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Home My WebLink About19-14 Second Panhandling Resolution tll,,. e "d\ City of South Ben (574)235-9321 Nmik0 t Fax(574)235-9173 r6ACE ".. Common Council IDD(574)235-5567 I�i� http://www.southbendin.gov 441 County-City Building• 227 W.Jefferson Blvd \ rgo". '' South Bend,Indiana 46601 ^^1865 Tim Scott February 6, 2019 Filed in Clerk's Office President FEB 062019 Karen L.White South Bend Common Council Vice President 4th Floor, County-City Building KAREEMAH FOWLER John Voorde South Bend, IN 46601 CITY CLERK,SOUTH BEND,IN Chairperson,Committee of the Whole Tim Scott Re: A SECOND RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE First District CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA,(PREVIOUSLY RESOLUTION 4637- 17)AGAIN STRONGLY ENDORSING AND RECOMMENDING Regina Williams-Preston IMPLEMENTATION OF A PILOT EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM TO Second District REDUCE PANHANDLING WITHIN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND Sharon L.McBride Dear Council Members: Third District Jo M.Broden Fourth District In June 2017 the South Bend Common Council passed,and the Mayor approved, a resolution recommending the funding and implementation of a pilot program,based Jake Teshka on similar programs in Albuquerque,New Mexico and Portland,Maine.The Fifth District program would provide temporary jobs maintaining City spaces for those who find Oliver Davis themselves in the unfortunate and awkward situation of needing to panhandle. Sixth District Although passed by the Council and approved by the Mayor,no funding was allocated,and the recommended pilot program was not implemented. Gavin Ferlic At Large John Voorde In the past two (2)years, several other cities have initiated such programs. Just last At Large week a similar proposal was sent to Committee by the Indianapolis City-County Council,with the endorsement by Mayor Joe Hogsett, for initial funding of Karen White $150,000. We believe that it is time for South Bend to take a similar path. At Large We request that this Resolution be placed on the Council's February 11, 2019 agenda. Thank you for your consideration. r ru r=�. Q souTl'I8 0-=_ City of South Bend (574) 235-9321 Iff \, Fax(574)235-9173 " Common Council 1DD(574) 235-5567 ria PEACE . http://wwwsouthbendin.gov =�� a• 441 County-City Building • 227 W.Jefferson Blvd ■ _ South Bend'Indiana 46601 =� 1865 �• Sincerely Yours, Karen White, Vice-President, South Bend Common Council and At-Large Member Oliver Davis, South Bend Common Council Member, District 6 / otTh \akk r PEACE S t res BILL NO. 19-14 RESOLUTION NO. 4761-19 A SECOND RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, (PREVIOUSLY RESOLUTION 4637-17) AGAIN STRONGLY ENDORSING AND RECOMMENDING IMPLEMENTATION OF A PILOT EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM TO REDUCE PANHANDLING WITHIN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND 6 , on June 12, 2017, the South Bend Common Council passed Resolution No. 4637-17, strongly endorsing and recommending implementation of a pilot employment program to reduce panhandling within the City of South Bend and requesting funding within the 2018 City of South Bend's Budget for such a pilot program; and Gym the purpose of that Resolution was to reduce the practice of personally soliciting money from others in public places, known as panhandling, which can be uncomfortable, awkward and unpleasant for the person being solicited as well as being a loss of dignity for the solicitor; and the Mayor of South Bend approved the resolution on June 19, 2017; and G, the recommended pilot program was not implemented as requested by Resolution 4637-17; and G the City Administration of Indianapolis, under Mayor Joe Hogsett, has this year of 2019, seized the opportunity to become a national leader and the first city in Indiana to have the City Administration propose funding, in the approximate amount of$150,000, to implement a similar program to be paid from funds received from extending parking meter times; and Ofiwass, South Bend's prior Resolution acknowledged programs in other cities to curtail panhandling such as installing bright parking style meters where visitors and residents can donate to local non-profits rather than handing cash to panhandlers or providing gift cards and mittens to those in need; and South Bend's prior Resolution also acknowledged programs initiated in Portland, Maine and Albuquerque,New Mexico,the same programs upon which the Indianapolis proposal is based,which offer to pay panhandlers the city's minimum wage plus lunch for a six(6)-hour work day maintaining public parks and spaces, after which social services and job training are made available; and O the estimated cost for the Portland Opportunity Crew during its first year in 2017 was $41,000 with an initial appropriation from the City of$25,000 in May 2017, to fund a pilot program for thirty-six (36)J. weeks ; and Ofiaeai, during the pilot phase, crews in Portland picked up three-hundred ten (310) bags of trash and collected two-hundred fourteen(214) hypodermic needles; and 4 SpUTH e od F, ty U0 \1Ilk * % ....,,, PEACE j . 1165 a similar program in Albuquerque called"There's a Better Way"began with a budget of$50,000 and in its first two (2) years has provided 4,240 day jobs, housed twenty-one(21)homeless residents; connected four-hundred fourteen (414)people with additional work and provided mental health or substance abuse services to three-hundred fifty-five(355)people; and Of , both programs are now being funded in large part through donations; and CJS other cities that have enacted or are considering similar programs include Chicago, Dallas, Lexington, KY, Spokane, Tucson, Portland OR, Denver, Moreno Valley, CA, Austin, Amarillo TX, Ocean Springs, MS and Indianapolis, IN; and GJI it is now past time for the City of South Bend to explore and fund a similar pilot program which: will give people the opportunity to improve the community for fair compensation instead of incurring the stigma and discomfort of begging for money; provides people with the dignity to be accorded every individual in need; and reduces the frustration and irritation of persons being solicited for funds; and OAC.i, this Resolution is being considered early in 2019 in order to provide the City Administration and the South Bend Common Council a full and fair opportunity to initiate a pilot program as soon as possible similar to those identified herein. ✓Y Thee, g/t xeiea zed related *dezon buazed yedie ay10(a end, JQeana,, a6J : Section I. The Common Council hereby again expresses its strong endorsement of, and recommendation for,the implementation in South Bend, Indiana of a program similar to Portland Maine's Opportunity Crew, Albuquerque's "There's a Better Way" and to the efforts which are going on in the City of Indianapolis, Indiana to address constructively and innovatively the social problem of panhandling within the City of South Bend. Section II. The Common Council hereby states that it again requests and encourages the City of South Bend's Administration to commence such a program on a pilot basis in cooperation with other entities so South Bend will remain a leader in addressing the issues of poverty and homelessness in the state of Indiana and throughout the United States. Section III. This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from after its adoption by the Common Council and approval by the Mayor. A /i , ',9r4,..720/9 Tim Scott, 1"District Council Member Oliver J. Davis, 6th District Council Member _01IuU1` 1865 Regina Williams-Preston, 2°d District Member John Voorde, At Large Council Member Sharon L. McBride, 3r'District Council Member Gavin Ferlic, At Large Council Member Jo M. Broden,4th District Council Member Karen L.White,At Large Council Member Jake Teshka, 5th District Council Member Robert J. Palmer,Council Attorney • gfpnwdatii /04datiAassra7.2+0/9 Kareemah Fowler, City Clerk Pete Buttigieg, Mayor of South Bend, Indiana