De Blasio frustrated by panhandlers 'who are not particularly in need'

[brooklynite]

This should be a fun addition to the Mayor's race.....



Mayor Bill de Blasio on Friday said his administration's efforts to curb homelessness are working, despite increasing estimates of the number of homeless people on city streets, and expressed frustration that New Yorkers often confuse panhandlers "who are not particularly in need" for homeless persons.

“Sometimes we see people on the street who are bluntly just panhandlers, who are actually not even homeless,” de Blasio said during his weekly appearance on WNYC. “There are also people out there who are just begging for money and is not out of dire economic need, and that is frustrating to me.”


An annual count released this week estimated there was a 40 percent increase in the number of homeless people on city streets, which grew to 3,892 this year, up from 2,794 last year.

De Blasio, who was calling in from Hamburg, Germany, attributed part of that increase to a warm day in February, when the count was conducted.

http://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2017/07/07/de-blasio-blames-rising-homelessness-on-not-even-homeless-panhandlers-113264

[no_hypocrisy]

1. With the cheapest studio apartments going for $5,000 a month,

I don't believe that a panhandler could be reasonably deemed "not particularly in need".

[edhopper]

3. That's in Manhattan below 110th.

In the rest of the city you can get someplace for under $1000.

Still expensivecas hell to live here.

[Me.]

2. It's True

And very difficult to tell who's who

[panader0]

4. There was a panhandler here in my town with his "help me " signs,etc.

I saw him one day as he left his favorite spot outside the supermarket.
He walked two blocks down the road and got into a newish car. A fraud.
Most of the guys I see begging look physically fit enough to work. Just lazy
I guess. I'm poor and have sympathy for those in need. I also worked 40
years as a bricklayer (I have a job tomorrow). But scammers piss me off.

[Yossarian22]

5. We need to pay panhandlers $15/hr

Standing on a corner in the heat, rain or cold is hard work. We should make sure they are compensated with a fair minimum wage.

[maxsolomon]

7. i think that's sarcasm?

here's more: welcome to DU.

you might want to look up guaranteed minimum income, as well.

[maxsolomon]

6. NYC only has 3900 homeless on the street?

seattle has >5K unsheltered every night, and our total population is 800K