PREMBROKE PINES, Fla. – A federal judge recently ruled against a suit that the Homeless Voice brought against the City of Pembroke Pines, fighting the ordinances local leaders passed where they prohibit street hawkers from bothering motorists in the city's busiest intersections.
However, the publications founder, Sean Cononie, has found a new way to get the organization donations.
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Every day Cononie put about 80 residents from his homeless shelter in Hollywood on the streets to collect donations and spread the word about homeless issues. Now, in those places where his people can no longer directly ask for money, they'll be holding signs asking people to text their donations to his organization.
"I think some people may even want to give a little bit more because they know there's an accounting procedure," Cononie said. "Sometimes people don't give money to street vendors because they don't know that all of the money is going there."
Pembroke Pines Mayor Frank Ortis worries this new technique could be just as dangerous to drivers who could get distracted by the message to text.
Ever since Ortis' city won the federal lawsuit, Cononie parks one of his people right outside City Hall every day.
Ortis said that's fine, but he wants to keep them out of his intersections for safety's sake.
"Why don't they just blitz on the social media network and tell people to donate? Why do they have to have them on the street?" asked Ortis. "Do it that way and hopefully people will donate out of the goodness of their heart, and you don't have anyone on the street."
Cononie plans to have 16 people carrying the signs beginning Saturday.