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San Francisco Portable Toilets

An attendant exits a “Pit Stop” public toilet on Sixth Street, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019, in San Francisco. Coming up on its 10th year, the portable toilet program in San Francisco provides residents, visitors, and people experiencing homelessness with a private place to go has expanded to over 25 locations in the city. Chicago is implementing a similar program this year.

Eric Risberg/AP

San Francisco Portable Toilets

An attendant exits a “Pit Stop” public toilet on Sixth Street, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019, in San Francisco. Coming up on its 10th year, the portable toilet program in San Francisco provides residents, visitors, and people experiencing homelessness with a private place to go has expanded to over 25 locations in the city. Chicago is implementing a similar program this year.

Eric Risberg/AP

Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons

Chicago strikes a deal for more public restrooms

The city’s public bathroom pilot program has been years in the making.

An attendant exits a “Pit Stop” public toilet on Sixth Street, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019, in San Francisco. Coming up on its 10th year, the portable toilet program in San Francisco provides residents, visitors, and people experiencing homelessness with a private place to go has expanded to over 25 locations in the city. Chicago is implementing a similar program this year.

Eric Risberg/AP
By Brenda Ruiz
   

Alds. Daniel La Spata, 1st Ward, and Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez, 33rd Ward, have been advocating for the pilot program since 2021. They say it would help everyone from Chicagoans to transit workers to tourists to people experiencing homelessness.

Reset learns more about Chicago’s program and how things work in San Francisco.

GUESTS: Ariel Parrella-Aureli, reporter, Block Club Chicago

Rachel Gordon, director of policy and communications, San Francisco Public Works

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