Fort Worth is shifting to a more targeted, data-driven approach to panhandling after a new informal report to the city council identified persistent trouble spots and recommended changes to enforcement and outreach.
The report says panhandling levels have remained steady citywide, but certain corridors continue to draw chronic complaints tied to roadway safety, aggressive behavior and gaps in service access. City officials say the findings will guide how police and outreach teams focus their efforts moving forward.
Officers report a wide range of behavior from passive sign-holding near shopping centers to more antagonistic solicitation around busy intersections and highway exits. The report also notes that panhandling involves both people experiencing homelessness and those who use high-traffic corners to generate income.
That distinction isn't obvious to residents, said Tarrant County Hands of Hope director John Ramsey.
"A good number of those panhandling are not by HUD's definition homeless, and some intersections bring in up to a hundred dollars an hour," he said.
Police emphasize that the city's new approach does not criminalize panhandling itself.
"Panhandling within itself is not illegal," Deputy Chief Monica Martin said. "What we look at is unsafe behavior — stepping into traffic, escalating when someone says no, or creating a safety concern."
Since January, the department's HOPE Team has issued 16 citations for aggressive solicitation and made arrests tied to outstanding warrants or interference with officers. The team also offers connections to shelters, detox programs and housing partners, though outreach workers say willingness to accept help varies. Some decline services due to trauma, addiction or personal choice.
Ramsey said donations from drivers can sometimes disrupt those efforts, recalling a man who walked away from a potential detox intake when someone handed him $20.
At Presbyterian Night Shelter, CEO Toby Owen says the shelter is more than happy to bring people into their care, but says that is only part of the solution.
"All the efforts that we do across our organization is to help people leave the shelter and to move out and become self-sufficient," Owen said. "Because emergency shelter is exactly that, it is an emergency shelter. It's not meant for long term housing, and so we want to push and to encourage people to move out on their own."
The Presbyterian Night Shelter, which has 757 beds, works directly with the city to prioritize housing and employment over long-term stays.
The city's updated strategy calls for more focused enforcement in high-risk areas, environmental fixes such as better lighting or landscaping, closer coordination with service providers and stronger tracking of repeat offenders. Police say residents frequently ask how to "give responsibly," prompting city leaders to promote donation options through vetted shelters and outreach groups.
"We want people to help," Martin said. "We just want them to do so safely and where it has real impact."
Officials expect panhandling to rise during the holidays and into early 2026.
Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela is KERA's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Emmanuel at erivas@kera.org.
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