Jefferson Square

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  • #600697

    graysongirl
    Participant

    Hi there. Hope you can help. I was in Jefferson Square, in my car, and a man came to my window asking for money. It caught me off guard and scared me since I was not paying attention. He approached many other people while I sat in my car. When I relayed this incident to my elderly mother, she told me he had approached her earlier in the week. I am concerned about her and others safety. I don’t want her going there until this person has been told to leave and not actively approach people in the parking lot. Any thoughts on best way to approach this issue with the businesses there? Thank you.

    #735367

    Bonnie
    Participant

    Well, I’ve had it happen other places in WS. They have not been rude so I haven’t been worried.

    #735368

    graysongirl
    Participant

    This has happened to me as well. However, the manner of which he approached me (poking his head through my window of my car) was disturbing and aggressive in my opinion. I work in the heart of downtown and am approached all the time. I’m more concerned about my mother than myself.

    #735369

    Bonnie
    Participant

    Well, if he’s being aggressive then I’d be worried about it and contact the manager of the store.

    #735370

    Jiggers
    Member

    I guess you’ve never been to downtown.The world is a very, very scary place. Don’t leave your hous and lock those doors. I’m also guessing you don’t understand how bad the economic situation is in our country either..(whisteling)

    #735371

    graysongirl
    Participant

    Doh! No, I guess that place I have been going to for the past 30 years for work was Oz and those people approaching me on daily basis were just munchkins on their way to munchkin land. I better click my heels, go back to Kansas and tell my mom to grow a set. Thanks for setting me right, Jiggers. I so appreciate it.

    #735372

    anonyme
    Participant

    Approaching cars and poking your head inside is aggressive panhandling. If I’m not mistaken, it’s illegal in Seattle. Parking lots are private property, so please alert the managemnet at Jefferson Square.

    #735373

    redblack
    Participant

    actually, the aggressive panhandling law got shot down.

    but it is intimidating, and i’d say intentionally so – unless the person is mentally handicapped and doesn’t recognize other people’s boundaries. i’d encourage anyone else approached in that manner to call the cops if they feel threatened.

    ‘fraid i don’t know who owns or manages jefferson square, though. not readily available via the google machine.

    #735374

    DBP
    Member

    Last year’s “aggressive panhandling” bill was vetoed by the Mayor, who thought it too broad and too vaguely defined. However, there was already a panhandling law on the books, dating back to the Mark Sidran era.

    SMC 12A.12.015 Pedestrian interference.

    A. [ . . . ]

     

    B. A person is guilty of pedestrian interference if, in a public place, he or she intentionally:

       1. Obstructs pedestrian or vehicular traffic; or

       2. Aggressively begs.

     

    C. Pedestrian interference is a misdemeanor.

     

    (Ord. 117104 Section 1, 1994: Ord. 116897 Section 1, 1993: Ord. 113697 Section 1, 1987.)

     

    Cases: Subsection B 1 was upheld as constitutional in a challenge based on breadth and vagueness and does not deny equal protection of the laws.

    Seattle v. Webster, 115 Wn.2d 635, 802 P.2d 1333 (1990).

    On the Web: http://tinyurl.com/make-my-day-panhandler

    graysongirl, what happened with you appears to fall under the definition of “aggressively begs.” When you approach business owners at Jefferson Square, you might want to have a printed copy of this ordinance in hand, although I suspect the property management/security company already knows all about it.

    –David

    #735375

    Klause
    Member

    Hey Jiggers! Wake-up! Quit blaming everything on the state of “The Economy”. Panhandlers have been doing this type of begging for decades, even in good economic times, this is nothing new. Just blaming poor economic times and ignoring the situation do no good. The businesses and police need to be notified.

    #735376

    kootchman
    Member

    Put on your republican face.. mean, stingy.. That not being palatable for some.. tell Safeway you will shop somewhere else if they can’t manage or the landlord can’t manage the property. Oh yea.. I can see the rapid response from SPD… someone is panhandling… right ma’am we will be out there on.. say… Thursday?

    #735377

    Jiggers
    Member

    Klause…Complaining here to us on a blog isn’t going to help. You are barking up the wrong tree Koootch.. Republican? how did you guess.lol

    #735378

    Kevin
    Participant

    A “black” guy perhaps?? That said, ONLY for the purpose of identification. There IS a black guy that sells “Real Change” newspapers at Jeff Sq who appears to be an illegitimate vendor. I asked him where his Real Change badge is (required) and he replied that he had “lost” it. Yeah – right…

    Many of the illegitimate vendors will buy OLD papers from legitimate vendors or source them out of dumpsters.

    And when YOU attempt to purchase one, they will often tell you that the paper is “their last paper” in an attempt to con you out of a dollar. REAL vendors pay .35 cents (for legitimate papers) and keep the rest.

    ONLY buy Real Change papers from a LEGITIMATE RC VENDOR. They have official RC identification.

