Petrelis Files

Homeless Man Drinks His Piss on Market Street

Over a month ago, the Mayor's homeless czar Bevan Dufty said he would respond to my request for his view on opening some of the San Francisco Fire Department's forty-plus facilities with taxpayer-funded toilets. I am campaigning for that department and the Department of Public Health to begin a public debate about opening SFFD facilities during restricted times for the homeless for peeing and pooping.

Unfortunately, I didn't hear from Dufty but on March 12 at the fire commission, I used public comment time to advocate for this proposal with SFFD Chief Joanne Hayes-White, as both a public safety and public health measure.

Today, I was at the health commission's meeting and during public comment pushed DPH Chief Barbara Garcia to nudge the SFFD to open their toilets for the stated reasons.

About half an hour after leaving that meeting, I saw a strung-out homeless dude in the middle of Market Street's vehicular traffic at the Valencia Street intersection, pissing and drinking his urine. This was a clear reminder of the need for more public toilets and mental health services for folks living on the streets.

Here's the video of what I saw on Market Street today: