The police told me there is no law against panhandling but anything threatening, like crowding your space, touching, or speaking in an aggressive manner is creating a disturbance and should be called in. Since this guy is well known to the area, I don't see why the police can't pick up this guy based on your description. I hope the NHPD will reply to this post about what can be done.

I knew exactly who you were talking about before you even described him. He is very aggressive and confrontational. I've seen him start calling people who wouldn't give him harassing people who wouldn't give him money calling them faggots etc. I heard from others that a physical altercation started once because of his tactics. Panhandling is allowed but what he does often crosses the line, but he needs to be caught.

The city cleared out a couple homeless camps recently but I think it's made things worse instead of better.

Yup, this guy (glasses/VA ID) started bugging me and others while sitting outside at one of the restaurants downtown, and was visibly irritated with the replies. A few minutes later, spotted him screaming at a couple who was running across the street to get away from him.

I'm 120% for helping those who need it, and do my part where I can. But the city needs to step up here.
Aggressive panhandling, and associated lawlessness (including trashing the green/other public spaces, and a much-discussed block of Grand Ave) is a clear hindrance to quality of life and economic development in the city.

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Wow, Jim, you are really negative. Why do your comments belong on SeeClickFix?

Jim: under-funded (or allegedly under-funded) shelter and meal programs is not the cause of homelessness. There's a variety of reasons, none of which you seem to acknowledge. But go ahead and bury your sand in your mythical class war. The rest of us will keep on trying to make our City a better place in which to live.

* ...bury your head in the sand...

Yale and Ben B could give every penny they have to the local services and we'd still be harassed by panhandlers at off ramps. Many studies have shown that these people are not looking ffor food money, they are looking for drug money. The only way to stop them is to strongly discourage those who give to them and arrest those that are aggressive

A comment above was flagged by a user and blocked by our team for singling out individuals( a direct violation of our terms of use). I was the individual so I will respond to it publicly as part of it was directly pointed at me. Two assumptions were made about me which are summarized here: 'BB is a millionaire and BB wants the homeless to leave rich people alone." Here's the deal, neither could be farther from the truth.

First I'd like to start with a statement of personal fact: While my personal wealth is irrelevant, I am not a millionaire and would appreciate that rumor stopping here. I do donate to local organizations and give out change to the homeless and those in need. I could Be better about the later but I tend not to keep cash on me unless I'm taking the bus that day. We all could all do better about this regardless of how much we are worth.

In regards to my personal stance on those in need including the jobless, working poor, homeless, mentally ill and the addicted: I do not want to move them out of downtown New Haven. I want us to help solve their problems and I'm glad that the social services are here to do it. There is no better place for those in need than cities. I understand that folks who did not grow up around panhandlers are uncomfortable with them. I'm not judging them for that but it does not personally bother me. I am going to operate our business in the Ninth Square amidst the heart of the heroin epidemic in CT without judging those that are addicted. I'm going to continue to encourage my co-workers to do the same. If I wanted to live and work in an ivory tower I would not try to create one in the middle of a city. I would leave.

While the aggressive panhandling continues to be a problem, this post went in a different direction than intended, so I am closing it. Thank you.