STUDIO CITY : Group Moves to Deal With Panhandlers

A plan to rid its streets of panhandlers and educate residents on how best to help people in need has taken hold in Studio City, the program’s director said.

Under the Studio City Cares program launched in February, posters and brochures listing the do’s and don’ts of dealing with panhandlers are being displayed in about half the businesses in Studio City, Ken Bernstein said.

While the program discourages residents from giving cash to panhandlers, it encourages them to distribute the brochures that direct people toward food, shelter and mental health facilities. Bernstein said that although he has no hard data showing how the program has affected the homeless population in Studio City, he is encouraged by the fact that he has already run out of the first batch of several hundred posters and brochures.

The do’s, according to the poster, which portrays a homeless man pushing a shopping cart, are to treat the person with respect, give out a “Studio City Cares” brochure directing them to the assistance they need, give money or time to organizations assisting the homeless and--if the person becomes violent or abusive--call police.

The poster advises against giving money, ignoring the problems of the homeless or responding with anger or abuse.