CHARLOTTE, N.C. — From intersections to sidewalks, panhandlers are setting up in Charlotte in search of help.
It’s a complex issue that’s leading to frustration for some who say the act puts their safety at risk.
Fred Royer lives in Uptown and says he now wears a body camera to protect himself from aggressive panhandlers.
“I could say no to a panhandler and he'll keep talking and getting in my face,” Royer said. “I turn this on and I get them on video just in case they try something or I have to defend myself.”
For years the city has been working to fix the issue even criminalizing panhandling, sleeping on benches, and public defecation in March, but Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings says it’s not a one-size fits all solution.
“Officers, they never go out and talk about, you know, I want to arrest somebody, particularly when you start talking about the unhoused or people who are in mental health crisis or anything like that,” Chief Jennings said. “Their goal is to make sure that we're providing resources and so that we don't have to continue to deal with certain individuals all the time.”
Charlotte City Councilman Tariq Bokhari said he’s hoping to see a more aggressive approach requiring panhandlers accept help.
“We can't make that optional,” Bokhari said. “We have to say, at the same time, here's the stuff we've invested in. It's very important to us that we treat our neighbors like our neighbors, but it's not okay for you to aggressively panhandle or set up encampments and not accept that treatment.”
Block Love, a nonprofit providing resources to families in need, says housing is key.
“They may have that need of paying their phone bill, even getting additional food. Some people I know actually panhandle so they can purchase a bus pass. So, don't always look at it as something negative,” Deborah Phillips, Block Love Executive Director, said. “We could have as many resources as we could possibly want, but if the housing is not there, that’s the problem. That problem needs to be fixed.”
WCNC Charlotte reached out to the Roof Above and The Salvation Army Center of Hope shelters. They say they’re either near capacity, above capacity, or have a waitlist.
Contact Kayland Hagwood at khagwood@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.