San Francisco Catholic church installs watering system to drench homeless people as they sleep

theGRIO REPORT - A "no trespassing" sign hangs outside the primary church of Archdiocese of San Francisco, Saint Mary’s Cathedral... and they mean it!

TheGrio Staff

Mar 18, 2015

A “no trespassing” sign hangs outside the primary church of Archdiocese of San Francisco, Saint Mary’s Cathedral… and they mean it!

According to KCBS, people who tried to find shelter in the doorways of that building were met with a nasty surprise as “[w]ater pours from a hole in the ceiling, about 30 feet above, drenching the alcove and anyone in it.”

“The shower ran for about 75 seconds, every 30 to 60 minutes while we were there, starting before sunset, simultaneously in all four doorways. KCBS witnessed it soak homeless people, and their belongings.”

One homeless man, Robert, said that despite the water, people will continue to sleep there. “We’re going to be wet there all night, so hypothermia, cold, all that other stuff could set in. Keeping the church clean, but it could make people sick,” Robert explained.

Responding to claims that the system was “inhuman” and a waste of water in a time of drought, cathedral officials said that the system had been in place for over a year and was designed only to discourage sleeping in the doorway.

“We do the best we can, and supporting the dignity of each person,” Archdiocese spokesperson Chris Lyford said. “But there is only so much you can do.”

Listen to the full report below.