San Francisco removes boulders from sidewalks placed by residents to deter homeless

Boulders placed on San Francisco’s sidewalks by residents to deter homeless people from camping out were removed by the city this week.

The Associated Press reports a group of neighbors who were fed up with the city’s homelessness and drug issues coordinated an effort to place boulders along the sidewalks.

{mosads}The boulders were then pushed off the sidewalks and into the streets by homeless advocates, the AP reported. The city then put the rocks back on the sidewalk because of safety concerns, but then advocates again pushed them into the street, prompting the city to remove the boulders altogether.

CNN reports San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru said Monday that his department decided to completely remove the boulders after repeatedly placing them back on the sidewalk, calling it a waste of the city’s time.

“We’re at the drawing board now. We’re definitely going to look at some of the things we have learned,” Nuru said. “It could be bigger boulders, it could be some kind of landscaping, it could be something different, but we’re going to work with the neighbors on something they want.”

Nuru added that neighbors were receiving calls from homeless advocates and hate mail.

Greg Aherne, one of the residents of the area, told CNN he thought the use of boulders to deter the homeless went too far.

“I believe there is a better answer than blocking that sidewalk. I don’t like drug use and I don’t like homelessness, but forcing these cats into the street is not the answer,” he said. “That’s not the way we do it in San Francisco. We’ve got to find a better answer.”