Bowser Spreads the Wealth opens homeless shelters in each DC ward

[Anonymous]

Nothing makes me or my family "special", however education makes me have different values. I grew-up with several girls who had abortions while they were still young teens...they used to gently tease me because I chose not have sex while in high school. I went on to college and carefully planned my family. The homeless are in the position of being homeless because they lack an education...that is what needs to change first. Placing them in an expensive neighborhood without helping them learn the values and skills that will keep them and their children out of poverty does not do anyone any good. Money should be spent on job training and improving schools in poor neighborhoods...not buying million dollar lots and building fancy buildings and then hoping that the education and values of those who surround them will simply rub-off on those who had the misfortune of growing-up poor and uneducated. BTW, lest someone accuse me of racism- - the poor neighborhood that I grew-up in was multi-ethnic and plenty of the boys I knew who went to jail (and some of the girls who had abortions as teens) were white. So it's not about race, but low SES and the accompanying lack of education.

[Anonymous]

Given the debacle of the Fire / EMS resignation that just happened and the lack of accountability in city departments that it cited, I am highly skeptical that there will be good management and oversight of the shelter facilities. Seems more like wild flailing that will only end up indiscriminately spreading the fire of the mismanaged, poorly run DC General mess to shelters throughout the rest of the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Given the debacle of the Fire / EMS resignation that just happened and the lack of accountability in city departments that it cited, I am highly skeptical that there will be good management and oversight of the shelter facilities. Seems more like wild flailing that will only end up indiscriminately spreading the fire of the mismanaged, poorly run DC General mess to shelters throughout the rest of the city.

It's bringing transparency to the process by involving all 8 wards and not just locking these poor people away from view.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Given the debacle of the Fire / EMS resignation that just happened and the lack of accountability in city departments that it cited, I am highly skeptical that there will be good management and oversight of the shelter facilities. Seems more like wild flailing that will only end up indiscriminately spreading the fire of the mismanaged, poorly run DC General mess to shelters throughout the rest of the city.

Lol. Of course not. Remember what they say about good intentions? Just another "feel good" gesture and a huge waste of money.

[Anonymous]

Would love to see some of the hypercritical haters to run for public office and put their omniscient plans into action instead of incessantly crying and complaining about shit.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing makes me or my family "special", however education makes me have different values. I grew-up with several girls who had abortions while they were still young teens...they used to gently tease me because I chose not have sex while in high school. I went on to college and carefully planned my family. The homeless are in the position of being homeless because they lack an education...that is what needs to change first. Placing them in an expensive neighborhood without helping them learn the values and skills that will keep them and their children out of poverty does not do anyone any good. Money should be spent on job training and improving schools in poor neighborhoods...not buying million dollar lots and building fancy buildings and then hoping that the education and values of those who surround them will simply rub-off on those who had the misfortune of growing-up poor and uneducated. BTW, lest someone accuse me of racism- - the poor neighborhood that I grew-up in was multi-ethnic and plenty of the boys I knew who went to jail (and some of the girls who had abortions as teens) were white. So it's not about race, but low SES and the accompanying lack of education.

DC General allows the homeless to be out of sight and out of mind. If there is mismanagement, lack of services, etc., few notice and even fewer try to do anything about it. If nothing else, spreading the homeless facilities throughout the city is making this issue a problem for more people. Many in DC are going to be invested in the homeless issue whether they like it or not. So, rather than using your energy to complain or try to interfere with the plans (plans your Council Member supports), you are likely better off using your political and economic strength to push for good management and delivery of the type of services you suggest. That approach could easily turn out to be a win-win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing makes me or my family "special", however education makes me have different values. I grew-up with several girls who had abortions while they were still young teens...they used to gently tease me because I chose not have sex while in high school. I went on to college and carefully planned my family. The homeless are in the position of being homeless because they lack an education...that is what needs to change first. Placing them in an expensive neighborhood without helping them learn the values and skills that will keep them and their children out of poverty does not do anyone any good. Money should be spent on job training and improving schools in poor neighborhoods...not buying million dollar lots and building fancy buildings and then hoping that the education and values of those who surround them will simply rub-off on those who had the misfortune of growing-up poor and uneducated. BTW, lest someone accuse me of racism- - the poor neighborhood that I grew-up in was multi-ethnic and plenty of the boys I knew who went to jail (and some of the girls who had abortions as teens) were white. So it's not about race, but low SES and the accompanying lack of education.

