Last week we reported on homelessness in Fresno , and how Mayor Lee Brand hopes his new initiative finds common ground between advocates and organizations. At the same time, a group of neighbors in northwest Fresno released a video urging people not to give out money to people on the street. They say that not everyone with signs are homeless, and giving out money hurts more than helps them. Since releasing the video, the group has received support from city officials, but pushback from homeless advocates. In one parking lot of northwest Fresno, dealing the homeless people is a daily occurrence for Long Xiong. He’s a security guard at the intersection of West Shaw Avenue and North Valentine Avenue. He patrols the parking lot in front of the Broadway Faire movie theater. In the year that he’s watched this particular area, he says that there seems to be less homeless people around. “I mean, they don’t do anything bad, but a lot of people don’t like them around,” says Xiong. When a client
https://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/kvpr/files/styles/big_story/public/201807/Jakobs-Shaw-Ave.jpg