The retired San Francisco couple wanted to ‘share free books’ with neighbors but were told they were in violation of city ‘encroachment’ rules
The city of San Francisco issued a letter and threatened to fine a local retired couple after they built a free library and bench for neighbors, according to a recent report.
“Remove unpermitted encroachments from public right of way,” the city demanded of San Francisco retirees Susan and Joe Meyers. Their only recourse, the couple told The Wall Street Journal, was to apply within 30 days for a $1,402 “Minor Sidewalk Encroachment Permit” to protect the library and bench they built for their neighbors.
“Many of this city’s streets are clogged with homeless tents, drug addicts and illegal vendors. City inspectors recently went after a Little Free Library,” Wall Street Journal reporter Jim Carlton wrote in summary of the incident.