Get these pieces of garbage off the street.
I was riding in to downtown on MAX earlier this week on my way to work in the morning. Four "street kids" got on MAX and started being loud and crowing about how they think it's funny how people give them money for "food" because they really go and use it on drugs. They were disgustingly open about how they couldn't wait for their next fix.
Pieces of garbage.
I'm sure there are legitimately disadvantaged individuals who cannot work for various reasons, but those people usually seek help so they can live respectably. The idiots who camp out on the street and panhandle are nothing but addicts who have no desire to clean up or contribute to society whatsoever. All they do is intimidate citizens and detract from what should be a good environment for business in a central city.
The city needs to take the most aggressive possible stance against these individuals and start showing that they believe in catering to businesses and those who contribute to the economy and to society and not spend time and resources on these lost causes who detract from the overall health of a city.