    I have a very close friend who sells LEGITIMATE RC papers and he has told me all the scams,

    .

    #735379

    redblack
    Participant

    klause: actually, panhandling has been going on for millennia. (millenniums?)

    unfortunately, when you’re belted into a car, it’s not as easy to just walk away.

    i suppose you could roll the window up on the beggar’s head.

    but, while momentarily gratifying, a scene would probably ensue.

    #735380

    dbsea
    Member

    Who manages that lot? Safeway, property mgt? I’d call the police and make it clear he’s approaching people at their cars. I called on some jerks doing this behind the former Cal. liquor store and the police did come. I don’t trust somebody if I don’t know them and it is intimidating to have someone approach you like this. Call the police and the property mgt.

    #735381

    trueblue
    Member

    I think you should mention the issue to the manager of the store or stores you were visiting so they can be aware of it. I was at Jefferson Square yesterday and although I did not see the gentleman in question, I did see the phone number for Security posted on the second floor. That number is 206-255-7623 and you might call and let them know about the incident so they can be on the lookout for him. If they can’t help you they may be able to direct you to someone who can.

    #735382

    Jiggers
    Member

    There are panhandlers in front of QFC as I have seen management several times who had to go outside to warn them to stop hasseling their customers on several occassions on seperate days. They can’t stand on the business premesis which is a company policy that management has to enforce I assume. There’s a lady who stands on the sidewalk selling real change paper at QFC as well so it is everywhere. I’m sure Safeway has told them to stand on the sidewalk and not in front of its entrance door as I have seen them. Hey my brother can you spare me a dime? Be grateful for what you got. Begging is the last thing a person wants to do.

    #735383

    Klause
    Member

    Jiggers: Not complaining…

    RedBlack: Of course panhandling has been going on for millennia, that wasn’t my point. My point was that in present day panhandling, this method isn’t anything new. I still get the ocassional, “I ran out of gas down the street, can I borrow some gas money” and I offer to take them to the local gas station and that’s when they decline and move on….there are several techniques that I have come across with these people and each time I seem to be the spoiler for them when I actually call them on thier BS…I actually had a beggar ask me for money because he was hungry and needed to buy some food. I happened to have some hot chicken wings in a bag and gave him two of them to eat, at which point he got angry and demanded money…thought you were hungry??

    So, are all of the panhandlers really down and out? No, some just need alcohol or drug money and some are just con artist making a buck. So Jiggers would like you to believe that these poor souls really need our help and that we should stop whining about being bothered by them. Reality is that we don’t know who really needs our help and who is just trying to con us out of our hard earned money. You can decide for yourself what to do with your money…

    #735384

    Jefferson square is owned by Kimco. IF, and I mean IF, you could reach them, they are in Bellevue and would do NOTHING. I used to lease space in the office building and they were a nightmare of a landlord for a business. They serve their tenants poorly, which is why many leave (like I did 6 years ago). If you want to complain to anyone, go to the tenants (Safeway, UPS, Bartels) and ask for the manager. Just complaining to a clerk will get nothing achieved. Jefferson Square should be avoided at all costs IMHO. I feel sorry for the merchants there. The “manager” of safeway has to regularly chase away the druggies that hangout behind their store.

    #735385

    graysongirl
    Participant

    I’m appreciative of your replies and views on this subject. It sounds like really nothing can be done, we need to look out for each other, and be diligent in our safety. Kind of like a Block Watch, but in the Jefferson Square parking lot. Ha!

    #735386

    Sonoma
    Participant

    I’ve seen some unsavory sorts at Jefferson Square in the evening. Management needs to hire a security person to patrol the area, including the stairs leading to the lower level – in the long run, it’ll benefit the businesses.

    #735387

    anotherwsmom
    Participant

    After seeing this I went to the powers that be at JS. I work in the building and cross that parking lot at least once a day. There was a time when the building was poorly managed and items like this didn’t mean much. Times change, tenants change, management has changed, and safety is a high priority. I really recommend calling 911 if you see anything suspicious. Security firms are great but there is no substitute for law enforcement.

    #735388

    So if it’s not Kimco now, who is it anotherwsmon? Given how JS continues to be appear further rundown and hear about the CAM charge complaints, what are the “powers that be” going to do? My suggestion stands -avoid JS at all costs!

    #735389

    anotherwsmom
    Participant

    The day to day management has been tasked to a local real estate company. It’s been quite nice the last few months to have local people managing things. Local folks are generally a little more interested in their home. It’s also been nice to see all the new businesses moving in. I think Kimco might have taken their lumps last year when everyone moved out.

    #735390

    Ellencherry
    Participant

    I am in the process of negotiating a lease with Kimco at Jefferson Square for a new business and ran across this post while trying to find out about how JS is managed. I’m a bit alarmed. If anyone has information about how things are doing there now, I’d much appreciate it.

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