San Francisco to Gradually Enforce Panhandling
Law
A new panhandling law in San Francisco, Calif., took effect May
25, but city officials said enforcement would be gradual, the San
Francisco Chronicle reported May 25.
"The most appropriate way to approach this is doing a public
health-based outreach," said District Attorney Kamala Harris.
"We're not going to solve this problem through the criminal-justice
system. I'm anticipating we're going to get people into treatment
programs."
San Francisco voters approved the anti-panhandling law last November.
Under the law, it's illegal to panhandle within 20 feet of ATMs
and on traffic dividers and highway ramps.
The law also emphasizes referring homeless people to drug-diversion
or mental-health programs. About 70 percent of the 15,000 homeless
people in the city are addicted to alcohol and other drugs, while
30 percent are mentally ill.
"We've learned that just throwing the homeless into jail doesn't
really change their behavior, so that's not what's going to happen,"
said Dr. Mitch Katz, director of the Department of Public Health.
"It's a last resort. What will happen is that we will be engaging
them, helping them understand that they have other choices."
For the time being, police officers plan to give panhandlers a
verbal warning. If they become belligerent, a citation would be
issued. But for the most part, social workers will be approaching
panhandlers to encourage them into emergency shelters, addiction
treatment, or counseling.
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