Below are minutes for the August 12, 2003, meeting of the Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association, held at the Atlanta-Fulton Central Library. Notes were written by ADNA Secretary Wendy Darling.

Note: This meeting was features in local media both before and afterward. Links to news items:

Before Meeting
• "Atlanta Considers Banning Begging," Atlanta Journal-Constition, 8/12/03
• "Atlanta Rule Aims to Curb Begging," WSB Channel 2, 8/12/03
• "City Council to Consider Banning Panhandling," Fox 5 News, 8/12/03
• "'Mean' Atlanta considers ban on panhandling," CBS 46 News, 8/12/03
• "Panhandling Ban Targets Beggars," Story and Video, 11 Alive News, 8/12/03

After Meeting
• "Fine line, not hard line, needed to rein in begging," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 8/14/03
• "Homeless aren't targets of law," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 8/14/03
• "Meeting Discusses Panhandling Ban," Story and Video, 11 Alive News, 8/13/03
• "Talk of begging ban sparks concern," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 8/13/03
• "Unenforced law can't stop beggars," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 8/14/03

Welcome & Introductions

ADNA President Dorthey Hurst opened the meeting by welcoming the huge turnout of residents, business owners, law enforcements, hotel managers, local news media, and representatives of other organizations.

About 100 people were in attendance and from the introductions, we saw representation from:

• Residential buildings: Kessler's, 123 Luckie, Healey Building, Metropolitan, Landmark, Muse's, 90 Fairlie, Centennial House, The Windsor, Peachtree Tower, Museum Tower, William-Oliver
• Hotel, hospitality and tourism industry: GWCC, ACVB, Westin, Hilton, Atlanta Hotel Council, Marriott Marquis, hotel security association, Sheraton, Ritz-Carlton.
• Downtown businesses: Blue Cloud Cafe, Baan Rao, Ted's Montana Grill, other business owners
• Organizations: CAP, MARTA, Rainbow Push Coalition
• Law enforcement: Atlanta Police Department, GSU Police
• Media: The Story, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 11 Alive News, Atlanta Fox News.
• Other: Downtown workers and several people from the local homeless community.

Committee Reports

ADNA includes several committees and a number of them made reports to members:

• Planning, Zoning and Land Use Committee
  Caleb Racicot offered a brief update stressing two main issues:
  • Action about to start on JSA-McGill LCI Study ("Imagine Downtown"), which is work focusing on the area of northern Downtown that includes the future home of the Georgia Aquarium. First big public particpatory meeting is Tues., Aug. 19 4:30-6 p.m. on the 27th floor of SunTrust Plaza. For details, see the flyer on CAP's web site.
  • Recently, there has been extensive study of Downtown parking situation and in particular, on-street parking. On-street parking benefits retail, protects pedestrians. After on-site parking "tour" a couple of weeks ago, group from ADNA and CAP has come up with proposed parking plan. The plan will be posted to the ADNA web site and also of course sent on to appropriate parties at the City. This is basically a plan that offers a cohesive, concise proposal to parking Downtown, as opposed to the current situation, which has come about piecemeal.

• General ADNA Announcements

  • Next Happy Hour @ Jock's & Jill's, CNN Center
    Don't forget the Downtown Dweller Happy Hour, Friday, August 22nd. 6-8 p.m., Jock's and Jills at CNN Center. There will be door prizes and other fun stuff! A great way to meet your neighbors!

  • Building Representatives
    ADNA Vice-President Patrick Busko has managed to recruit one building representative from every building. However, if you are interested in helping spread ADNA's message around your building, please contact Patrick at pbusko@busko-davis.com.

Getting On A Committee / Getting Active
Everybody is welcome to join up to any committee. To lead a committee, you need to be an ADNA member. To sign up, email downtownatl@hotmail.com.

Police & Public Safety Issues

• Atlanta Police Department
  • Represented by Major Hagen, Zone 5.
  • Reported crime down 8 percent crime, this year.
  • George McIntyre of Blue Cloud Cafe questions statistics. George also took opportunity to speak up on behalf of many other businesses Downtown, who would like to be open during evening or weekend times but are intimidated by public safety issues -- and their own safety. George also notes that there is overwhelming support for neighborhood business association.
  • Dorthey recommends that businesse owners become action in monthly NPU-M meetings, in particular public safety committee.

• GSU Police Department
  • Represented by two officers.
  • No update on crime stats at this time.
  • Contact for GU Police Department: Errol F. Wooten Jr, ewooten@gsu.edu, 404-651-2100 x 2131.

Central Atlanta Progress / ADID

CAP/ADID Vice-President David Wardell offered a positive message about Downtown as well as an update on some of the many improvements and initiatives CAP / ADID has been working on:

• Streetscape work, including bike racks, flower baskets, bike racks, removal of newspaper boxes.
• Clean Team's work cleaning Downtown sidewalks, streets and plazas.
• Bike racks. Will be installing bike racks (around 45) and doing a whole program to promote and facilitate biking Downtown. Program includes not only 45 new bike racks, but working for showers for bike commuters, a "5 Days 5 Ways" transportation promotion, and working with Atlanta Bicycle Campaign.
• For In Bloom program, have installed 200 hanging flower baskets -- through private funding and cooperation.
• Let's Do Downtown, now at half-way point, is going well and there have been improvements at Woodruff Park. See Mid-Point Report on web site.

