Could prostitution soon be legal in San Francisco?
As San Francisco prepares to block vehicle traffic from a stretch of the Mission District this month in an attempt to stifle street prostitution, the idea of creating a designated district for sex work is gaining traction among some advocates and officials.
A red-light district might not be a far-fetched concept in the Mission, where many residents say sex workers have been present for decades.
Though San Francisco has not taken any official action on a red-light zone, officials are having water barriers and other barricades installed on Capp Street in response to recent complaints about what county Supervisor Hillary Ronen called a “cruising zone,” according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The stretch of Capp between 18th and 22nd streets will be closed to vehicles except for those of residents.
Motorcycle officers will patrol the area and issue traffic citations in an effort to deter people from searching for sex workers.
