LOS ANGELES : Council Moves to Ban Use of Sprinklers on Homeless

Reacting to community complaints, the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday moved to ban merchants from using sprinklers to keep homeless people from congregating on the sidewalks in front of their businesses.

The American Civil Liberties Union complained last year about the practice of dousing sidewalks to keep away the homeless--which is not uncommon along Skid Row. Business owners have said that without the practice they have no efficient way of keeping homeless people from loitering around their businesses.

In a unanimous vote, the council directed the city attorney to develop a ban on the practice, which would prevent the installation of any sprinkler “for the purpose of causing water to be thrown or sprinkled upon any sidewalk.”