On a 4/1 vote with Commissioner Malega dissenting, the commission voted to repeal the ordinance thus allowing panhandlers to roam wherever...bother you when you eat at a local restaurant, pitch their tent in Bryant Park and basically do what they want.
Our city attorney, Glen Torcivia was behind this repeal because of law suits. In late June, Southern Legal Counsel sued the city on behalf of four residents facing homelessness, claiming that these ordinances are a violation of the First Amendment right.
"They looked at what’s happening and said, ‘we could fight this, but we will almost certainly lose, and it will cost us a bunch of money,'" McVoy said.
Currently, it's illegal to solicit money within 15 feet of various public areas or canvas in the right-of-way at specific intersections and exits in the city." [WPBF]
They kept talking about the Homeless last night integrating them into the same group as panhandlers. Panhandlers are not always homeless. Also it was mentioned, and I am paraphrasing, that the governor agreed with them which is highly unbelievable. Maybe there is some law on the books. When DeSantis suspended a Florida prosecutor from his job for not prosecuting some misdemeanors including suspended licenses, disorderly conduct and panhandling, leads us all to believe how he stands on this subject.
14 comments:
What next with this commission?
this dont make things look good for the upcoming season.
they are scared of lawsuits? what if i sue for fucing up our city? Sure hate to see what happens next
Well, we'll just have to see what happens.
What does the Mayor have to say about all of this? Doesn't she have a say in these matters?
@3:08...the Mayor was afraid of lawsuits. She voted to repeal.
Why don't we citizens start a class action lawsuit against this Commission for failing to uphold our laws? Or better yet- lets start a re-call petition against this Commission. Except for Sarah.
Where do we sigh up>
wonder how a recall would work.dont we just vote district now
have to get so many votes from each district.
There really isn't anything you can do to help the homeless. There are people who, for whatever reason become homeless, but being of sound mind, they work their way out of it.
However, if you suffer from mental illness, you need the help of professionals who are not going to join you on the street.
Those who advocate for the homeless are cruel, heartless people, who want to get even with a society, for perceived injuries done to them, which we can only speculate about.
Try to imagine the type of individual who thinks it is fine for a family to live in a tent in the park, or an individual who has no shelter from the heat or cold and calls that humane treatment for the homeless.
Every effort should be made to bring the homeless to a facility where there physical, mental, and spiritual needs can be met.
7-21 if you have any ideas lets hear them.with all the empty buildings too bad we cant or the state cant make some deal with the owers.brother joe and faith farm have the right ideas but they cant do it all.lets try to get something going to help them.it might make us feel better by helping others
Most of us give to charity to help others, anonymous. There is just so much we can do as we work all day, take care of our family. We expect government to figure it out.
@8:15...The Burrito Project did (are they still in Bryant Park?) a lot of wonderful things to help the homeless. I would guess that these people, for the most part, don't want to help themselves or are too strung out on drugs to bother.
This particular ordinance is about panhandling although the commission co-mingled the two in their discussion. Contrary to common belief, panhandlers and homeless people are not necessarily one and the same. Many studies have found that only a small percentage of homeless people panhandle, and only a small percentage of panhandlers are homeless. Some make a very good living begging on our city streets and annoying people. We do NOT want that in Lake Worth.
Why would you give the insane apartments to live in. They have to be institutionalized.
Apropos to 8:28, Faith Farm, Broward Outreach, The Lord's Place, can't do it all, not to mention the fact that they can't help the insane, certainly not the criminally insane, like the one in LA, who stabbed the woman in the furniture store.
But this is the country where we can't wait to legalize recreational Marijuana. Because, after all, if you're stoned, you don't have to worry about the homeless, or your own home, for that matter, and you can just live in your dream world, until the Sheriff knocks on the door with the eviction notice.
I don't think it is as simple as putting them in empty buildings, 8:28.
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