Some cities around the U.S. are paying panhandlers to clean parks instead of standing on street corners and connecting them with resources.
Lindsay Cates, a senior planner for homelessness services in Oklahoma City, said the idea to offer a day of paid work to panhandlers came from public outcry after the increased visibility of panhandlers in the area.
“There was a lot of frustration around panhandling here in Oklahoma City,” Cates said.
The program dubbed “A Better Way” started in Albuquerque and spread to other cities like Philadelphia, Tulsa, and now, Oklahoma City. However, the program is no longer in use in Albuquerque.
Oklahoma City invested about $270,000 into the program. It’s one tool in a larger plan to deal with homelessness issues, Cates said.
The city hires eight people for $65 each day, plus lunch. A person can work for the city five times before they are no longer able to sign up, but the goal is not to give them a permanent job, Cates said. Instead, it’s a way to connect them with caseworkers to help them find programs, employment, housing, or any other need to help them get off the streets.
“Helping them get connected to their employment, building skills or possibly writing a resumé, as well as interviews,” Cates said. “Twenty-five people have gotten employment outside this program, and then we have also helped 12 people get connected with housing services.”
KSAT reached out to the City of San Antonio’s Department of Human Services to see if they would consider a program like this. The city responded with the following statement:
“The City of San Antonio Department of Human Services (DHS) Homeless Division doesn’t presently have a specific program to pay the homeless to clean up streets. However, our Homeless Division is presently working with the City’s Ready to Work and Training for Job Success programs to bridge a pipeline between those experiencing homelessness and employment. As the City continues to carry out the recommendations outlined in the Homeless Strategic Plan and expand outreach initiatives, there are always opportunities to explore a variety of new approaches to address this concern in our community. Also, several of our homeless response partners offer work and training opportunities.”
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