Shame on those poors who thought they might be afforded the opportunity to live in a "fancy building" in an "expensive neighborhood." Who do they think they are? And the fact they're black certainly has nothing to do with it. It's a matter of "SES" and "values" and "education." They need to move to PG County where they belong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given the debacle of the Fire / EMS resignation that just happened and the lack of accountability in city departments that it cited, I am highly skeptical that there will be good management and oversight of the shelter facilities. Seems more like wild flailing that will only end up indiscriminately spreading the fire of the mismanaged, poorly run DC General mess to shelters throughout the rest of the city.

Lol. Of course not. Remember what they say about good intentions? Just another "feel good" gesture and a huge waste of money.

Maybe the DC Government can buy some storage facilities and warehouses in Ivy City and let the homeless children fend for themselves. Think of the savings. Or put some scows on the Anacostia. It would make some great reality TV that Would generate some income for the City. Think Dickensian dystopia.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing makes me or my family "special", however education makes me have different values. I grew-up with several girls who had abortions while they were still young teens...they used to gently tease me because I chose not have sex while in high school. I went on to college and carefully planned my family. The homeless are in the position of being homeless because they lack an education...that is what needs to change first. Placing them in an expensive neighborhood without helping them learn the values and skills that will keep them and their children out of poverty does not do anyone any good. Money should be spent on job training and improving schools in poor neighborhoods...not buying million dollar lots and building fancy buildings and then hoping that the education and values of those who surround them will simply rub-off on those who had the misfortune of growing-up poor and uneducated. BTW, lest someone accuse me of racism- - the poor neighborhood that I grew-up in was multi-ethnic and plenty of the boys I knew who went to jail (and some of the girls who had abortions as teens) were white. So it's not about race, but low SES and the accompanying lack of education.

DC General allows the homeless to be out of sight and out of mind. If there is mismanagement, lack of services, etc., few notice and even fewer try to do anything about it. If nothing else, spreading the homeless facilities throughout the city is making this issue a problem for more people. Many in DC are going to be invested in the homeless issue whether they like it or not. So, rather than using your energy to complain or try to interfere with the plans (plans your Council Member supports), you are likely better off using your political and economic strength to push for good management and delivery of the type of services you suggest. That approach could easily turn out to be a win-win.

I can't think of too many examples of where taking mismanagement and spreading it around ever solved much.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing makes me or my family "special", however education makes me have different values. I grew-up with several girls who had abortions while they were still young teens...they used to gently tease me because I chose not have sex while in high school. I went on to college and carefully planned my family. The homeless are in the position of being homeless because they lack an education...that is what needs to change first. Placing them in an expensive neighborhood without helping them learn the values and skills that will keep them and their children out of poverty does not do anyone any good. Money should be spent on job training and improving schools in poor neighborhoods...not buying million dollar lots and building fancy buildings and then hoping that the education and values of those who surround them will simply rub-off on those who had the misfortune of growing-up poor and uneducated. BTW, lest someone accuse me of racism- - the poor neighborhood that I grew-up in was multi-ethnic and plenty of the boys I knew who went to jail (and some of the girls who had abortions as teens) were white. So it's not about race, but low SES and the accompanying lack of education.

DC General allows the homeless to be out of sight and out of mind. If there is mismanagement, lack of services, etc., few notice and even fewer try to do anything about it. If nothing else, spreading the homeless facilities throughout the city is making this issue a problem for more people. Many in DC are going to be invested in the homeless issue whether they like it or not. So, rather than using your energy to complain or try to interfere with the plans (plans your Council Member supports), you are likely better off using your political and economic strength to push for good management and delivery of the type of services you suggest. That approach could easily turn out to be a win-win.

I can't think of too many examples of where taking mismanagement and spreading it around ever solved much.

