It has been a year after the prohibition against sitting or lying on San Francisco sidewalks and police officers have begun enforcing the law known as Sit/Lie.  Being that the Board of Supervisors mission is to “respond to the needs of the people of the City and County of San Francisco...”  it is very contradicting that this law is even in place. 

It is extremely important to emphasize on the real needs of many of the residents in San Francisco.  This law is targeting the innocent act of sitting or lying and it happens that the population that is being targeted is primarily homeless individuals.  Many of the individuals whom are homeless are recent immigrants, seniors, mentally ill, addictively ill, veterans, and working poor.  Many of them are poor and homeless who are trying to adapt to a new language and environment, live off the little income they receive, lack the appropriate health care services, and/or barely make it through with their wages.  Taking that into consideration it is very conflicting and irrational that fining $50 to $500 and possibly even jail time is going to address the needs of the community. 

Having police officers give out warnings and citations is not helping address the real problem.  Please consider an attempt to end the discriminatory sidewalk sit-lie ordinance and focus on the outreach and provide services for those who chronically sit or lie on public sidewalks.