Businesses Seeking Support at NPU-M

• InterAction Inc., wants to go in and start up business at 93 Broad Street. Moselle Curly (sp?) says they want to bring change to that area, provide job assistance and training for homeless. Says building is under contract and they want to convert to mixed use for office, barber shop, coffee shop, also do training/temp service program for homeless. Building will generate revenue. Looking for block grant funds to support training/employment service.
• Audience had a lot of questions, looking for details, confused about certain matters. Applicant did not provide any printed details and many were dissatisfied with lack of details.
• A couple of people stressed that questions about application and negative reactions were not based on not wanting services to help center, but on concern that money must go to viable concerns.
• Final vote of ADNA members shows only three members in support of giving support to business at NPU. Rest of members don't want to support.

Panhandling

This was the big topic for the night and what got us a lot of news coverage.

Here is what came up:

• General Comments
  • Introduction by Dorthey includes "ground rules" for speaking and what the issue is: panhandling, not homelessness.
  • Patti Clark turns to audience and stresses taht as residents we love the city, so please don't think we are being negative, we are trying to help a city we love.
  • Someone speaks and says homeless are also residents of Downtown. Proposes Panhandling Day so panhandlers can make a living once a month.
  • Patrick speaks up and stresses the importance of nothing separation of panhandling and homelessness. Panhandling is an ACT, homelessness describes a state.
  • Dorthey Hurst, ADNA president, gives vivid description of Downtown's agressive panhandler, the "professionals panhandlers" and the various cons they pull.
• Ceasar Mitchell, City. Councilmember Post 1 at Large
  • Chairs City's Public Safety comittee, ordinance will go through him.
  • Also separates homeless and panhandling.
  • Panhandling creates problems of quality of life for residents, visitors, inhibits buinesses, tourism.
  • City already has agressive panhandling ordinance, as some limits on location. New ordinance expands area, would block panhandling of all kinds.
  • Constitutional Issue: But we must examine First Amendment issues -- must be very careful.
  • Cost of Enforcement: Second issue that concerns him, what is the enforcement? What will be the cost of enforcement, in terms of officers and jail time?
  • Also wonders if there is some other alternative that might achieve same result with less extreme measure.
  • Also, where will panhandlers go.... is restriction just for Downtown? People might want it all over... can we have it?
• Question & Answers with Ceasar Mitchell
  • Mark points out that so far as definitions or rights issues are concerned, aggressive, threatening behavior is NEVER acceptable. Mark reports being physically attacked! How is that handled by law. APD says they list certain "assaults" as special tag for panhandling.
  • Tony talks about targeting professional panhandlers as "cons" -- professional swindlers working the crowds. Discussion... Police classifies such crimes as "theft by deception" and such a classification only covers certain things, e.g. when somebody accepts money for a service they don't deliver.
  • Ceasar says timeline is up in the air. Recess ends next Monday. 2 weeks from today, first public safety committee meeting.
• Lamar Willis, City Coucilman At Large Post 3.
  • Counciman proposed legislation.
  • Convention and tourism is huge business Downtown and we must protect it, support our industry.
  • Also impacts Downtown workers, residents. Wants to protect all citizens -- their right to do what they normally would like to, like shopping, using ATM, eating in park, sitting in cafe.
  • "This is not a referendum against homelessness."
  • City is not "mean" and not against helping homess -- they are supporting the new shelter, using money to bring up the downtrodden. Panhandling is another issue.
• Questions and Answers with Lamar Willis, Plus Comments
  • Question of not only panhandling but commecial solicitation. Like offering directions.
  • Mr. Beasley. 25-year resident of Downtown and currently resident of Kessler's. Also member of Rainbow Push Coalition. Speaks out and says "nobody wants to say this, but this is all a race issue." After some outcry, Mr. Beasley is allowed to speak and continues to push issues of race.
  • Several different speakers enter into a divisive argument, people seem mad, have trouble listening. Dorthey moderates discussion and manages to calm everyone down so they are listening.
  • Woman from Peachtree Tower... talks about world policy. Talks about taking direct action.
  • "Donation Meters" idea mentioned, along with idea of educating of visitors and those who are preyed upon via leaflets or flyers.
• Paul Breslin of Sheraton and Atlanta Hotel Council
  • 35 hotels Downtown belong to association.
  • Industry is already challenged by 911, dealing with economy. but this problem is causing a huge loss as well.
  • Hotel and tourism's pain is City's pain -- money City is short is money it is not getting from tourism, conventions, etc.
  • Crime is down but perception, experience is of pandhandling and begging and so on are putting visitors, convention planners off Atlanta. Even if it's safe, it doesn't seem so. Says focus groups cite pandhandling and other quality of life issues as a big deciding factor... for deciding to go elsewhere.
  • Hotel industry has been very involved in support United Way's 211 efforts, distribution of 211 maps/resource guides.
  • Contact information: Paul Breslin, Sheraton Atlanta Hotel General Manager, 404-659-6500, pbreslin@sheratonatl.com.
• Next Steps
  • To get a copy of the proposed anti-panhandling (or commercial solicitation) ordinance, call Lamar's office. 404-330-6041. Ordinance will also be on his web site, http://www.lamarwillis.com.
    - Talk of education hotels education their guests. Tricky business of educating with putitng them off going on.
    - Patrick Busko says it's a "chicken and the egg" problem. City is bleeding money, money comes from tourism and hotel industry, which is suffering because City doesn't have money to have cops to enforce laws.
    - Lamar Willis encourages people to sign up for email updates, do a petition in support to show numbers, and go committee meeings and speak up for our concerns.
  • Legislation seems to have strong support of ADNA, hotels and hospitality and convention, businesses.

NEXT MEETING

ADJOURNMENT