San Francisco’s public restroom scandal, which cost $1.7 million, ended in celebration after the new restroom opened Monday at the heavily discounted price of $200,000.
That’s according to the New York Times, CBS News and the San Francisco Chronicle, which sent reporters to the toilet launch at Noe Valley Town Square.
Residents organized a small festival next to the public potty, filled with a live band, toilet-themed carnival games, lemonade and chocolate cupcakes decorated like poop. Three local politicians were present.
People took turns trying out the new stainless steel toilet, and the New York Times interviewed a man dressed like a human-sized roll of toilet paper. CBS captured footage of a performer dressed as “Super Mario” character Luigi dancing with a piston.
“This has all become so ridiculous, so why not be?” Leslie Crawford, who organized the event, told the SF Chronicle.
The over-the-top celebration reflects the years-long controversy that erupted when people discovered in October 2022 that San Francisco planned to build the toilet over two years for $1.7 million — even after the plumbing had already been laid.
In fact, people wanted toilets in the square; an assembly member intended to celebrate the launch of the restroom plans that month, but canceled after the cost was revealed, according to The SF Chronicle.
The expensive toilets quickly made national headlines and became a lightning rod for concerns about waste in U.S. government projects and rising public works construction costs.
City officials said they were burdened by high construction costs in San Francisco, as well as the need for environmental reviews and oversight by multiple commissions.
After careful consideration, the restroom plans began to unravel. California Gov. Gavin Newsom withdrew the $1.7 million from the city, requiring officials to find a way to reduce the cost of the toilets before they could touch the funds again.
Then Chad Kaufman, owner of the Nevada-based Public Restroom Company, offered to donate modular toilets to the city, saying he would help fund the engineering and architectural work needed to install the toilets . According to the New York Times, his friend Vaughn Buckley, CEO of Volumetric Building Companies, based in Pennsylvania, intervened.
With the help of Kaufman and Buckley, the city only had to pay $200,000 to install the public square toilets.
As the toilet controversy draws to a close, San Francisco Mayor London Breed is seeking to prevent a repeat by announcing new legislation this month allowing city officials to pool toilet budgets. small projects to receive group discounts on construction and equipment.
In recent years, San Francisco has drawn attention to the rapidly rising cost of living, with a modern wealth survey indicating in 2022 that the average resident needs a net worth of $1.7 million to live comfortably in the city.
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