Well they removed the illegal plumbing system so it is over.
And I seriously doubt that they didn’t know that they needed a permit, it was the same sort of church thinking that led them to deliberately avoid putting up a sign that the homeless would be surprised with a deluge.
I can't imagine Jesus Christ (or Mother Teresa or St. Vincent de Paul) turning the water on these guys; and I can't imagine thinking it would be a good thing if it happened to me.
It has the "feel" of treating very unfortunate men as if they were an infestation of rodents.
I tried to imagine what could be done to get these guys to the shelters. The Archdiocese could actually pay for vans to drive them down to the St. Joseph's Family Center on Guerrero, or the Hospitality House on Turk Street --- those I remember, and I know the city has more.
That would work if the men were cooperative, and willing to obey the shelter rules (no drugs, no alcohol, no weapons, no fighting.)
If they weren't cooperative -- and some might not be, some have serious mental health issues --- I don't quite know what to do.
Drenching people with water is not respectful, and also it apparently isn't even effective ---since the system has been been in operation for 2 years, and the homeless still come to sleep, pee and poop in the 4 alcove doorways. In any case, I was wrong to defend the sprinkler system. I should have realized that a once.