Brandon De Hoyos, News 92 FM
Scouring for his next meal in a dumpster downtown, a homeless man is ticketed by Houston Police. Now, opponents point to the citation as validation of arguments against the city’s homeless feeding ordinance.
Cited for “disturbing the contents of a garbage can in downtown central business district,” the 44-year-old Caucasian man is known only as K.J., in a redacted ticket issued by police the morning of March 7.
But now, he is quickly becoming a symbol of how the city’s 2012 feeding ordinance victimizes the poor, says Joe Ablaza, an opponent of the policy.
K.J. is a homeless veteran forced to dumpster dive for food where he once relied on the kindness of strangers. And now, ever that source of food is in jeopardy, he says.
“What little dignity this man has continues to be assaulted by the uncompassionate leadership of this city,” Ablaza writes, in a Facebook post since shared over 400 times since Sunday afternoon.
The voluntary homeless feeding ordinance was passed last April in a 11-6 vote by Houston City Council. The program moves for registration of formal and informal food service organizations, free food handling training by the city’s Department of Health and Human Services, and coordination of locations and times of feeding.
Registrants are also required to obtain the consent of public or private property owners before distributing food.
(Get more of this story on News 92 FM)
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