San Francisco: Rampant sex work along Shotwell Street leads to lawsuit
SAN FRANCISCO - A group of San Francisco residents has filed a lawsuit against the city to stop illegal activities in their neighborhood.
Inner Mission District residents claim conditions along Shotwell Street have worsened, with the area overrun by sex workers, public intoxication, and other unlawful behavior after dark.
While Shotwell Street appears peaceful during the day, residents say it is another story at night.
Residents have documented the activity in photos and videos depicting people they claim are sex workers and drunks along with public urination. Some have joined forces to sue the city, filing a complaint on Tuesday.
"I'm not going to get into specifics," said Ayman Farahat, one of the plaintiffs in the case. "The main point that we're claiming here is that there are laws on the books and if anybody had done what the city is doing, they would be in deep trouble."
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The lawsuit alleges that the city has unlawfully permitted prostitution and solicitation on Shotwell Street and failed to keep city streets safe.
Residents said they have complained for years with little to no response.
"It's like a dog and pony show, with the city, with the prostitution, with the Johns, with the pimps, everybody, right," said resident David Hall.
The city attorney's office released a statement that read, "Once we are served with the lawsuit, we will review the complaint and respond appropriately."
Mayor London Breed's office and Supervisor Hillary Ronen have announced a new plan to combat prostitution in the area. The plan includes installing barriers similar to those on Capp Street, setting up cameras to deter sex work, issuing letters to car owners cruising for sexual services, and boosting police enforcement, both uniformed and undercover.
However, residents are skeptical, having heard unfulfilled promises before.
"They can move about if they want to, move about in the evenings," said Hall.
The San Francisco Police Department reports 72 arrests for various offenses in the area over the past four months.
There is currently no set timeline for the installation of barriers and cameras, nor a court date for the lawsuit.