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REGULAR MEETING February 11, 2019
<br /> Councilmember Oliver Davis, 1801 Nash Street, South Bend, IN, served as a presenter for this
<br /> bill. Councilmember Oliver Davis stated, I'm glad to be presenting this resolution along with my
<br /> co-presenter. A Resolution of the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana,previously
<br /> Resolution 4637-17, again strongly endorsing and recommending a study for a pilot employment
<br /> program to reduce panhandling within the City of South Bend. Whereas, on June 12, 2017, the
<br /> South Bend Common Council passed Resolution No. 4637-17, strongly endorsing and
<br /> recommending implementation of a pilot employment program to reduce panhandling within the
<br /> City of South Bend and requesting funding within the 2018 City of South Bend's Budget for such
<br /> a pilot program; and, Whereas, the purpose of that Resolution was to reduce the practice of
<br /> personally soliciting money from others in public places, known as panhandling, which can be
<br /> uncomfortable, awkward and unpleasant for the person being solicited as well as being a loss of
<br /> dignity for the solicitor;
<br /> Councilmember Karen White, 1912 Malvern Way, South Bend, IN, served as a presenter for this
<br /> bill. Councilmember Karen White stated, Whereas, the Mayor of South Bend approved the
<br /> resolution on June 19,2017; and, Whereas,the recommended pilot program was not implemented
<br /> as requested by Resolution 4637-17; and, Whereas,the City Administration of Indianapolis,under
<br /> Mayor Joe Hogsett, has this year of 2019, seized the opportunity to become a national leader and
<br /> the first (1St) city in Indiana to have the City Administration propose funding, in the approximate
<br /> amount of $150,000, to implement a similar program to be paid from funds received from
<br /> extending parking meter times; and, Whereas, South Bend's prior Resolution acknowledged
<br /> programs in other cities to curtail panhandling such as installing bright parking style meters where
<br /> visitors and residents can donate to local non-profits rather than handing cash to panhandlers or
<br /> providing gift cards and mittens to those in need; and, Whereas, South Bend's prior Resolution
<br /> also acknowledged programs initiated in Portland, Maine and Albuquerque, New Mexico, the
<br /> same programs upon which the Indianapolis proposal is based, which offer to pay panhandlers the
<br /> city's minimum wage plus lunch for a six (6)-hour work day maintaining public parks and spaces,
<br /> after which social services and job training are made available; and, Whereas; the estimated cost
<br /> for the Portland Opportunity Crew during its first year in 2017 was $41,000 with an initial
<br /> appropriation from the City of$25,000 in May 2017, to fund a pilot program for thirty-six (36).
<br /> weeks;
<br /> Councilmember Oliver Davis stated, Whereas, during the pilot phase, crews in Portland picked up
<br /> three-hundred ten (310) bags of trash and collected two-hundred fourteen (214) hypodermic
<br /> needles; and, Whereas, a similar program in Albuquerque called "There's a Better Way" began
<br /> with a budget of$50,000 and in its first two (2) years has provided 4,240 day jobs,housed twenty-
<br /> one (21) homeless residents; connected four-hundred fourteen (414) people with additional work
<br /> and provided mental health or substance abuse services to three-hundred fifty-five (355) people;
<br /> and, Whereas,both programs are now being funded in large part through donations; and,Whereas,
<br /> other cities that have enacted or are considering similar programs include Chicago, Dallas,
<br /> Lexington, KY, Spokane, Tucson, Portland OR, Denver, Moreno Valley, CA, Austin, Amarillo
<br /> TX, Ocean Springs, MS and Indianapolis, IN; and, Whereas, it is now past time for the City of
<br /> South Bend to actively explore and fund a similar pilot program which will give people the
<br /> opportunity to improve the community for fair compensation instead of incurring the stigma and
<br /> discomfort of begging for money; provides people with the dignity to be accorded every individual
<br /> in need; and reduces the frustration and irritation of persons being solicited for funds; and,
<br /> Whereas, this Resolution is being considered early in 2019 in order to provide the City
<br /> Administration and the South Bend Common Council a full and fair opportunity to fund a pilot
<br /> program as soon as possible similar to those identified herein. Now, Therefore, be it resolved, by
<br /> the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana,as follows: Section One(I)The Common
<br /> Council hereby again expresses its strong endorsement of, and recommendation for, the study in
<br /> South Bend, Indiana of a program similar to Portland Maine's Opportunity Crew, Albuquerque's
<br /> "There's a Better Way" and to the efforts which are going on in the City of Indianapolis, Indiana
<br /> to address constructively and innovatively the social problem of panhandling within the City of
<br /> South Bend.
<br /> Councilmember Karen White stated, Section Two (II) The Common Council hereby states that it
<br /> again requests and encourages the City of South Bend's Administration to commence a study of
<br /> such a pilot program in cooperation with other entities so South Bend will remain a leader in
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