San Francisco deploys boulders to deter the homeless

The San Francisco Department of Public Works and Caltrans is putting boulders out to deal with the growing number of homeless encampments.

The city chose an area underneath the 101 overpass on Cesar Chavez known as Hairball to place the boulders.

Public Works Deputy of Operations Larry Stringer says more boulders are on the way, but no one knows if they'll do anything to stop homeless people from setting up camps:

“I think that this is just something that we’re trying, something that’s a little bit outside the box, something different. I don’t think anybody should be on the streets if we have an opportunity to place them somewhere. That would be our ultimate goal.”

Stringer says the rocks cost the city $8,700, which is about the same amount the DPW has to spend a week to clean the site.

He added that the plan is to get homeless people off the streets so they can get help and get into shelters. A previous resident of the area told NBC Bay Area news:

“Do something better than this. This isn’t helping them. This ain’t doing nothing but tearing people down.“

Stringer says if this plan works in Hairball, the DPW will probably put them in other places too.

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