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Council debates, but does not pursue, signage discouraging giving to panhandlers
Summary
Federal Way councilmembers discussed a proposal to place signs encouraging donations to charities instead of giving to panhandlers. Members raised First Amendment, legal and effectiveness concerns and the mayor opposed proceeding; the item did not advance.
The Land Use & Transportation Committee debated a proposal on June 1 to place signage discouraging direct donations to panhandlers and instead directing the public to local charities via suggested messages or QR codes.
Some councilmembers supported the idea as a way to channel charitable giving to service providers; others raised immediate legal questions about restricting or discouraging speech in public spaces. Council Member Melissa Hamilton cited First Amendment precedents and federal court rulings protecting sign‑holding and said signs designed to discourage panhandling risk running into constitutional limits. Council Member Lydia Sepha Dawson and others questioned whether the signage would solve the underlying problems (capacity of nonprofits, whether panhandlers already use services, and whether donors would use QR codes) and noted maintenance costs and prior experiences in other cities where signs were defaced.
The mayor told staff he does not support pursuing panhandling signage, and several councilmembers said they did not see four votes to move the proposal. Staff recalled prior reviews in 2016–2020 that found limited effectiveness and recommended not pursuing the program. No motion to adopt the signage proposal was taken at the June 1 meeting.
