Luxury auction house under fire after sprinkler system douses homeless

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Luxury auction house under fire after sprinkler system douses homeless

Homeless people in San Francisco say the sprinklers at Bonhams are
turned on at night to soak their belongings and discourage them from
staying on the sidewalk

Julia Carrie Wong in San Francisco
Friday 10 June 2016 12.00 BST

A luxury fine arts and antiques auction house in San Francisco is facing criticism for its use of an external sprinkler system, which homeless residents say has been intermittently turned on to douse their belongings and to discourage them from camping on the sidewalk.

The sidewalk outside the San Francisco salesroom of Bonhams, one of the world’s largest and oldest auctioneers, is exactly the kind of wide, windowless expanse that attracts members of the city’s large homeless population, many of whom live in tents around the neighborhood.

But on Thursday morning, the cluster of tents on Utah Street had moved down the block, away from the building where, starting next week, customers will have the opportunity to bid on items such as a pair of 17th century German pistols, valued at $50,000-$70,000.

“They treat us like we’re not even human,” said Angelique, who lives in a tent on Utah Street and asked not to be identified by her last name. “It’s already too much, but to be wet too – that’s crazy.”

Angelique provided the Guardian with video she took earlier this week of a sprinkler system at Bonhams pouring water onto the sidewalk in the middle of the night. She said the unexpected shower destroyed much of her food and belongings.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/10/san-francisco-homeless-sprinklers-bonhams-auction-house

[maxsolomon]

1. the mcdonald's in downtown seattle used to play opera

to discourage loitering (aka drug dealing). I thought that was hilarious.

question: does Bonhams own the building? if not, the landlord is making this decision.