COLUMBUS – Columbus city leaders have heard enough complaints about panhandling that members of City Council held a hearing Wednesday night to get feedback from the community with an eye toward finding a solution.
Aggressive Panhandling is a matter we must address here in Columbus. In order to help the residents of this great city we heard from the City Attorney’s office, law enforcement, and direct service providers to find a solution to this pressing concern pic.twitter.com/3mGxhEnC5Q
— Michael Stinziano (@Stinziano) March 8, 2018
Police say panhandling has increased and has become more aggressive in some instances and the opioid crisis is a contributing factor, according to a report by WBNS 10-TV.
At the City Hall hearing, neighbors, business owners, law enforcement, and people who work with the community pointed out problems with aggressive panhandlers.
City officials say a 2015 Supreme Court ruling impacted how local codes and rules are applied in Columbus and it might be time to find a solution.
City officials say they’ll review the feedback received at Wednesday’s hearing and look into possibly changing policies for the future.