Overturn San Francisco's Discriminatory Sidewalk Sitting Ban
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
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.