S.F. Mayor Says Quality-Of-Life Citations Can Help Identify Those In Need Of Mental Health Help
Mayor Ed Lee said that he is working to expand the number of beds for the mentally ill at San Francisco General Hospital and that people who pile up stacks of quality-of-life citations, which can be issued for for offenses ranging from sitting on public sidewalks to urinating in public to building illegal encampments, may be good candidates for those beds.
San Francisco Chronicle:
SF Mayor, Judges At Odds Over Quality-Of-Life Punishment
The leaders of two of the most powerful governmental institutions in San Francisco are at odds over how to deal with one of the city’s most enduring problems, demonstrating how little agreement there is when it comes to tackling homelessness. Mayor Ed Lee has condemned San Francisco Superior Court’s recall of 64,713 outstanding arrest warrants for quality-of-life offenses dating back more than five years. ... Presiding Judge John Stewart says it is a waste of resources to keep track of warrants that are rarely enforced and fines that are almost never paid. ... The disagreement ... demonstrates the lack of coordination among city officials, the courts and law enforcement, each of which plays a critical role in dealing with the homelessness crisis. (Green, 12/15)