Augusta leaders hit a speed bump as they work on pandhandling rules

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – With a lot of attention focused lately on Augusta’s homeless population, city leaders met Wednesday to look at creating an ordinance to combat panhandling.

Some officials wanted to craft a law modeled on Columbia County’s, but the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office threw some cold water on that idea by saying the ordinance is unconstitutional.

“It is a very, very narrow hole that this ordinance could pass through to be considered constitutional,” said Augusta Staff Attorney Samuel Meller.

District 7 commissioner, Sean Frantom, in response said: “It was disappointing to hear.”

A road bump for a problem that still needs a solution.

Destination Augusta says businesses have felt panhandling impacts for years, but the problems are getting worse.

“They are getting regular reviews from customers who are saying they no longer feel safe in that particular area. We have had some examples given where customers actually arrived and started to check in, but then because of perception, crime or safety, they’ve actually decided to cancel the reservations and go elsewhere,” said VP of Destination Development, Jennifer Bowen.

Other ideas to combat the increase include a new campaign to spread the word on nonprofits you can give your money too, instead of handing it out of your car door.

And looking at other ordinances like Charleston’s where there are laws against handing money out of your car window.

Frantom said: “The biggest issue is that Augusta has got to stop handing out money at corridors. If you stop handing out money at corridors, these people are not going to stick around Augusta. Unfortunately, Augusta is, or fortunately, Augusta is a caring community.”

The city’s legal department said Columbia County’s law is similar to one in Florida that was struck down, Augusta Commission members were told during Wednesday’s workshop session.

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The department said a countywide ordinance like the one sought by Frantom would not be constitutional.

The current ordinance is managing a tightly maintained area, but a countywide law wouldn’t be a “viable option,” Augusta leaders were told.

City officials are also bringing up a loitering ordinance that’s in effect, but has a strict definition that is left up to officers to interpret.

Officials are also looking into a right-of-way ordinance as an option, making it so solicitors in the roadway would be monitored in a similar way to a panhandling ordinance.

Right now, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is using a warning-citation-jail system for those panhandling in the right of way.

Some commissioners, like Jordan Johnson, don’t want to arrest their way to a solution, so that’s why they wanted to bring together the homeless task force, law enforcement and city leadership.

The current panhandling ordinance from 2006 monitors the Broad Street corridor and a small section a bit south of there, and a 2008 Business Improvement District that provides extra government services for cleaning and upkeep of business areas.

Even though many people associate panhandling with homelessness – which is getting a lot of attention as deputies fight loitering by homeless people in the Washington Road area – law enforcement says they’re different issues.

In fact, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says 99% of the people who are panhandling are not homeless, and some come from as far away as Bamberg to solicit in Augusta.

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