He made more money panhandling, but is now being paid to pick up trash

Ten people who were homeless and panhandling in Indianapolis are getting a new chance at a steady paycheck by keeping the city clean.

INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - Ronald Hutcherson hummed as he walked along East 34th Street bagging trash - everything from cans and fast food containers to tires and mattresses.

"It's yucky...but hey, it's work," the 52-year-old Indianapolis man said.

Hutcherson is one of ten people hired to pick up trash across the city this summer. He makes $10 an hour, five days a week. Like most of his new co-workers, he's struggled with homelessness.

"Now I'm working honestly, paying taxes and hopefully soon paying rent again," he said.

Hutcherson said he worked as a forklift operator at a west side plant until his car broke down. He couldn't afford to fix it and then couldn't afford to pay rent.

He said for the past six months, he's been sleeping outside where he could and panhandling on a busy downtown corner adjacent to St. Elmo Steakhouse and Harry & Izzy's.

"I panhandled every day and every night, making anywhere from $50-$150 a day, just begging or asking for money," he said.

He's now making $80 a day (before taxes) along with a bagged lunch. Why take a pay cut?

"It's giving me the opportunity to get off the corner," he said. "I'm tired of being outside, shaking a cup all day. I wanted something different, I wanted to better myself...I'm going to be accountable again."

The program is in response to a growing number of complaints last fall about aggressive panhandling downtown. City-County Council Minority Leader Michael McQuillen proposed a "No Sit No Lie" ordinance. While many agreed something needed to be done to address the problem, McQuillen's ordinance met stiff opposition.

Mayor Joe Hogsett followed with a plan that included hiring panhandlers to beautify the city, a program used in cities like Lexington, Kentucky, Dallas, Texas and San Jose, California. It called for funding the program (estimated to cost about $150,000) with an increase in parking meter revenue, which needed and gained City County Council approval.

Paul Babcock, director of the city's Department of Public Health and Safety said, "the hope and expectation is that individuals who participate will get access to income and move forward with better jobs, stable employment, housing and all those things we want to to provide our must vulnerable residents."

Mike, another new hire, said, "I think it's a great idea for people who are homeless and panhandlers."

But Mike, who is still living on the streets, also said, "It's going to take more than this job to get where I got to get, but this is a start. I'm just going to think positive and hope for the best."

Keys to Work has a contract with the city to administer the program, which will run through the end of summer. Babcock said the goal is to hire more people. He said referrals have come from IMPD's homeless outreach program and social agencies who work with people who are homeless. He said all applicants are subject to background checks.

Hutcherson, who had filled multiple garbage bags before his lunch break, said it was hard work but worth it.

"When nobody gave me a second chance, the mayor and this new program gave us guys (and the women hired) a chance prove ourselves and better ourselves," he said.