Stop San Francisco's Sit-Lie Ordinance

San Francisco - arguably the most progressive city in the country - is possibly poised to follow its vote to ban same-sex marriage with another vote for more discrimination. This time the target is the homeless.

On November 2nd, residents of San Francisco will go to the polls to vote on the Sit-Lie Ordinance (Proposition L). If passed, it will be illegal to sit or lie on a city sidewalk between the hours of 7am and 11pm. (It should be noted that there is also Proposition M on the same ballot, a "poison pill" that deals with an unrelated issue, but would negate Proposition L if M is approved).

The law is proposed by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who has shown little sympathy for homeless individuals. This is not his first ordinance that unfairly targets those living on the streets. He has passed legislation barring aggressive panhandling and developed the controversial program Care Not Cash that encourages handing out service information to the homeless, not cash. He has already felt resistance to his newly proposed ordinance, stating: "I don't think there's anyone with more scars from these types of battles than me. At what point is there accountability for the words? If you consistently show up and say 'the sky is going to fall in' every time there is a new initiative, at what point do people stop listening?"

This is incredibly offensive and insensitive to all homeless individuals. Supporters of Prop L insist it's not about homelessness, but about opening up the streets to families and passersby. Yet the language and enforcement of such policies is clearly targeted at criminalizing the homeless.

The fact is people do not want to see or be around homeless individuals, even in a seemingly progressive city like San Francisco. This is yet one more case of NIMBYism. The real question is why are there thousands of street homeless people in one of the wealthiest and most progressive cities in the world? Tell Mayor Gavin Newsom to stop the Sit-Lie Ordinance!

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