Ann Arbor Forms Panhandling Task Force

At its Sept. 20, 2010 meeting, the Ann Arbor city council unanimously approved the creation of a downtown street outreach task force. The group will work for the next six months to identify cost-effective ways to achieve better enforcement of the city’s ordinance against panhandling, and to provide help to panhandlers who are addicted to drugs. The task force will include members representing the homeless community, the county/city office of community development, Dawn Farm, legal services providers, downtown merchant associations, the Downtown Development Authority, the Ann Arbor police department, the downtown citizens advisory council, and a member of the city council. Serving on the task force for the city council will be Sabra Briere (Ward 1), who sponsored the resolution.

This brief was filed from city council chambers. A more detailed report of the meeting will follow: [link]