Posts tagged Homelessness
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Thanks to DC’s new toilet law, it’s going to be easier to find a place to go
It’s really difficult to find a public bathroom in DC, and advocates say installing more of them would help pregnant people, tourists, the elderly, people experiencing homelessness, and many others. After years of encouragment from activists, the DC Council passed a public bathroom bill in April 2019. So when will we see these new restrooms? Keep reading…
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Day centers put vital services for people experiencing homelessness in one place
People experiencing homelessness often have no place to go during the day, and figuring out where to find a meal, get an ID card, do laundry, and get started on the journey to finding a home takes a lot of effort and coordination. Day centers can help. Keep reading…
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People experiencing homelessness in DC react to benches being removed
Benches near the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in downtown DC were removed in August following complains about “crime.” There were at least seven benches taken from the north side of H Street NW and several more pulled from the south side, plus at least nine removed from the small National Park Service area next to the church. Keep reading…
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The DC Council votes for housing for the homeless at Hill East
In a shift from original plans, the DC Council approved a $3.1 million annual rental subsidy for a new 100-unit permanent supportive housing project, known as Hill East Phase I, on Tuesday, November 19. The Council’s original plans, voted on in 2017, consisted of a 91-unit building with 75 committed affordable, but not necessarily permanent supportive housing (PSH), units. Keep reading…
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Couchsurfing: The simple idea behind DC’s homelessness prevention program
Since 2015, the number of families experiencing homelessness in the care of the DC Department of Human Services has dropped by 40%. Behind the change is a program that attempts to match families at risk of entering homeless shelters with relatives or friends who may be able to take them in, even if it means sleeping on couches. Keep reading…
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DC shelters often fail pregnant people experiencing homelessness
When Jasmine Greene’s daughter was born about three years ago, she was living in an abandoned house. Greene, a former resident at Clark Inn—a home run by the nonprofit Samaritan Inns that provides treatment to mothers who are struggling with substance abuse—said she had been living in the empty house for about eight or nine months. But it was on a demolition list. Keep reading…
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Why do homeless encampments persist? Unsheltered people weigh in.
The underpasses at K, L, and M Streets in the NoMa area of Northeast DC give off an unpleasant odor. Put bluntly, they reek of urine. And the rotting piles of garbage strewn up and down their sidewalks do little to mask the smell. Keep reading…
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The NoMa BID wrote an open letter about homeless encampments. What do you think of it?
On Wednesday, August 21 the NoMa Business Improvement District (BID) released an open letter expressing frustration about underpass encampments in the area. People walking or otherwise traveling from east to west sides of the neighborhood have to go under these underpasses. They’re a common spot for people experiencing homelessness to sleep and camp. Keep reading…
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National links: The late Nipsey Hussle understood cities, and the people who live in them
Nipsey Hussle’s dream of racial and economic equity for his neighborhood spanned across music and media. Planners in Vancouver are widening sidewalks to accommodate more people in the densifying city. Transgender and nonbinary teens are vulnerable to homelessness. Keep reading…
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The summer heat can be deadly for unsheltered people. Here’s how you can help.
Washington, DC is one of the most intense summer “heat islands” of any US city. Temperatures during the summer can soar 21 degrees higher than surrounding rural areas, according to a report by Climate Central. And the population at greatest risk of suffering from heat-related illnesses in the summer is people experiencing homelessness. Keep reading…