San Francisco’s Homeless Using City as an Outdoor Toilet, Mayor Asks Politely for Them to Stop

San Francisco’s Homeless Using City as an Outdoor Toilet, Mayor Asks Politely for Them to Stop July 20, 2018

San Francisco is full of excrement. No, really.   According to a new investigation, San Francisco streets are absolutely disgusting, brimming with trash, feces, and used hypodermic needles.  (Hey, Mayor London Breed, feel free to quote me on your tourism advertisements – no charge!)

The Daily News has the story:

The report centered around a 153-block survey of downtown, which, according to the report, “revealed trash on every block, 100 needles and more than 300 piles of feces along the 20-mile stretch of streets and sidewalks.”

Talk about a slice of Norman Rockwell’s America.

After the report aired, NBC caught up with newly elected San Francisco mayor, London Breed, and asked her what she plans on doing to combat this emerging public health crisis. Breed told the Peacock Network that she is working with homeless advocacy organizations that receive funding from the city to better educate the homeless to stop trashing the city.

Ha!  Yeah, that’s what the city really needs — toilet tutoring.

“I work hard to make sure your programs are funded for the purposes of trying to get these individuals help, and what I am asking you to do is work with your clients and ask them to at least have respect for the community — at least, clean up after themselves and show respect to one another and people in the neighborhood,” Breed told KNTV.

When asked by KNTV if her plan calls for stronger penalties against those who litter or defecate in public, Breed said “I didn’t express anything about a penalty.” Rather, the mayor said she has encouraged nonprofits “to talk to their clients, who, unfortunately, were mostly responsible for the conditions of our streets.”

I love how she refers to homeless people as “clients of nonprofits.”  That is so tone deaf, I’m not even sure whether to classify it as naivety or stupidity.  But don’t worry, San Franciscans.  The mayor is asking very politely for the homeless to stop defecating on the streets, so there’s that.

My favorite lines from the story, written by John Phillips: “Who has time to crack down on the louts who are littering the streets with hypodermic needles or defecating in public? Someone, somewhere might be using a plastic straw! Priorities, people!”

Hat Tip: Daily News

Image Credit: Euan on Flickr


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