As spring warmth envelops Baltimore, an age-old issue has resurfaced – the presence of “squeegee kids” on city streets. These young windshield washers, who approach vehicles at intersections offering to clean windshields for cash, have long been a contentious topic.

Recent footage from FOX45 cameras captured squeegee kids operating at the intersection of President and Pratt Streets, one of the locations designated as off-limits by the mayor’s Squeegee Collaborative initiative. On Wednesday, cameras recorded a squeegee kid approaching cars near the same crossroads, undeterred by the presence of a marked Baltimore Police vehicle.

When approached for comment, the mayor’s office stated that “Outreach staff assigned to that area engaged with two squeegee workers shortly after 5:15 p.m.” However, according to the latest Squeegee Collaborative report, the Baltimore Police Department has yet to issue any citations for squeegee violations, issuing only 61 warnings thus far.

Gia Blattermann, owner of a restaurant in Little Italy, expressed concern over the persisting issue. “We’re not really into the prime season yet, it’s a little chilly. You need to nip it in the bud,” Blattermann stated, initially hopeful that the collaborative would bring positive change. “They were politely exited out of the street corners,” she added.

However, with squeegee kids now operating just blocks away from her establishment, Blattermann’s optimism has waned. “It does hurt the image of Baltimore first and then secondly, everything is like dominos after that. Then it hurts the businesses that are in Baltimore, because people don’t want to come to Baltimore because of this,” she lamented.

As the city grapples with finding a sustainable solution, the squeegee kid phenomenon continues to spark debates over public safety, economic impacts, and the welfare of the youth involved.