2016-2017 PANHANDLING City of Philadelphia Office of the Deputy Managing SURVEY RESULTS Director for Health & Human Services
METHODOLOGY • Asked questions related to: • Panhandling • Income and benefits • Housing status • Health • Demographics • Approached persons found asking for money or food or “flying a sign,” but excluded street performers and those selling items like “loose” cigarettes. • Completed 129 surveys total. DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 2
INTERVIEWEES & ROUTES DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 3
PEAK SURVEY TIMES • Surveys were conducted in 1.5 hour shifts Peak Survey Times with 1-2 surveyors per shift. 70 • Morning: 9:00a – 11:30a 58 60 • Midday: 11:31a – 3:30p • Afternoon/Evening: 3:31p – 6:00p 50 45 • The surveyors identified slightly more 40 31 panhandlers during the Afternoon/Evening 27 30 26 shift. 20 15 • N = 129 10 1.87 1.73 1.67 0 Morning Midday Afternoon/Evening Total Surveys Total Shifts Avg Surveys/Shifts DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 4
In which area of the city will you be sleeping tonight? RESIDENCY Other, 4% Don't know, 9% • 84 (66%) respondents said they would be West, Southwest, 1% sleeping in Center City and 15 (12%) said they 5% South, 2% would be sleeping in North Philadelphia. • 11 (9%) did not know where they would be sleeping. North, 12% • 5 (4%) reported that they would be sleeping Center City , 66% outside of Philadelphia [(Camden (2), New Jersey (2), Exton (1)]. Northwest , 0% • N=128 Kensington/Bridesburg/ Richmond, 2% Northeast , 1% DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 5
HOUSING STATUS Where will you be staying tonight? Drop-in Center or Café 2% • Other 67 respondents (52%) would be staying in a 9% public space (e.g., on the sidewalk or in a park, Staying with abandoned building, or subway or bus station). Family or Friend/Couch Surfing • 27 (21%) would be staying in their own room Don’t Know Sidewalk/Car/ 8% (e.g., apartment, house, hotel) or with a family or 9% Park/Abandon friend. ed Building 32% • 23 (18%) would be staying at publicly provided space, such as a shelter, drop-in center or café. • 41% (52) had experienced homelessness for a year or longer. Subway or Bus Own Room: • 10% (13) had been homeless for less than a month Station/Airport Apartment/Ho (1-3 weeks). 15% use/Rental Unit/Hotel Shelter • 9% (12) had not experienced homelessness in the 12% 13% past year. N = 128 DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 6
PANHANDLING FREQUENCY & FUNDS EARNED Question Median N How long have you been panhandling? 1 year 126 Thinking about the last 30 days, how many days did you panhandle? 30 days 126 How many hours do you spend panhandling each day? 6 hours 122 How much do you make panhandling each day? $20 127 What is the most amount of money that you earned in a single day of $60 124 panhandling in the past 30 days? What is the least amount of money that you earned in a single day of $7 126 panhandling in the past 30 days? DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 7
PANHANDLING MOTIVATION Why do you panhandle? Do you earn as much as possible, or earn a certain amount and then stop? Hungry/need food 60 Other 46 No family support 13 8% Poor health 8 Homeless 43 Government assistance not… 9 Easy way to make money… 5 Too difficult to use City services 5 52% 40% Unemployed 39 To buy cigarettes 11 To buy alcohol/drugs 15 Unable to work 18 Need the money 72 0 20 40 60 80 Responses As much as possible Certain amount Mixture of both N = 128 N = 128, Total Responses = 404 DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 8
INTEREST IN DAY LABOR Which would you prefer: panhandling or day labor? PROGRAM 16% • Panhandling. Of the 21 respondents who would prefer panhandling, 9 cited a disability or poor health status as their primary rationale. • Day Labor. Many who would participate in the program expressed a desire to “return to work” or be “productive” (15 ). • N = 128 84% Day labor Panhandling DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 9
Have you ever been asked to stop panhandling ENFORCEMENT or to move? 19% • 104 respondents reported being censured for their behavior. • Typically, police ask respondents to move (81). • 27 respondents were discouraged by “store owners,” “building managers,” or “people who work there.” • Security (15), other panhandlers (4), and Homeless Outreach (3) were common responses 81% as well. • N = 128 Yes No DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 10
Will you be required to give/share any of the ORGANIZED PANHANDLING funds you earn panhandling with someone else? • Only 25 respondents reported that they are 20% coerced into sharing their funds. • Of the survey’s 22 female respondents, 7 (32%) reported that they are required to give their earnings to someone in their life. • Of the survey’s 105 male respondents, 17 (16%) reported that they are required to give their earning to someone in their life. 80% • N = 128 Yes No DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 11
In the past month, have you earned income from: INCOME & BENEFITS Employment 8 Selling One Step Away 6 • 23 (18%) of those that responded received income from TANF or Welfare, 22 (17%) from SSI or SSDI 18 government checks or benefits not specified in the survey, and 21 (16%) from family or friends. TANF or Welfare 23 • 29 (23%) respondents reported receiving income from more than one source. Any other government checks or benefits 22 • 58 (45%) respondents reported only receiving income from panhandling. Family or friends 21 • N= 128 Other 13 0 5 10 15 20 25 DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 12
Out of the following, what are the top two services you would SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS like to access in Center City? Assistance applying for benefits 13 Education (computer/literacy/GED/skills • 14 96 (77%) respondents said they would like to training) access Housing Assistance, 53 (43%) said Employment Services, and 32 (26%) said ID and ID and Birth Certificate Services 32 Birth Certificate services. • When asked to identify the social services Social Worker/Case Worker 10 agencies they use, 33% (40) of interviewees indicated that they do not use any. Counseling Services 17 • 64% (82) of survey respondents indicate that they use social services agencies. Employment Services 53 • N= 124 Housing Assistance 96 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 13
HEALTH STATUS Have you ever had a Have you ever abused Have you used any drugs or alcohol, or been mental health issue, or opiates during the past 12 been told that you do? told that you do? months? 35% 37% 48% 52% 63% 65% Yes No Yes No Yes No DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 14
DEMOGRAPHICS: RACE/ETHNICITY Opioid Use by Race/Ethnicity 80 71 70 55% 60 50 43 40 40 34% 30 20 11 8.6% 7 10 5.5% 4 3 2.3% 2 2 1.6% 1 0 0 0 African American Caucasian Hispanic/Latino Mixed/Multiple Native American Other Percentage of respondents Total Number of Respondents Total Number of Opioid Users DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 15
DEMOGRAPHICS: GENDER, AGE, & EDUCATION What is the highest grade or year of school that you completed? • Age. Nearly half of respondents (61) were 45 or older, though the most common age range College university was 30-34 (27). graduate 12% • Some high school Gender. 81% of respondents identified as male, 22% Elementary school 17% as female, and 2% as gender 10% variant/transgender. • Education. The largest group of respondents Some college or university (38%) completed High School or the equivalent. 17% (4 respondents completed a GED) High school 38% • 12% were college graduates. • 10% stopped at some point in elementary school. Never attended school 1% N = 129 DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 16
Krystle Okafor QUESTIONS? Healthy Housing & Homelessness Prevention Coordinator Krystle.Okafor@phila.gov DRAFT - DO NOT CIRCULATE 17
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