24-hour restroom requested

With safety and sanitation in mind, the Greater Chico Homeless Task Force has recommended the city fund installation of a permanent 24-hour restroom this year.

According to a memo sent to the City Council and City Manager Mark Orme last week, the toilet (a stainless steel Portland Loo design or equivalent) is a necessity, particularly for the more than 1,000 homeless people in Chico.

Last year, the city held a 24-hour restroom trial at City Plaza. After about 80 days, it resulted in less outdoor urination and defecation, but extensive costs arose from vandalism and maintenance demands.

“They’re a needed and necessary element,” Councilman Randall Stone, chairman of the task force, told the CN&R.