Bobby and Amanda Herring spent more than a year providing food to homeless people in downtown Houston every day. They fed them, left behind no trash and doled out warm meals peacefully without a single crime being committed, Bobby Herring said.
That ended two weeks ago when the city shut down their "Feed a Friend" effort for lack of a permit. And city officials say the couple most likely will not be able to obtain one.
"We don't really know what they want, we just think that they don't want us down there feeding people," said Bobby Herring, a Christian rapper who goes by the stage name Tre9.
Anyone serving food for public consumption, whether for the homeless or for sale, must have a permit, said Kathy Barton, a spokeswoman for the Health and Human Services Department. To get that permit, the food must be prepared in a certified kitchen with a certified food manager.
This leads me to believe there are no hot dog wagons, or pretzel carts, or ice cream stands anywhere in Houston. It having been 8 or more years since my last visit there, I just can't recall if this is true, but even if it is, feeding the homeless should be permitted without anywhere near this red tape.
1 comment:
another crazy texas rule. can the couple go through a church???
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