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It’s been seven years since the Board unanimously approved my motion to consider addressing panhandling through a multi-pronged approach, including a curb-to-curb safety ordinance that would ban the exchange of objects within roadways as has been successfully implemented in Loudoun County. This past Tuesday, the Board finally received a study briefing from a consultant who was hired to better understand the specific circumstances of panhandlers in Fairfax County.
The study showed that more than one third of respondents were interested in being engaged about services and many of those respondents had not been previously engaged about services they might be eligible to receive. While our Office to Prevent and End Homelessness does an excellent job responding to requests for help, this was a helpful insight that we can improve our proactive community engagement.
The survey yielded some important insights to inform how the County can improve outreach to vulnerable populations, but the scope of the study failed to address a critical facet of this issue: public safety impact.
Unfortunately, since the Board has been waiting on the results of this study before addressing the public safety component of panhandling, it has caused further delays for a long-term solution.
With the help of our community and faith-based organizations, we should certainly be addressing service gaps, but we also need to be protecting panhandlers and motorists from dangerous situations on the road.
Back in 2011, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to ban signs in the medians of our roads, a ban I proposed after seeing how even my own political signs were distracting and could cause safety issues for motorists. While it’s illegal to place a sign in the median, it’s surprisingly legal in Fairfax County to stand, or walk around in the median holding one.
On the service side, I was proud that in 2019 Fairfax County Stormwater implemented the program I proposed in partnership with local shelters by developing Operation Stream Shield, a work program for people experiencing homelessness. This program gives participants the opportunity to get paid to remove invasive plants and litter from our streams, providing participants with the dignity of work, connections to services and opportunities for full time employment with local businesses. This cost-effective program should be expanded to Park Authority maintenance projects as the City of Fairfax has done with its City Jobs program.
I believe we have a duty to help those in need in ways that equip them to lift themselves up from hard times and to have the opportunity to succeed. At the same time, we need to promote safety on our roadways which are no place for pedestrians, panhandling or otherwise, to be engaging with motorists. We have already had at least one panhandler killed in our roadways; we need to address the public safety impacts before any more panhandlers or residents are injured or killed.
I have been asking the Board to look at addressing panhandling through a multi-pronged approach: consider addressing service gaps, a curb-to-curb ordinance that would ban exchanging items within the roadway, and consider signs that discourage people from giving to panhandlers while educating them on where to go for help or to donate. While the police department identified the hot spots for the signs they have yet to be installed.
I hope that the Board will follow the lead of jurisdictions like Loudoun County that have effectively dealt with both the services and public safety elements of this issue. Please see my last newsletter on Panhandling for additional details. Panhandling Update, Lee Chapel Road Town Hall, Free Concert Series Feedback
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