Street Team Initiatives
 

Panhandling & Homeless Outreach

The PDP's Street Team focuses their time and energy on homeless outreach efforts and panhandling issues in the Downtown Pittsburgh's Business Improvement District (BID). In 2009, the Safety Ambassador Program handled 1,712 panhandling incidents and assisted with 508 homeless outreach cases. 

Street Team members are specially trained to identify individuals needing social services assistance and they are a conduit for connecting individuals wanting assistance with the appropriate agencies. If a Street Team member comes into contact with someone acting inappropriately, the appropriate actions will be taken. The Street Team's essential functions include:

• Respond to requests for assistance with individuals needing social services assistance;
• Connect "street-based" services to individuals in need of services such as mental health treatment, drug/alcohol treatment, shelter, food, clothing, transportation and employment;
• Obtain assistance from other outreach service providers when necessary to connect individuals
• Build and maintain relationships with social service providers 

Street Team Monthly Outreach Statistics

 
Panhandling Downtown: A Refresher on the Rules

In 2005, the PDP worked closely with city officials to revise city code regarding panhandling. While everyone is entitled to their right to exercise free speech, rules were developed to impose specific time, place and manner restrictions on solicitation and associated conduct in certain limited circumstances. Since those rules were established, PDP's Safe Program and police officers have enforced them in an effort to make visitors, workers and residents feel safe in our Downtown.

The following places of panhandling are prohibited at any time and in any manner:
inside or within 25-ft. of a sidewalk café or any outside eating or dining establishment; at or within 25-ft. of a line of people waiting to gain admission to a place or vehicle or waiting to purchase an item or admission ticket; at or within 10-ft. of a food dispensing vendor; at or within 10-ft. of a bus stop; within 25-ft. of the entrance to a place of religious assembly; within 25-ft. in any direction of an entrance or exit to a building containing an automated teller machine that is visible from the street. 

Download and print a copy of our "Say NO to Panhandlers and say YES to helping the homeless" flyer to display in your store's window. 

For more information about the city's panhandling ordinances, refer to the panhandling municode.