[letter] Dpt of Public Works' requirements for compliance.

Below the cut is the full text of the letter the Department of Public Works sent to Occupy SF today, in response to the health inspection yesterday. The camp has been scrambling to comply all day; if they do not comply "in a few hours" (as of this morning), they will be raided with the intent to destroy the camp tonight.

Some of these demands, like clean bathrooms, are reasonable and already in force. Other demands, like no pets, would require evicting at least 20 people. Where do they go on half a day's notice? If they want to stay, do they abandon their pets or turn them over to a shelter? No-kill shelters in SF are rare and overbooked.

The demand for no mattresses or furniture is a sticky one, and seems very broad. Campers are sleeping on cement -- they aren't allowed to sleep on the grass. Now they're not allowed any padding. The city-ordered raids have consistently been a tactical move to deprive campers and OSF organizers of sleep, using the exact same methods that interrogators use to wear down a POW, wielding lack of sleep and high stress conditions to make the prisoner give in to demands.

[Read more: the notice of compliance demands]




OccupySF Liaison Committee:



Today, as discussed, DPW crews had to intervene at the OccupySF encampments to attempt to enforce the guidelines and health and safety expectations, and to bring the camps into compliance. As of this afternoon, the grassy area along The Embarcadero has been cleared and city crews are planning to begin restoring the grass and irrigation as soon as possible. At Market Street, staff observed that most of the tents were taken down, but we encountered resistance when working to remove the remaining large structures on Market near Main. Protesters were not cooperating with DPW staff, locking arms and blocking crews from access to the encampment.



I urge you to please bring your encampments into compliance by following the guidelines. All structures on Market must come down. There still remains several structures with tarps and ropes at Justin Herman Plaza (JHP). No tents can be on the brick area in the plaza at the JHP encampment area. The Health Department continues to observe issues including inadequate hand washing stations, unsanitary and nonfunctional portable toilets, animals in the encampment at JHP, and the presence of human waste and vomit in the plaza area.



Immediately with no further notice, the encampment must be in complete compliance with ALL city requests:



1. Market Street should be clear of all tents and structures.

2. All ropes and cables must be taken down from trees and poles.

3. Occupancy and spacing continues to be an issue. All tents on the plaza must meet the agreed upon standards for spacing: four feet of clearance from each entrance, and at least two feet between tents.

4. The grassy area at The Embarcadero must remain clear of tents.

5. Major walkways within the encampment should be unobstructed and accessible at all times.

6. No mattresses or furniture on the plaza.

7. No animals and pets allowed in the encampment area.

8. The portable toilets must be clean, functional and open for use.



The encampments at the plaza and along Market Street are still not in compliance with the identified health and safety expectations and with City’s codes. I encourage you to bring the encampments into compliance immediately. Absolutely no tents will be tolerated on market Street and reseeding of grass will commence soon.



Mohammed Nuru

Interim Director, Department of Public Works