April 26th, 2010 in SOMA
The panhandlers and addicts who flock to our city and colonize our sidewalks have become increasingly territorial and aggressive. They do not move for police because they “know their rights.” A Civil Sidewalks (aka Sit/Lie) ordinance, which has proven successful in other cities, is therefore needed in San Francisco.
[Why Sit/Lie? Click here for an OUTSTANDING explanation by the Mayor's policy advisor for public safety.]
The proposed Sit/Lie ordinance, on which the Board of Supervisors will soon be voting, is strongly supported by our police, by our Mayor, and by 71% of San Franciscans polled. (If you read the ordinance itself, you will understand why.)
But the activists who oppose the law have been staging theatrics and protests in order to mislead people into thinking that Sit/Lie would affect people like day workers waiting for a job or tourists sitting on suitcases.
As a result of these deceptions, the Board of Supervisors is not likely to pass Sit/Lie – unless the rest of us start speaking up. So please e-mail the Supervisors right away and let them know what you think:
board.of.supervisors@sfgov.org
The behavior on our sidewalks is a real problem, and the Civil Sidewalks ordinance is a reasonable way to address it. Let’s stand up and say so.
There are many informal side walk sales in San Francisco, where people sit on the sidewalk or in chairs next to their goods. Can you describe how this new ordinance would affect that kind of activity?
Thanks.
hi, Kate.
There would be no affect because those activities do not violate the spirit of the law.
Alex