the number of panhandlers out and about...especially in the Short North area? Police cited some guy the other day on High Street. Seems to me there are a few more these days.
Columbus Underground Messageboard » General Columbus Discussion
Panhandling in Columbus
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Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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I don't know if there are really more, but there certainly are quite a few. But then, there are folks panhandling about everywhere, it seems.
Walked from the Arena District to the Late Night Slice shack (Fresh Street Crepes!) in the SN yesterday - encountered around 5-6 different panhandlers; and we didn't jump over to high street until about Millay St.
I don't get to the eastside much, but the westside is rife with them. Dudes with signs at the Soldano Plaza, and I've seen/heard about panhandlers hassling patrons in the parking lot at Kroger (although I've also heard that Kroger has been trying to crack down on that). Just yesterday, there was a lady I haven't seen before (you get to recognize certain people) at the corner of N Sylvan & W Broad St, looking for cash.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Snarf
Dystopia
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bldng4jstc
Downtown
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I'd say panhandling is down compared to when I moved here 5-6 yrs ago on the high st. corridor. Other areas seam to be about the same. I do not get to the East side very often, however. Perhaps these individuals work different hours than me...
Posted 9 months ago # -
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Twixlen said:
I don't get to the eastside much, but the westside is rife with them. Dudes with signs at the Soldano Plaza, and I've seen/heard about panhandlers hassling patrons in the parking lot at Kroger (although I've also heard that Kroger has been trying to crack down on that). Just yesterday, there was a lady I haven't seen before (you get to recognize certain people) at the corner of N Sylvan & W Broad St, looking for cash.The Near East Side is primarily residential. There's really very little commercial areas to panhandle outside of. Maybe Main Street sees some of it, but I've not really encountered much of it anywhere else.
The Short North and OSU always seem to see the majority of it, with Downtown a close third place behind them.
Posted 9 months ago # -
cc
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JBro
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I'd say that this is pretty directly related to the economy. More people are unemployed and many have been unemployed for a long time. Social services that serve this population have taken big cuts in funding and are trying to serve more people with less money.
Posted 9 months ago # -
hivner1
clintonville
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JBro said:
I'd say that this is pretty directly related to the economy. More people are unemployed and many have been unemployed for a long time. Social services that serve this population have taken big cuts in funding and are trying to serve more people with less money.Agree. It seems futile to discuss the rise of a symptomatic issue that relates to a larger cause. Discussion inevitably leads to a debate on 'what to do with all "them" panhandlers.' Funding to help programs that serve homeless populations/unemployed/etc is getting chainsaws taken to it right now. Budget cuts arent kind to the social services.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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JBro said:
I'd say that this is pretty directly related to the economy. More people are unemployed and many have been unemployed for a long time. Social services that serve this population have taken big cuts in funding and are trying to serve more people with less money.As liberal as I am, I disagree with this, in that the folks that are panhandling aren't unemployed because of a poor economy. They are addicts, looking for their next 40/fix/smoke/whatever. These are people who have been on the edges of society all along.
I think what has changed, that *is* economically driven, is that more working class people are using the social safety net now... which does mean there is less to go around for those folks that were already troubled.
I also think that it's endemic of "midwestern nice." People panhandle because it works.
Posted 9 months ago # -
rus
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Twixlen said:
As liberal as I am, I disagree with this, in that the folks that are panhandling aren't unemployed because of a poor economy. They are addicts, looking for their next 40/fix/smoke/whatever. These are people who have been on the edges of society all along.I don't have enough data to say that all/most homeless people got that way because of addiction or other mental illness... at the same time, I've met quite a number of people who are/were homeless who got that way from addiction and/or other mental illness.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Tenzo
Chicago Lakeshore
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In a statistically insignificant sampling of panhandlers claiming to look for work I found 0% that would actually do work for money. I was doing a lot of unskilled labor work when I first bought my house, when offering work to those asking for it I didn't get spit.
No wait, that is innacurate, the guy by the 71 on ramp by third street did contribute just that.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Tenzo
Chicago Lakeshore
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I agree that the number of panhandlers is directly proportional but not in an obvious way. When times are tough people are more likely to think; "There, but for the grace of God, go I" and cough up some money. Where in times where there are more jobs than applicants people are less likely to assist.
I would say that the number of panhandlers is directly a result of the profitability of the endevour. (speaking as an Econ major)
Posted 9 months ago # -
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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rus said:
I don't have enough data to say that all/most homeless people got that way because of addiction or other mental illness... at the same time, I've met quite a number of people who are/were homeless who got that way from addiction and/or other mental illness.Ah - yes, I forget mental illness... one of the big places where government money should be focused & really hasn't ever been.
I wonder if... for folks that self-medicate that way... if there's some element of it's more socially acceptable to be an addict than to have mental illness. And that's pretty effed up.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Neil Jaye
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I do not know if they’re more but they are definitely more aggressive. Not in a bad, intimidating way (IMO) but they are certainly more willing to walk up to you and ask for money. Personally, it does not bother me in the way they approach me. They have always been kind and friendly, and have never harassed me if I didn’t/couldn’t give. I no longer see the days of people following you and yelling at you when you did not give.
But, any people legitimately forced to the streets and needing to ask for money is a problem that needs addressed.
Posted 9 months ago # -
Cookie
Flyntonville
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Tenzo said:
In a statistically insignificant sampling of panhandlers claiming to look for work I found 0% that would actually do work for money. I was doing a lot of unskilled labor work when I first bought my house, when offering work to those asking for it I didn't get spit.No wait, that is innacurate, the guy by the 71 on ramp by third street did contribute just that.
Maybe they didn't want to get in a car and go somewhere with a stranger.
Posted 9 months ago #
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