NEW: Providence to Stop Enforcing Anti-Panhandling Ordinance
Tuesday, February 09, 2016
The City of Providence advised the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island on Tuesday that it would halt enforcement of an anti-panhandling ordinance that has "led to harassment and arrest of homeless individuals," according to the ACLU.
The ACLU called for this action in a letter to Mayor Jorge Elorza two weeks ago, pointing out the ordinance's "dubious constitutionality and its impact on the rights of the poor and the homeless".
ACLU Argument
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTIn a release sent on Tuesday, the ACLU said the following:
“The Mayor remains committed to making Providence a place that supports its residents, especially those who are most in need, and we look forward to our continued work together in this regard,” Providence City Solicitor Jeffrey Dana stated in a letter to the ACLU of RI.
ACLU of Rhode Island executive director Steven Brown said today: "This is a very positive development, and we applaud the City for recognizing that this ordinance cannot withstand constitutional scrutiny. We are confident that officials will make sure that any harassment of the homeless by police for peacefully soliciting donations, even if it doesn't lead to an arrest for panhandling, will cease.
Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless executive director Jim Ryczek added: “The Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless welcomes this development on the part of the city. We hope this is the first step in better understanding homeless people and working with them to appropriately identify their needs and acquire safe and affordable housing. We look forward to continued progress on other problems facing the city in relation to its homeless citizens. As always, we stand ready to help the City of Providence better serve its homeless constituents.”
Megan Smith, an outreach worker at House of Hope CDC, said: "We are hopeful that Providence's decision to halt enforcement of the aggressive solicitation ordinance demonstrates that the City recognizes panhandling for what it is: a means of survival for our poor and homeless neighbors, not a criminal activity. While there is much more work that must be done to shift policy from criminalizing poverty to finding collaborative solutions, this represents an important step forward."
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