PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
Overturn San Francisco's Discriminatory Sidewalk Sitting Ban
  1. Signatures
    1,139 out of 1,500
    Petitioning
    1. Clerk of the Board of Supervisors (Angela Calvillo)
  2. Created By
    Josie Raymond
    Brooklyn, NY
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

After the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 8-3 against a measure to ban sitting on city sidewalks in June 2010, Mayor Gavin Newsom took it to the ballot.

Proposition L, better known as the sit-lie ordinance, passed with 53 percent of the vote on election day 2010. It's designed to ban sitting and lying on city sidewalks between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.

Supporters, especially businesspeople in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, said it would curb loitering and aggressive panhandling. But since the police acknowledge that enforcement will be "complaint-driven," opponents are sure it will be unfairly used against homeless people. 

Ask city Supervisors to take action once again to end this discriminatory sidewalk sitting ban!

Photo credit: chelseagirl

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Overturn San Francisco's Discriminatory Sidewalk Sitting Ban

Greetings,

As you know, after the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 8-3 against a measure to ban sitting on city sidewalks in June 2010, Mayor Gavin Newsom took Proposition L, better known as the sit-lie ordinance, to the ballot.

Supporters, especially businesspeople in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, said it would curb loitering and aggressive panhandling. But since the police acknowledge that enforcement will be "complaint-driven," opponents are sure it will be unfairly used against homeless people.

Penalties for repeat offenders include 30-day jail sentences and $500 fines. Officials can go ahead and add to that jail sentence, since $500 might as well be $1,000,000 for many of the city's homeless. It makes no sense to put people in jail, costing taxpayers money, because they can't pay a fine.

Please take action once again to end this discriminatory sidewalk sitting ban.

[Your name]

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