LIVININTHELOIN

Benches at Civic Center Plaza disappeared overnight about eight years ago to keep the homeless from camping on them. Now Supervisor Sophie Maxwell says it’s time to bring them back.

The plaza plays host to thousands of tourists and visitors and dozens of events each year. It also remains a popular hangout for The City’s homeless population and drug users, said San Francisco Police Capt. Gary Jimenez, head of the Tenderloin Station.

Now, years after a serious city and police crackdown on criminal activity near City Hall, Maxwell said it’s time to give visitors and government employees a place to rest and admire the architecture.

“The plaza is a beautiful place, [where] people could sit and think and look at the beauty around them,” Maxwell said. “There’s a concern about homelessness, but if you put the rest of us in this position because of the homeless, that’s not a good way to run a city.”…[SF Examiner]

If you look closely at the ground around UN Plaza, you will see “H” shapes. A sad reminder that there use to be benches there too. Supervisor Maxwell’s sentiments ring true for UN Plaza as well — an example of The City reacting, vs. resolving a problem. — livinintheloin

081104 [Urging the Recreation and Park Department to re-install park benches in Civic Center Plaza] Supervisor Maxwell

Resolution urging the prioritization of resources to re-install park benches in Civic Center Plaza.

ADOPTED, 8/12/08