My wife works downtown and has stopped walking to get coffee, etc due to constantly being harassed for money. As a family, we avoid downtown altogether these days.
T
Tamara Burton
8 years ago
Working downtown is losing its grandure. Visitors comment to me everyday about how ugly a mark this one issue leaves them feeling about our beautiful city, that it is worse that before, and may effect them returning. HOW SAD!
J
Jon Hazel
8 years ago
Featured
The inaction of timid elected officials is ruining St.Augustine's reputation as a pristine jewel of history, culture and pleasant visitor experiences. Why are the rights of those who live and visit here given lower priority than those of opportunistic and often unstable vagrants and addicts who prey upon us?
S
Steve Gotham
8 years ago
We need a program to help these people, not just shoo them away. That doesn't fix the problem.
S
Steve Rich
8 years ago
Every year it gets worse. I don't go down town any more because of the rude aggressive pan handlers
J
Jerrry Houman
8 years ago
Clean-up STA! Please!
A
Anonymous
8 years ago
Please protect our city and its people! I have complete compassion on those who have fallen on hard times and my family and I have helped serve at dining with dignity, sandwich mission, and simply talking to those in the park. However, we have created a toxic charity system of entitlement when we allow people who have chosen this as a lifestyle to take advantage of our town, harm residents, and abuse our emergency services.
P
Peter and Kathleen Forte
8 years ago
It is shameful to see able bodied people who should be working crowding our public spaces. My experience has been that many of these people use what they get for their next drink or drug.
A
Anonymous
8 years ago
I feel literally harassed walking in my own city. I’ve also have several visitors point out this issue with awe and actually say they would “never live here” because of it.
J
jon u anderson
8 years ago
It's not panhandling; they're beggars. Assign them an area in which to beg. outside that (those) area(s), no begging allowed. Good luck with this.
B
Becca
8 years ago
Please! Resolve this issue now!
B
Barbara Larimer
8 years ago
End this nightmare.
C
Carol Pershing
8 years ago
Vagrants should not be allowed to sit on St. George St benches, monopolizing them, as these benches were intended for shoppers to rest, eat an ice cream, etc.
N
Nora Flowers
8 years ago
My husband and I live and work in St. Augustine. While we support our Mayor, there is clearly a vagrancy problem that will eventually turn tourists away from the city and very negatively impact our economy. We ask that something be done now to solve the problem.
A
Andy smith
8 years ago
About Time!!!!!
M
Michael Johnson
8 years ago
Featured
I stopped shopping in downtown St. Augustine because I am tired of be accosted for money. I drive to Jax or Palm Coast now to shop. If the city leaders won't address the issue then they need to be voted out of office
M
Marshall O Peters
8 years ago
Lived in big citys up and down the East coast to include Washington DC.. I know that they can be asked to move along. I had a group in the public restroom asking for monies near the Sangaria. Another was taking up two benches with his dogs, anti Trump signs and luggage. More in front of Columbia drunk on the corner begging for cigarettes. It has to stop this is a main area for our Tourist.
O
Okie McFate
8 years ago
Time for the elected leaders to lead from the front not hide in the background.
E
Eve Hladky
8 years ago
City Officials, please take action now to stop this panhandling in St. Augustine, this current situation as it is now, is a public safety and health hazard. Allowing this out of control behavior does not get these homeless people the proper assistance they actually need, permanent housing , addiction treatment for drug and alcohol issues, job training etc... It sets a dangerous precedent for vagrant people to act out in public places unlawful and unsafe behaviors , such as drug dealing , public drunkenness, using the public side walks as a bathroom, accosting shoppers in overly aggressive ways for money. Please take action now to address and find solutions to stop these problems before a visitor or resident of St. Augustine gets hurt .
S
Steven C Tillson
8 years ago
Thank you for addressing an issue that the city and county councils have been afraid to act upon for years. Have they all been taking their ques from the constant gridlock we have been seeing in Washington D.C. for decades?
My wife works downtown and has stopped walking to get coffee, etc due to constantly being harassed for money. As a family, we avoid downtown altogether these days.
Working downtown is losing its grandure. Visitors comment to me everyday about how ugly a mark this one issue leaves them feeling about our beautiful city, that it is worse that before, and may effect them returning. HOW SAD!
The inaction of timid elected officials is ruining St.Augustine's reputation as a pristine jewel of history, culture and pleasant visitor experiences. Why are the rights of those who live and visit here given lower priority than those of opportunistic and often unstable vagrants and addicts who prey upon us?
We need a program to help these people, not just shoo them away. That doesn't fix the problem.
Every year it gets worse. I don't go down town any more because of the rude aggressive pan handlers
Clean-up STA! Please!
Please protect our city and its people! I have complete compassion on those who have fallen on hard times and my family and I have helped serve at dining with dignity, sandwich mission, and simply talking to those in the park. However, we have created a toxic charity system of entitlement when we allow people who have chosen this as a lifestyle to take advantage of our town, harm residents, and abuse our emergency services.
It is shameful to see able bodied people who should be working crowding our public spaces. My experience has been that many of these people use what they get for their next drink or drug.
I feel literally harassed walking in my own city. I’ve also have several visitors point out this issue with awe and actually say they would “never live here” because of it.
It's not panhandling; they're beggars. Assign them an area in which to beg. outside that (those) area(s), no begging allowed. Good luck with this.
Please! Resolve this issue now!
End this nightmare.
Vagrants should not be allowed to sit on St. George St benches, monopolizing them, as these benches were intended for shoppers to rest, eat an ice cream, etc.
My husband and I live and work in St. Augustine. While we support our Mayor, there is clearly a vagrancy problem that will eventually turn tourists away from the city and very negatively impact our economy. We ask that something be done now to solve the problem.
About Time!!!!!
I stopped shopping in downtown St. Augustine because I am tired of be accosted for money. I drive to Jax or Palm Coast now to shop. If the city leaders won't address the issue then they need to be voted out of office
Lived in big citys up and down the East coast to include Washington DC.. I know that they can be asked to move along. I had a group in the public restroom asking for monies near the Sangaria. Another was taking up two benches with his dogs, anti Trump signs and luggage. More in front of Columbia drunk on the corner begging for cigarettes. It has to stop this is a main area for our Tourist.
Time for the elected leaders to lead from the front not hide in the background.
City Officials, please take action now to stop this panhandling in St. Augustine, this current situation as it is now, is a public safety and health hazard. Allowing this out of control behavior does not get these homeless people the proper assistance they actually need, permanent housing , addiction treatment for drug and alcohol issues, job training etc... It sets a dangerous precedent for vagrant people to act out in public places unlawful and unsafe behaviors , such as drug dealing , public drunkenness, using the public side walks as a bathroom, accosting shoppers in overly aggressive ways for money. Please take action now to address and find solutions to stop these problems before a visitor or resident of St. Augustine gets hurt .
Thank you for addressing an issue that the city and county councils have been afraid to act upon for years. Have they all been taking their ques from the constant gridlock we have been seeing in Washington D.C. for decades?