Some things I’ve learned about Greensboro’s panhandling ordinance:
- You must have a panhandling license in order to panhandle in Greensboro. (The license is free.)
- You must be homeless in order to apply for a panhandling license.
- You must have a picture ID from the DMV and another form of ID (like a Social Security card or VA card) in order to get your panhandling license.
- You must renew your panhandling license yearly. If you don’t have a mailing address, you must come back and pick up your license at the office in the MMOB within 15 days.
- You must carry your panhandling license and your picture ID with you while you are panhandling.
- You can’t panhandle on personal property without written permission from the owner. (If you get written permission, you must have it with you while panhandling on that property.)
- You can’t interfere with traffic while panhandling.
- You can’t violate any City ordinances while panhandling.
- You can’t panhandle close to schools or churches.
- You can’t panhandle after dark.
- The grassy area leading up to a roadway is considered personal property, so you can’t panhandle there.
- The sidewalk is public property so you are allowed to panhandle on the sidewalk.
- You can’t panhandle around highway bridges and ramps or the areas around them.
- You can’t panhandle in groups of two or more.
- You can’t use intimidating language or threaten people when you panhandle.
- You can’t panhandle near ATM’s or in places where people stand in line, like outside a club or movie theater.
- You can’t use false or misleading statements while panhandling. (This means that you can’t have a sign saying “Homeless Veteran” if you’re not both homeless and a veteran, etc.)
- You can’t sell anything while panhandling.
- You can’t stand in a roadway median while panhandling.
- You can’t step off the sidewalk and into the roadway while panhandling. (That means if someone in a car in a middle lane wants to give you money, you can’t go into traffic to get it. They would need to come to you.)
Where can I get a license or permit to panhandle?
Panhandling licenses can be obtained through the City of Greensboro Collections office at 336.373.2501. Panhandling license enforcement is managed by the Police Department. 336.373.2222.
(Source: City of Greensboro web site (document in PDF format)]
Note: I looked online and found a draft of the minutes of the City Council meeting on 15 June 2004, at which Council members adopted amendments to the panhandling ordinance. I think this is the most recent document showing all the legal language of the ordinance and you can find it here (PDF format.)
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This is an edited version of a post about panhandling that I published on my old blog on October 26, 2005, following a meeting with panhandlers, police officers and homeless advocates, called by (then Assistant) Chief Tim Bellamy to help mediate relationships between homeless panhandlers and law enforcement after concerns were expressed by one of the panhandlers. I’m reposting it now because my blog is getting hits from folks searching for info about panhandling, and I think this post might be helpful. 
FYI: In case you’re wondering, I’m not a supporter of panhandling. I think it demeans those who do it and reinforces negative stereotypes about the homeless.
