What is the Best Way to Respond to Panhandlers?

[Investing In Chicago]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

That's basically how I see it as well. If I've got a few bucks and I like the guy, I'll just give 'em some change. Not my business how they use it. Hell, there've been times where I had a case of beer and just offered someone a beer instead - lord knows they could use it. Some of you are acting like these are zoo animals or something.

As an aside, is it just my impression or does homelessness in cities across the US seem to have gotten a lot worse in recent years? On my last trips to New York, Boston, and DC in the early 2010s there didn't seem to be much of a homeless problem at the time; but from what I've heard from friends DC is pretty bad right now, while I've seen a number of articles about the growing problem in Manhattan. And based on a recent trip to Chicago it seemed to have a huge homeless population throughout the city. To say nothing of the West Coast...

As far as Chicago, saying the city has a HUGE homeless problem is a bit of an exaggeration. Are there homeless people? Yes, but it is on par with other large eastern/midwest cities. Feels less "homeless-ey" than NYC, and probably on par with Boston/Philly/DC.

Now, LA, SF, and Portland have huge homeless problems in my opinion.

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by Investing In Chicago

As far as Chicago, saying the city has a HUGE homeless problem is a bit of an exaggeration. Are there homeless people? Yes, but it is on par with other large eastern/midwest cities. Feels less "homeless-ey" than NYC, and probably on par with Boston/Philly/DC.

Maybe other Eastern & Midwestern cities in 2019 are on par or worse than Chicago, but just sayin', Chicago 2019 had by far the most noticeably bad homeless problem that I've ever seen anywhere other than the North American West Coast (ie. worse than ~2012 New York, DC, Boston, etc).

[Investing In Chicago]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Maybe other Eastern & Midwestern cities in 2019 are on par or worse than Chicago, but just sayin', Chicago 2019 had by far the most noticeably bad homeless problem that I've ever seen anywhere other than the North American West Coast (ie. worse than ~2012 New York, DC, Boston, etc).

Very interesting observation, my experience has been completely different.

[IrishIllini]

Yeah, I’m actually always surprised when I’m out of town by just how many people are homeless. The homeless populations are noticeably larger out west, southwest, and in Florida.

[Chisouthside]

There's a few camps around the city for homeless people in Chicago but not even close to what I saw in the Bay. I do think that Chicago suffers from waves of transients/drug/heroin addicts that flock here since it's so cheap to score. Oftentimes you'll see the same ones in the Loop for months and then one day theyre gone replaced by a new wave. I dont really see too many chronic/permanent homeless people anymore in the Loop but definitely see these transients.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Maybe other Eastern & Midwestern cities in 2019 are on par or worse than Chicago, but just sayin', Chicago 2019 had by far the most noticeably bad homeless problem that I've ever seen anywhere other than the North American West Coast (ie. worse than ~2012 New York, DC, Boston, etc).

this is the best resource i could find to give an apples-to-apples comparison of the homeless population across the US.

it's by state, not city, but given that most homeless people tend to gravitate toward cities, it gives a good enough proxy.

https://www.usich.gov/tools-for-action/map/

as can be seen in the map in the link, illinois (chicago) does not have an especially large homeless population compared to some of the big states (cities) on the coasts.

[harryc]

I simply make eye contact and say no. Treat them as regular people.

[CaliNative]

Maybe the best approach is to print up little pieces of paper and keep some in your pocket with all the resources for homeless in your area--phone numbers & addresses--food, shelter, mental health etc. Hand them the piece of paper instead or in addition to change. That might really help them. If someone really appears to be genuinely in need, I often will give some change. But if someone is aggressive & demanding, almost never. Politeness works. I also give money to the Salvation Army. They do a great job with the homeless.

[CaliNative]

As an experiment I may ask a panhandler for change before he/she asks me. It would be interesting to see what they say. Probably something like "do I look like Rockerfeller?"

[Sam Hill]

Deleted

[Sam Hill]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

this is the best resource i could find to give an apples-to-apples comparison of the homeless population across the US.

it's by state, not city, but given that most homeless people tend to gravitate toward cities, it gives a good enough proxy.

https://www.usich.gov/tools-for-action/map/

as can be seen in the map in the link, illinois (chicago) does not have an especially large homeless population compared to some of the big states (cities) on the coasts.

This map is interesting. If it is to be believed, Colorado would have a larger homeless population than Illinois, and nearly the same homeless population as Pennsylvania, despite the fact that its total population is a puny fraction of either of those states. Something tells me this map isn't accurate.

[Sun Belt]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Maybe other Eastern & Midwestern cities in 2019 are on par or worse than Chicago, but just sayin', Chicago 2019 had by far the most noticeably bad homeless problem that I've ever seen anywhere other than the North American West Coast (ie. worse than ~2012 New York, DC, Boston, etc).

I disagree from my own anecdotal experience with Chicago. I encountered 1 homeless guy with a sign. 1 homeless man and he was absolutely non-confrontational or aggressive like is the case 'round here.

On a given day [work day] in SoCal, I'll probably see at least 2 dozen and directly interact with 2-6. You start to recognize the regular guys [they're 95% men and dogs]. It's amazing that humans can survive these conditions for so many years.