A man holds a sign asking for donations while sitting on a public bench on Santa Monica Boulevard at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. The city has voted to prohibit panhandling from public seats and benches along the promenade and in the transit mall area, which runs along Broadway and Santa Monica boulevards. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
A man holds a sign asking for donations while sitting on a public bench at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. The city already prohibits the promenades street performers from sitting on public chairs or benches. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
A woman asks for donations near the intersection of Broadway and Third Street in Santa Monica. A City Council panhandling ordinance that is awaiting approval does not seek to ban solicitation outright but rather to free up limited public seating. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
A panhandler works the crosswalk at Third Street and Santa Monica Boulevard in Santa Monica. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)