>>>
>>> IT'S
>>> IT'S A FASCINATING REPORT WE WILL HAVE MORE ON THIS
COMING UP 4@IN NOVEMBER.
WE LOOK FOR TO THAT.
>>> IT MAY BE LEGAL BUT SOME
AR4@E CALLING IT A NUISANCE THA
JEOPARDIZES SAFETY OF THE CAMP
COUNTY.
COUNTY.
COUNTY. THERE IS A NEW PUSH 4@TO BAN TH
FROM HAPPENING.
4@
>>
>> Reporter: THROUGH THE 4@THIC OF RUSH-HOUR4@.
OF RUSH-HOUR4@. >> IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO SEE
SOMEONE ASKING FOR MONEY AT A
STOP.4@ THIS GENTLEMAN IS THERE
UP TO FIVE HOURS A DAY.
>> I USUALLY MAKE 50 TO 4@100
BUCKS A DAY.4@
>> IS THAT ENOUGH 4@TO SURVIVE?
>> IT CAN BE A LEASE YOU HAVE
THAT MONEY.
THAT MONEY. YOU CAN GO OUT AND EAT.
IT'S NOT SO BAD IF 4@YOU CAMP O
A FEW NIGHTS A WEEK.
>> SOME ARE EMPATHETIC TO BILLY
AND OTHERS LIKE HIM.4@
>> CUDDY FEEL WHEN YOU SEE
THIS?
THIS?
THIS? >>
THIS? >> I FEEL SORRY FOR HIM.
I DON'T THINK ABOUT WHETHER
IT'S FOR DRUG4@S, ALCOHOL, I
CHOOSE TO THINK, THEY ARE SO
DESPERATE THAT THEY NEED THE
MONEY.
MONEY.
MONEY. >>
MONEY. >> OTHERS AREN'T.
>> DO GIVE PEOPLE MONEY? 4@
4@
>> DO GIVE PEOPLE MONEY? 4@ >> NO.
>> NO.
>> NO. >>
>> NO. >> WHY?
>> WHY?
>> WHY? 4@>> Reporter: YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S BEHIND4@.
WHAT'S BEHIND4@. >> YOU ARE NOT SURE IF THEY'RE
TELLING 4@THE TRUTH?
>> PEOPLE SHOULD ACTIVELY LOOK
FOR JOBS4@.
FOR JOBS4@. >> BILLY IS ORIGINALLY FROM
CALIFORNIA AND SPENT HIS LIFE 4@
IN AND OUT OF JOBS THAT DIDN'T
PAY MUCH.
PAY MUCH.
PAY MUCH. HE STARTED PANHANDLING IN
BALTIMORE BEFORE MOVING TO 4@
FAIRFAX COUNTY TO DO THE SAME.
HE HAS BEEN LIVING BETWEEN
HOTELS AND STREETS FOR SIX
YEARS.
YEARS.
YEARS. HE
YEARS. HE HAS NO4@ FAMILY TO HELP.
>> IT'S A LITTLE BETTER THAN A
JOB, REALLY.
JOB, REALLY. A HAIR BETTER THAN A MINIMUM
WAGE JOB.
WAGE JOB.
WAGE JOB. NO ONE WOULD PAY 4@ME A LOT OF
MONEY BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A
HIGH AMOUNT OF COLLEGE
EDUCATION.
EDUCATION. >> ASKING FOR MONEY IS LEGAL IN
SOME AREAS.
SOME AREAS. CONCERNS ARE GROWING ABOUT
WHERE AND HOW IT'S HAPPENING IN
FAIRFAX COUNTY.
FAIRFAX COUNTY. >> THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY4@
ISSUE.
ISSUE.
ISSUE. >>
ISSUE. >> JOHN COOK, COSPONSORS A
PROPOSAL TO MAKE PANHANDLING
ILLEGAL FOR MEDIANS AND
INTERSECTIONS.
INTERSECTIONS. >> PEOPLE CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT
ON THE SIDEWALK IT'S PART OF
OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS THAT
I FULLY SUPPORT FOR INTERFERING
WITH TRAFFIC IN A WAY THAT
CAUSES DANGER IS DIFFERENT.
>> IF SOMEBODY IS WALKING UP TO
YOUR CAR DURING AN INTERSECTION
THAT THE DISTRACTION ESPECIALLY
IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IF
THEY'RE GONNA KNOCK ON YOUR
WINDOW AND CHECK YOUR LOCKS.
>> YOU CAN DEAL WITH ACTUAL
INTERFERENCE OF TRAFFIC.
THE SENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY AT
ACLU VIRGINIA HAS TAKEN UP THIS
ISSUE IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
>> IN COMPONENT WITH THE
CONSTITUTION THEY HAVE TO BE
REASONABLE WITHOUT HAVING SEEN
ACTUAL TEXT OF THIS PROPOSAL
IT'S HARD TO REALLY SAY
AN4@YTHING.
AN4@YTHING. >> IN 2017, THE LEASE
DEPARTMENT RECEIVED MORE THAN
2100 CALLS ABOUT PANHANDLING.
THE DISTRICT OFFICE ALSO
RECEIVED SOME CO4@MPLAINANT.
THERE ARE TRAFFIC ISSUES.
>> WE KNOW BECAUSE A PERCENTAGE
OF THE PANHANDLING IS ACTUALLY
COMMERCIAL.
COMMERCIAL. IT'S NOT HOMELESS PEOPLE IT IS @
BUSINESS.
BUSINESS.
BUSINESS. THERE ARE COMPANIES THAT HIRE 4@
PEOPLE TO GO OUT 4@AND STAND
THERE AND SORT OF PRETEND TO BE
IN NEED AND COLLECT MONEY.
>> OFFICIALS SAY MANY
PANHANDLERS ARE NOT FROM
FAIRFAX BUT OTHER AREA4@S.
THEY ENCOUR4@AGE PEOPLE NOT TO
HAND OVER MONEY BUT TO
RECOMMEND RESOURCES THAT ARE 4@
LISTED ON THE PRINTABLE
HANDOUTS.
HANDOUTS.
HANDOUTS. THERE IS A HUMAN SERVICE
HOTLINE.4@4@
HOTLINE.4@4@ >> WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT
APPROACH?
APPROACH?
APPROACH? >> I WOULD AGREE.
>> I'LL DO THAT IN THE FUTURE.
>> AS FOR BILLY --.
>> GIVE YOU A BAG OF GROCERIES
AND SOME CLOTHES.
I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN SOME
HORRIBLE SHELTER IT'S A NOTCH
ABOVE 4@JAIL.
ABOVE 4@JAIL. >> YOU'D RATHER STICK TO WHAT