Patio Loco Hires Security for Panhandlers
By Wil Weldon

Local diners can now eat outside in peace on Franklin Street. But warm weather dining free from panhandling should not be taken for granted. Leroy Peralta owns Patio Loco beside McDonald's on West Franklin, where he recently noticed panhandlers approaching his outside customers.

“I noticed a problem with the homeless people hanging out in front of the restaurant and because of the way the patio extends to within five or six feet of the sidewalk, they have easy access to all my customers. So I started hiring off-duty police officers,” said Peralta.

Peralta, a former police officer from New Orleans, knew that simply hiring security would take care of most of the panhandling. Marci Redding and Jeannette McAllister, on vacation from Maryland, do not appreciate the idea of being approached by panhandlers while dining.

“We would go to a place where we're not being bothered. We would leave. That's taking away money from the proprietor of the restaurant. So, that's not good either,” they said.

Redding and McAllister were surprised at the number of homeless people in Chapel Hill, something largely absent from their hometown of Stevensville, Maryland.

Peralta has been confronted and assaulted several times by homeless people, including being spat at. Thanks to the security, he no longer has trouble from homeless people or panhandlers.

“ They’re no longer hanging out. You come out on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, they know the police are working. It’s not the place to hang out any more,” Peralta said.

The idea of patio dining is pleasing and something most people enjoy. But the problem of homelessness isn't going away, simply by keeping the less fortunate out of sight. The town of Chapel Hill could consider restricting panhandling to one part of Franklin Street or a variety of other measures that would take pressure off restaurant owners.

“Antonio” is one of the people who regularly sleep on Franklin Street.

“ Most of Chapel Hill is looking at every last homeless person like we dangerous and bad people. It ain't like that. If they take time to come out here and see how we is and get to know us, they'll see that most of us homeless people ain't too bad. Cause we got feelings too. Just because they got all this money, houses, cars, stuff like that, they think they’re higher than us,” he said.

Redding and McAllister say they feel guilty eating in front of a homeless person. Although they'd like to help in some way, they value their privacy during a meal.