Homeless Parking Space Hijackers.

[John Galt]

Why won't the city do something about these bums? You see them everywhere there is a rare open parking spot downtown. They wave you in like your a 747 taxing to a gate and then hit you up for money. You have three choses: park and give them money, park and don't give them money risking they do something nasty to your car in anger, or simply drive away disgusted. I don't like any of those choses.

I know we're a charitable city but this transient thing has gone from simply an annoyance to an outright menace.

[John Galt]

'Choices' that is.

[lwisser]

I have experienced this situation as well. For some odd reason many local residents feel that Austin should be a mecca for all vagrants.

[asapphiremoon]

I was living in Austin for a little over a year while working an audit engagement for AMD. I could not believe the homeless people on what seemed like every street corner. One day I watched what I called the changing of the guard. One guy pulled up in a car (mind you a car), walked across the street took the sign from the guy begging and starting looking sad and poor. The other guy walked across the street, hopped into the same car and drove off. It was exactly 5:00 p.m. At Ben White and Montopolis a woman with a sign stating she was homeless, hungry and pregnant showed up every morning when I went to work. She held the same sign for the year that I worked there. She was very slender with long brown stringy hair. She didn't look at all pregnant during that year. She also would pass the sign off to a shorter woman with blonde hair after the morning rush. People were giving them money left and right. I saw one woman in an SUV give a homeless guy at Ben White and Lamar a bunch of fresh bananas. They politely seemed to thank her and threw them in the ditch after she drove off. Austin has really nice weather year round. They like that. Citizens promote it by giving to them. They like that, too. Another guy came right into KFC at I-35 and Stassney, sat down at my table and started chatting about how down he was on his luck. He boldly asked me for $250 to "tide him over" until Friday. It was Wednesday. I told him no and he got ticked off.

We have similar issues in downtown Kansas City, MO. but nothing like what I saw in Austin. It's sorta like an infestation, like when you all have all those birds everywhere in the fall. I've never seen so many birds. I felt like I was in that movie... "The Birds".

[asapphiremoon]

All in all. I thought Austin was a fun and interesting city. I enjoyed the Tex-Mex and the warmth and friendliness of the people. You can't beat Habenaro's. Yum.

[lwisser]

Yes, I agree with you. I believe there are probably about 100 illegitimate beggars on our street corners for every legitimate homeless person with a serious mental or physical problem. It drives me crazy when I see Austin residents handing these people money, because there only promoting an ongoing problem in this wonderful city. I believe most of these vagrants migrate here, because of practices like this.

[asapphiremoon]

You're right. They don't stick around KC long come winter time because it gets pretty cold. Austin has wonderful weather (except for those 3 days of ice in January 2007). I've also noticed in KC they go where there is a free handout. If there is a soup kitchen, close, they are close. Where there isn't a soup kitchen, they are few and far between.

I worked an engagement at the City of Kansas City, Missouri a few years ago. I walked out of City Hall with infuential elected people and we were walking down the street. A drunk was passed out on the sidewalk. I stopped cold in my tracks. They all "get this", walked over him like they were walking over a puddle of rain water. It was the most bizarre thing I had ever seen. They never stopped talking or missed a step. I asked if he was dead and they all said no that he was just passed out. I asked if we should call the police and again, they said no and kind of chuckled that I was even concerned.

I lived in Circle C. There wasn't a big problem from I-35 down Slaughter. But it was tragic in Austin in many other areas.

Take care!
Eat some Habenero's for me.