South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Delray Beach to crack down on panhandling
Delray Beach has become the latest community in South Florida to crack down on aggressive panhandling after residents and restaurant owners described a string of intimidating encounters.
These new rules, though, have some people concerned the homeless will be unfairly targeted as a result.
Owners of restaurants along the downtown’s bustling Atlantic Avenue complain they’ve seen some flagrant examples of panhandlers taking food or drinks off
patrons’ tables in outdoor seating areas. Aggressive panhandling “has really taken over our downtown and our beach area,” City Commissioner Adam Frankel said, adding he’s heard reports of “urination and defecation” by panhandlers in the downtown.
Commissioners on Thursday gave final approval to stepping up restrictions on panhandling in about 6 percent of the city, much of it in downtown Delray Beach by the bustling Atlantic Avenue. Anyone who violates the new panhandling ordinance could face second- degree misdemeanor charges, up to 60 days in jail and fines of up to $500.
With the passing of the ordinance, panhandling will be prohibited:
■ Within 20 feet of a restaurant.
■ Within 20 feet of an ATM. Within 20 feet of a bus stop or trolley stop or any public transportation facility.
■ Within 20 feet of a parking lot, parking garage, parking meter, or public pay station operated by the city.
■ Within 100 feet of any school or day care.
■ At any intersection.
A Delray Beach police spokesman said with the passing of the bill, there will be “six months of training and education of police, residents, business owners and panhandlers.”
Palm Beach County passed an anti-panhandling ordinance in 2015 that carried similar penalties, but was targeted toward people asking for money on roads and intersections. Delray Beach is the second major city in Palm Beach County to crack down on panhandling in the past two months. In December, West Palm Beach passed an ordinance banning panhandling in its downtown area.
Thursday’s discussion of the Delray Beach ordinance was contentious. Numerous residents voiced complaints the ordinance would unfairly target the homeless. Delray Beach resident Nicholas Cubides was especially displeased, saying the new measure was “disgusting.”
“Why do we need an additional ordinance if the county one is being enforced,” Cubides said during the meeting. “You do not need an additional city ordinance unless you have a specific beef with homeless people.”
“You say this is to protect people against aggressive panhandlers. Excuse me, that is called harassment. We have laws [against harassment] and they are being enforced. We don’t need an additional one.”
Delray Beach commissioners pushed back on accusations they were targeting the homeless population, saying that aggressive panhandling was simply becoming a safety concern in the downtown area.
Frankel shared a story of a friend who was riding in her golf cart on Atlantic Avenue when “a gentleman came up with a dead squirrel and threatened to throw it on them unless they gave them money.”
Commissioner Juli Casale said if the city didn’t fix the issue, it could lose tourism money from people who were fed up with downtown panhandling.
“I have great compassion for people in need and this is challenging,” Casale said. “It doesn’t feel good because you feel like you’re putting a penalty on somebody that’s needy, but our job is to protect our businesses and to protect our residents.
“I actually saw panhandling on Atlantic and it was intimidating. Had I been a diner alone with my child ... You can’t expect a wait staff individual to address this, so you’re sitting there captive.”