4/11/2006 HOUSTON -- A Washington-based nonprofit
homeless advocacy group has named Houston the seventh meanest city
in the nation. Dallas was given the dubious distinction of the
"meanest" city in Texas -- and the sixth meanest in the nation.
The National Coalition for the Homeless cited Houston city
officials' for what's called a "civility ordinance" to bar persons
from sitting or lying on downtown sidewalks between seven am and
eleven pm.
Dallas on the other hand was cited for the removal of a shopping
cart from store property and sweeps to disperse homeless camps. It
also cited proposals to ticket donors to panhandlers after a ban on
panhandling proved to be ineffective.
San Antonio comes in at 11th for new ordinances that target
aggressive panhandling, sleeping in public, urinating in public and
camping or sleeping in vehicles without licenses.
Austin weighs in at 15th for proposed bans on public sleeping,
panhandling and loitering.
(Associated Press)
