Georgetown's new parking ordinance forces nonprofit to move its mobile food pantry

GEORGETOWN, Texas - An update to city parking ordinances in Georgetown is forcing a long-standing nonprofit to hit the road.

Changes with the Helping Hands of Georgetown

The backstory:

Every Monday through Thursday afternoon, Helping Hands of Georgetown sets up in the Georgetown Public Library parking lot with a mobile food pantry.

They do not partner with the Central Texas Food Bank. They offer food and other items without asking people to ID themselves or give personal information. They say that's often a hurdle in getting people to accept help.

But come July, they'll have to move their operations out of the library lot.

Last Tuesday, the Georgetown City Council approved new parking ordinances. It included prohibiting people from distributing food or materials in publicly owned or operated parking spots unless otherwise allowed by law.

"I think these could be revisited in the future if you all have other solutions, but at this time I think these short-term measures are important, but I did want to, for the record, express I'm happy to hear your conversation," said Amanda Parr, a Georgetown council member.

Dig deeper:

Sasha Christenson, the executive director of Helping Hands of Georgetown, understands where they are coming from.

"It’s essential that we preserve the downtown area, and I think that there’s definitely a way for us to meet in the middle and the nonprofit organizations," said Christenson.

Right now, she says the nonprofit serves about 5-6,000 people a week, but only about 100 are chronically homeless.

"Not nearly enough to be this much discord between the city and the businesses and the business owners and the non-profits," said Christenson.

What's next:

So, she’s finding a Plan B. It most likely means moving to St. Paul’s United Methodist Church next month.

"We also want to make sure that we’re part of the solution," said Christenson. "We want to work together and kind of meet in the middle, and everybody kind of needs to understand that the businesses down there, the city, they’re lively throughout the year."

Christenson acknowledged that the need is growing in Georgetown and is hopeful to soon have another mobile food pantry to serve more people.

The other side:

Multiple people spoke against the ordinance at a city council meeting. 

"These are humans," said Kathy Bond, a Helping Hands of Georgetown volunteer. "They do deserve the right to eat. They do deserve the right for us to care about them. We are a wealthy enough community. One hour and fifteen minutes using the city land is not going to cause any problem for anyone here."

Statements from Georgetown

What they're saying:

The city of Georgetown sent the following statement:

"The City of Georgetown has recently implemented an ordinance aimed at managing the increasing presence of unhoused individuals in the downtown area, specifically regarding the distribution of food in public parking lots. This decision comes in response to community concerns about the impact of persons who are unhoused in public spaces, especially near Chautauqua Park and the public library.

While this ordinance restricts food distribution in public parking lots, the City of Georgetown acknowledges the importance of providing food and services to the unhoused population. Several organizations, including churches and local service providers, are better suited to offer safe, controlled environments for food distribution. These spaces allow not only for food to be provided but also for additional support services such as outreach programs, restrooms, and longer-term solutions." 

Georgetown Police Chief Cory Tchida also sent a statement:

"Our goal is to assist the unhoused population in a way that moves them toward stability, rather than simply meeting immediate needs without addressing the underlying causes of homelessness. We are committed to collaborating with groups like the Georgetown Coalition for the Unhoused and other local organizations to ensure that those in need have access to services that support their long-term well-being.

The recent ordinance is one piece of a much larger effort to address homelessness in Georgetown. We are focused on finding solutions that not only meet immediate needs but also provide pathways out of homelessness. We encourage everyone in our community to be part of the solution and to work with us to ensure that Georgetown remains a welcoming and safe place for all."

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