Yakima is Generous Town to a Fault

Yakima police are finding a lot of homeless people and those who ask for money on city street corners in Yakima are actually from other areas.

Chief Dominic Rizzi says officers have found that people are coming to Yakima because they get what they want for free. The Chief says “Yakima is a very generous town.” Rizzi says despite the fact that police urge people not to give to those on the street corner the problem continues everyday. And he says when people give money it encourages the problem to grow.

Rizzi says he is working closely with the city legal department on forming a policy to deal with street corner panhandlers. The city is holding a hearing on the issue June 18 at Yakima City Hall. The Chief says the homeless and panhandlers in Yakima need real change...not spare change.