Following a class-action lawsuit last month over alleged illegal strip searches of women at SF County Jail No. 2, a second suit filed Tuesday claims conditions for women in custody are worse than those for men.

Nine women incarcerated at San Francisco County Jail Number 2 on Seventh Street in SF have filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that women at the facility have fewer resources and opportunities than men in the county jail system, as Mission Local reports. The plaintiffs are seeking damages and a jury trial.

The suit reportedly names the city, Sheriff's Department, and jail health officials, claiming that women at the jail receive limited access to sunlight, exercise, hot water, healthy food, and adequate healthcare.

The lawsuit follows another class-action case filed last month over alleged illegal strip searches that were caught on officers’ bodycams, as SFist reported previously.

According to the new lawsuit, people held at the SoMa jail have little to no access to outdoor sunlight because the facility lacks an outdoor yard, despite a federal court ruling requiring daily sunlight exposure for people incarcerated longer than a year, per Mission Local. Unlike men in county custody, who can be transferred to the larger County Jail Number 3 in San Bruno, women are housed exclusively at County Jail No. 2 and do not have the option of being moved.

The complaint also cites recurring plumbing problems, insect infestations, limited hot water, inadequate exercise space, and poor-quality food, with several women reporting weight gain, digestive issues, and sleep problems while in custody.

Earlier this year, multiple people reported weeks of inadequate hot water at the jail, leading some to stop showering altogether, as Mission Local reported in February. Others described overcrowded intake areas, unsanitary conditions, and people experiencing drug withdrawal while awaiting processing. Jail officials have said water temperature issues were addressed and that facilities are cleaned regularly.

Additionally, as SFist reported in 2020, the city agreed to a $2.1 million settlement with more than 200 people incarcerated at the now-closed County Jail Number 4 after years of sewage overflows caused human waste to spill into housing units. Attorneys for the plaintiffs alleged jail officials failed to adequately address the conditions despite repeated complaints.

Previously: SF Sheriff’s Office Hit With New Scandal of Officers Allegedly Taking Video of Women's Strip Searches

Image: Joe Kukura/SFist