United Homeless Organization Permanently Shut Down

Those "give a penny to help the homeless" sidewalk tables that everybody suspected were just a scam are in fact a scam, a judge recently ruled. After granting a preliminary injunction against the United Homeless Organization last December, Supreme Court Justice Barbara Kapnick has shut it down forever [pdf].

An investigation by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (and our main man Arnold "SHAME!" Diaz) found that the tables were manned by individuals (many of them homeless or on the margins) who paid a flat-rate $15 to $25 to rent the table and empty water jug for a four-hour shift. Donations were supposed to go to homeless charities and soup kitchens, but instead went into the table workers' pockets, and up to the UHO founders, who personally pocketed up to $100,000 a year.

But now another group is quickly filling the void. Crews led by a UHO alumn have been collecting money for the for-profit Street Talk News. According to the Post, they wear "official-looking aprons and solicit spare change in plastic containers." Fire up the Shame Mobile, Diaz!

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on June 25, 2010 1:40 PM

Comments [rss]

pissflaps

they prolly spend the money on crack

inoyourider

About fuckin' time.

Gotham Extremist

"Just one penny! Just one penny can make a difference!"

Billiamsburg

This is why i will never give a dime to the homeless. Good for nothing criminals. cant we relocate them all to live on some trash barge out at sea?

brooklynmouthoff

Bye Losers.

Gothampc

Have they always been a scam? I remember some guy named "Charles" who used to get on the subway and pass out sandwiches and drinks. Wasn't he part of UHO?

AYCE

I see a guy practically every day on the 4/5 on my ride home, claiming he has sandwiches/food for anyone homeless or hungry and if people can donate money. I never see anyone take a sammich, and I get the feeling that he waves the same piece of bread and bag of chips each time...

Clarice City

Good. Now let's eliminate the Scientologists handing out those effing "Read Dianetics" postcards. Times Square is totally littereed with them everyday. How much does it cost the city each year to clean that shit up?

And, how much do I want to puch those people in the face when they administer "stress tests" in the train stations and clog foot traffic?

1stephanie

There's just more room on the sidewalks now for the jackasses with 3-ring binders jumping in people's paths and asking for money for the children/environment/animals, etc. When they stand in front of me and wave to get my attention, I want to punch them so hard.