Advocates Say Greensboro's New Panhandling Ordinances Are Still Problematic

Advocates for the homeless say the latest panhandling ordinances passed by the Greensboro City Council are still unconstitutional.

At a special session Tuesday, city leaders unanimously repealed the controversial “aggressive solicitation” ordinance they passed in July.

In its place, they created three new measures: one that prohibits anyone from blocking sidewalk access; another that bans soliciting in public parking lots; and a third that penalizes anyone exhibiting “harassing conduct” in public spaces.

Marcus Hyde, an organizer with the Homeless Union of Greensboro, says the new measures are an improvement, but still discriminatory.

“This brings up all sorts of issues about unconscious bias in policing, unconscious bias in people making reports to the police, and quite frankly, prejudice,” he says.

The new rules come after a group of people who have experienced homelessness recently sued the city to get the previous ordinance struck down.

Proponents of the measures say they're meant to keep residents safe – particularly in the city's growing downtown.