Think about the situation with DCPS. Wealthy areas have been much more successful at getting their needs met than less wealthy areas. Do you think it is an accident that Janney has had multiple renovations in the same time period that many schools have had none? If that same sort of energy is used to ensure that the needs of the homeless are met so that that the new facilities are not problematic to their neighborhoods, there probably won't be mismanagement.

[Anonymous]

Hey, guess what people. There is actually data and research on homelessness and homelessness trends. We don't have to guess based on our experience.

Love,
A Former DC Women's Emergency Shelter Coordinator

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Before we open more shelter doors I hope they first look at whether those to whom we open doors are even from DC in the first place.

I'm fine with taking care of DC's existing homeless, but do we need to take care of the homeless for the entire eastern seaboard?

It's enough of an issue that we have well meaning but underfunded organizations that want to bring people here in order to take care of them.

It's enough of an issue that we fall victim to some other communities that bus their homeless here (and yes, it's common practice for police to round up homeless and put them on a bus with a one way ticket to the next biggest city).

Existing DC homeless families should have first crack.

I also think that the city needs to work on finding more ways to get people self sufficient and functional.

With the gentrification that's happened in DC over the past 20 years, with low income and home-unstable DC residents getting pushed out to the mostly-Maryland 'burbs, with spikes in incarceration and drug busts, yeah, I think DC can bring people back and do something good.

I live in a city (not DC) that has (finally) declared a homelessness crisis. 4,500 unsheltered (meaning homeless AND NOT IN A HOME WITH A ROOF). So we're not including people couch surfing just to stay out of the elements. Can you imagine? "Solution" is tent shelters. And, yes, every community gets one. And it's still not enough. Our very wealthy enclave has residents who organize food, clothing, and supplies runs to the tent city that's right up against our border. I'm ashamed that a tent shelter is the best our city can do, our fancy, expensive city with HUGE $$$ tech companies that--like all other corporations--don't pay appropriate taxes. It makes you angry. Very angry.

Ah yes, the big "Evil Gentrification" bogeyman. Let's flip that around a little - how do you figure it's somehow "more fair" to force people who work in DC to have to live outside of DC in order to keep the poorer folks in? If for example you're a young federal GS-9 employee you are looking at slim pickings where it comes to being able to find an affordable place in DC. So instead you are forced out into the VA/MD burbs, to take a 40 or 50 minute commute, nearly 2 hours out of each day. All that just so that we can keep the homeless and low income, many of whom don't even have jobs in the first place in DC. I fail to see how that makes sense, I fail to see how that's equitable.

Also, the pros to gentrification BY FAR outweigh the cons. Gentrification brings tax base, it brings economic improvement, it brings new businesses and investments, and in turn all of that brings better infrastructure, it brings better schools, it brings job opportunities, et cetera.

What does the non-gentrified status quo bring? Non-diverse, monolithic neighborhoods that are only 10% white instead of 40% white? Neighborhoods with more crime and drugs? Neighborhoods that nobody wants to open a new business in? Neighborhoods where the only place to buy groceries is a tiny hole-in-the-wall Korean owned bodega with bars on the doors and windows, where you'd be hard pressed to find fresh fruit or produce? Neighborhoods that city council, roads department and city emergency services ignore? That's pretty much the case.

[phone].

Yup. Gentrification seems to bring in a whole bunch of azzholes, apparently, who want the homeless sleeping in doorways to magically "vanish." Such an uptick in everyone's quality of life... So glad you're here. Welcome.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing makes me or my family "special", however education makes me have different values. I grew-up with several girls who had abortions while they were still young teens...they used to gently tease me because I chose not have sex while in high school. I went on to college and carefully planned my family. The homeless are in the position of being homeless because they lack an education...that is what needs to change first. Placing them in an expensive neighborhood without helping them learn the values and skills that will keep them and their children out of poverty does not do anyone any good. Money should be spent on job training and improving schools in poor neighborhoods...not buying million dollar lots and building fancy buildings and then hoping that the education and values of those who surround them will simply rub-off on those who had the misfortune of growing-up poor and uneducated. BTW, lest someone accuse me of racism- - the poor neighborhood that I grew-up in was multi-ethnic and plenty of the boys I knew who went to jail (and some of the girls who had abortions as teens) were white. So it's not about race, but low SES and the accompanying lack of education.

