City of Richmond Solicitation Restrictions and Related Resource Information
In 2007, the city of Richmond City Council voted unanimously to expand the city's solicitation ordinances. A violation of either of these ordinances is a misdemeanor requiring the victim to take out a warrant against the offender. The following information summarizes the ordinances, the warrant process and human service assistance contact information for those in need followed by the complete text of the ordinances.
SUMMARY OF CITY OF RICHMOND SOLICITATION ORDINANCES
No person shall solicit, ask, or beg within 20 feet in any direction in the following public places:
- Entrance or exit of a bank (during hours of operation)
- An outdoor or sidewalk café (during hours of operation)
- ATM
- ABC/Package Store (during hours of operation)
- Food Store that sells alcohol (during hours of operation) OR after sunset or before sunrise. Sec. 66-191 (Code 2007, § ??-??)
This is a Class 4 Misdemeanor with a penalty of a maximum fine of $250.
No person shall solicit, ask, or beg in an aggressive manner in any public place. Sec. 66-177 (Code 1993, § 20-76)
This is a Class 1 Misdemeanor with a penalty of up to 12 months in jail and a maximum fine of $2500 or both.
SUMMARY OF WARRANT PROCESS
Misdemeanors require the victim to take out a warrant against the offender. This is a two-part process. (1.) The victim files a report by calling the Police non-emergency number, 646-5100. If the offender is still in the area, an officer will come to the victim, otherwise an officer will take the report by phone. Once the report is taken, a case number will be provided. (2.) The victim takes out a warrant using the case number provided by going to the Magistrate’s Office located at Police Headquarters, 200 W Grace Street (646-6689). Once the magistrate issues the warrant, and any witness subpoena forms are completed, the Police will service the warrant.
SUMMARY OF HUMAN SERVICE ASSISTANCE CONTACT INFORMATION
The agencies listed are first stops to provide assistance. They can connect individuals to employment programs, mental health and substance abuse treatment and eventually, permanent housing. An important step in seeking services and achieving financial stability is to sign up for a benefits program and get a case manager by contacting Richmond Department of Social Services at 646-7212 (8am - 5pm, Monday –Friday).
• Homeward Central Intake, Phone: 648-4177 (Call 211 after hours.)
Hours: 9am–5pm M-Th, 9am–3pm F, Fall/Winter 8am–12pm Sat
Description: Comprehensive intake and referral for shelter and related services for walk-in/scheduled clients.
• City of Richmond Second Responders, Phone: East End 646-3618, South Side 646-8184, North Side/West End 646-1940
Hours: 4pm–8am Daily
Description: After hours crisis intervention and human services for City residents including help for domestic violence and assistance with shelter for families and seniors.
• YWCA – Domestic & Sexual Violence Hotline, Phone: 643-0888
Hours: 24-hour
Description: Shelter for women and their children experiencing domestic violence. Services include counseling and hospital and court accompaniment.
• For Youth in Crisis, Phone: 329-0079
Hours: 24-hour
Description: A crisis center providing emergency assistance for homeless girls and boys age 12-17.
• 211 Virginia, United Way, Phone: Call 211 (free of charge)
Hours: 8:30 AM–midnight
Description: Health and human service assistance administered by United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg Information & Referral Ctr.
DETAIL OF CITY OF RICHMOND SOLICITATION ORDINANCES
DIVISION 2. AGGRESSIVE SOLICITATION RESTRICTIONS
Sec. 66-176. Purpose.
The purposes of the aggressive solicitation restrictions imposed under this division are to:
(1) Reduce the detrimental effect that threatening and intimidating conduct has on a safe environment in the city;
(2) Restrict certain aggressive acts of solicitors without prohibiting constitutionally protected activity; and
(3) Maintain the peace and order of the city and preserve and protect the rights of all citizens to be free of intimidation.
(Code 1993, § 20-75)
Sec. 66-177. Offense.
No person shall solicit, ask, or beg in an aggressive manner in any public place.
(Code 1993, § 20-76)
Sec. 66-178. Definitions.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this division, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Aggressive manner means intentionally or recklessly:
(1) Touching or causing physical contact with another person without that person's consent in the course of soliciting, asking, or begging;
(2) Blocking the safe or free passage of a pedestrian or vehicle by any means, including unreasonably causing a pedestrian or vehicle operator to take evasive action to avoid physical contact in the course of soliciting, asking, or begging; or
(3) Using violent, obscene, or threatening gestures or language toward a person solicited, if such conduct is intended to or is likely to cause a reasonable person to fear bodily harm to oneself, or the commission of a criminal act upon the person or upon property in the person's immediate possession or otherwise be intimidated into giving money or other thing of value or buying merchandise.
Public place means any street, sidewalk, bridge, alley, alleyway, plaza, park, public grounds, public driveway, public parking lot, public transportation facility, or inside a motor vehicle in or on any such place.
Solicit, ask or beg means using the spoken, written, or printed word or bodily gestures, signs or other means with the purpose of obtaining an immediate donation of money or other thing of value or soliciting the sale of goods or services regardless of the solicitor's purpose or intended use of the money or other thing of value.
(Code 1993, § 20-77)
Cross references: Definitions generally, § 1-2.
Sec. 66-179. Permitted conduct.
Acts authorized as an exercise of a person's constitutional right to picket, protest, or speak and acts authorized by a permit issued by the city shall not constitute unlawful activity under this division; nor does aggressive solicitation include solicitation without engaging in the acts specifically prohibited in this division.
(Code 1993, § 20-78)
Sec. 66-180. Penalty.
Any person, upon conviction of an offense charged under this division, shall be guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.
(Code 1993, § 20-79)
