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Homelessness in St Pete

Page history last edited by H.I.M. 13 years, 7 months ago

Homelessness is among the most obvious issues downtown St. Petersburg faces, being readily apparent to residents and commuters alike. Mayor Foster has been trying to put homeless programs into motion. One program of recent months has been an idea to create a permanent homeless shelter in the City in order to decrease the number of homeless sleeping outside. So getting homeless people off of the streets of St. Petersburg is a primary goal. Similarly, Mayor Foster is adamant about getting panhandlers off of the streets, doing so much as to place a ban on panhandling activities within the district: an action some deem as being discriminating and even hateful, though the pretext of this measure is in no doubt with the aim of beautifying the City of St. Petersburg and making it more livable.

However, there is more to curbing homelessness than beautification. From the DRCA's perspective, there is a link between crime and homelessness which cannot be ignored. It is actually of the DRCA's opinion that City Administration has been far too lax in cracking down on homelessness. In fact, it has been the DRCA that has pressured City Administration to take action against panhandling. However, because of a lack of enforcement from police intervention, the problem, which was for a time drastically curbed after the panhandling ordinance, the problem has come back. For this reason, the DRCA wants more police to be on patrol.

o Homeless Proliferation Downtown

There is a strong correlation between the incidence of crime and the numbers of homeless persons living in the City's streets and parks. Not all commit crimes, of course, but all too many — alcohol and drug addicts, mentally disturbed persons, and some who simply prefer that life to the kind of work they are capable of performing — do commit crimes. Here again, the City Administration has refused to take a firm stand, and the problems have grown worse.

One positive thing did happen as the Downtown business community and DRCA pleaded for action. The City Council finally enacted an ordinance prohibiting panhandling in a specifically defined Downtown business area. Initially, the ordinance was enforced strictly, and the problem was solved. But, soon enough, enforcement dropped off and the problem arose again. Clearly, the policy of limiting the numbers of patrol personnel in our Police Department continues to do its damage. DRCA continues to argue for more police on patrol.