Changing minds

There are new meters to feed in Laguna Beach, but these meters won’t buy time at a parking space. Instead, they’ll help feed the homeless.

As a part of a pilot program to discourage panhandling, the City Council last Wednesday unveiled specially painted meters by local artists Bob Bonn, Colleen Corbett, Robbie Reddy, and Marcel Mead on the corner of Forest Avenue and South Coast Highway, in front of Chantilly Ice Cream.

The meters will collect change that will then be donated to Laguna Relief and Resource Center’s programs for the homeless.

“Those persons who feel compelled to help homelessness now will have the opportunity to directly support the Laguna Relief and Resource Center’s homeless by placing money in the meters,” said City Council Member Kelly Boyd.

The artists submitted their proposals to Cultural Arts Manager Sian Poeschl, who selected the final product.

“I’m really happy to be chosen as one of the artists, and I hope that it’ll make a change for the better,” said Marcel Mead, whose meter is placed in front of the Jolly Roger restaurant. “My meter is the ‘Beautiful Earth’, because our home is the outside too.”

The meters are installed along the South Coast Highway’s inland corners of Broadway, Forest Avenue and Laguna Avenue, and also on the corner of Forest Avenue and Glenneyre Street.

City officials want to educate the public that giving their spare change to panhandlers often does not help the circumstances that cause homelessness in the first place, but rather fuels situations like addiction.

In addition to the new meters, the police department will be distributing fliers and rack cards named with the same title as the campaign “Create change, don’t give change,” to downtown merchants.

These materials were prepared by the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce and are designed for display in local businesses to raise awareness about viable alternatives that patrons have instead of giving to panhandlers.

The fliers are in response to the complaints made by businesses and retailers who feel aggressive panhandlers negatively affects the enjoyment and sense of safety of their customers even when they are just walking outside, according to the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce.

“The majority of the time it [money] doesn’t go to where you think it is going to go. Very often it goes straight to alcohol and drugs,” said Officer Jason Farris, who works directly with the homeless.

Both of these programs were recommended by the Homeless Task Force to the City Council.

“We’ve been working together for 14 months, and these meters will help the ones with addictions get the help they really need,” said Faye Chapman, member of the Homeless Task Force.

The cards state that “not all panhandlers are homeless and certainly not all homeless persons are panhandlers,” and that the state of California has the third highest rate of homelessness by percentage of population, making it imperative that the city address the epidemic.

“I think this approach is the healthiest, long-term solution for the homeless,” said Nancy Beverage, chairwoman of the Arts Commission.

One homeless man, Buglas Darder, standing on the sidelines watching the event, agreed with Beverage that the campaign may not bear fruit right away.

“Unless there is a real heavy penalty, which I am sure will come next, people are not going to stop panhandling,” Darder said. “If someone wants a beer or a sandwich, they’ll ask for change. I don’t panhandle, but I don’t drink alcohol or pay rent.”

Nonetheless, the City Council agrees this is a start to positively addressing the needs of the homeless and ending panhandling in Laguna Beach.

“This is one matter we all agree upon,” said City Councilwoman Toni Iseman. “And you can quote me on that.”

To donate or for more information about homeless programs started by the city of Laguna Beach, go to www.Change4Homeless.com.