San Francisco's recently passed and controversial sit/lie laws that prohibit sitting on sidewalks were based on a similar rule passed in Seattle in 1993. Though that rule has been on the books for years, its controversy remains.
"When residents and merchants of San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood complained of being harassed by nasty thugs with pit bulls, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom proposed a sit/lie ban based on Seattle's law, largely because it withstood a federal court challenge.
But 17 years after Seattle became the first city in the country to pass such a ban, its impact remains as gray and cloudy as the city in which the law was born."
The law is aimed at the homeless, but locals in Seattle argue the rules do little to solve the problem of homelessness. Rather, they simply move homeless around.
FULL STORY: Seattle has lessons for S.F. on street safety
San Francisco Mayor Backtracks on Homelessness Goal
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Seattle Safe Parking Site to Close, Relocate
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
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Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
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Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
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MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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