DC General allows the homeless to be out of sight and out of mind. If there is mismanagement, lack of services, etc., few notice and even fewer try to do anything about it. If nothing else, spreading the homeless facilities throughout the city is making this issue a problem for more people. Many in DC are going to be invested in the homeless issue whether they like it or not. So, rather than using your energy to complain or try to interfere with the plans (plans your Council Member supports), you are likely better off using your political and economic strength to push for good management and delivery of the type of services you suggest. That approach could easily turn out to be a win-win.

I can't think of too many examples of where taking mismanagement and spreading it around ever solved much.

Think about the situation with DCPS. Wealthy areas have been much more successful at getting their needs met than less wealthy areas. Do you think it is an accident that Janney has had multiple renovations in the same time period that many schools have had none? If that same sort of energy is used to ensure that the needs of the homeless are met so that that the new facilities are not problematic to their neighborhoods, there probably won't be mismanagement.

Sounds like the kind of situation where the wealthiest ward will then get their homeless problems "solved" after it's spread their way, while the others get ignored. That's what happened with DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Before we open more shelter doors I hope they first look at whether those to whom we open doors are even from DC in the first place.

I'm fine with taking care of DC's existing homeless, but do we need to take care of the homeless for the entire eastern seaboard?

It's enough of an issue that we have well meaning but underfunded organizations that want to bring people here in order to take care of them.

It's enough of an issue that we fall victim to some other communities that bus their homeless here (and yes, it's common practice for police to round up homeless and put them on a bus with a one way ticket to the next biggest city).

Existing DC homeless families should have first crack.

I also think that the city needs to work on finding more ways to get people self sufficient and functional.

With the gentrification that's happened in DC over the past 20 years, with low income and home-unstable DC residents getting pushed out to the mostly-Maryland 'burbs, with spikes in incarceration and drug busts, yeah, I think DC can bring people back and do something good.

I live in a city (not DC) that has (finally) declared a homelessness crisis. 4,500 unsheltered (meaning homeless AND NOT IN A HOME WITH A ROOF). So we're not including people couch surfing just to stay out of the elements. Can you imagine? "Solution" is tent shelters. And, yes, every community gets one. And it's still not enough. Our very wealthy enclave has residents who organize food, clothing, and supplies runs to the tent city that's right up against our border. I'm ashamed that a tent shelter is the best our city can do, our fancy, expensive city with HUGE $$$ tech companies that--like all other corporations--don't pay appropriate taxes. It makes you angry. Very angry.

Ah yes, the big "Evil Gentrification" bogeyman. Let's flip that around a little - how do you figure it's somehow "more fair" to force people who work in DC to have to live outside of DC in order to keep the poorer folks in? If for example you're a young federal GS-9 employee you are looking at slim pickings where it comes to being able to find an affordable place in DC. So instead you are forced out into the VA/MD burbs, to take a 40 or 50 minute commute, nearly 2 hours out of each day. All that just so that we can keep the homeless and low income, many of whom don't even have jobs in the first place in DC. I fail to see how that makes sense, I fail to see how that's equitable.

Also, the pros to gentrification BY FAR outweigh the cons. Gentrification brings tax base, it brings economic improvement, it brings new businesses and investments, and in turn all of that brings better infrastructure, it brings better schools, it brings job opportunities, et cetera.

What does the non-gentrified status quo bring? Non-diverse, monolithic neighborhoods that are only 10% white instead of 40% white? Neighborhoods with more crime and drugs? Neighborhoods that nobody wants to open a new business in? Neighborhoods where the only place to buy groceries is a tiny hole-in-the-wall Korean owned bodega with bars on the doors and windows, where you'd be hard pressed to find fresh fruit or produce? Neighborhoods that city council, roads department and city emergency services ignore? That's pretty much the case.

[phone].

Yup. Gentrification seems to bring in a whole bunch of azzholes, apparently, who want the homeless sleeping in doorways to magically "vanish." Such an uptick in everyone's quality of life... So glad you're here. Welcome.

Big uptick in quality of life when people just want to sleep in doorways instead of getting a fcking job and taking care of their shit like the rest of us, right?

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing makes me or my family "special", however education makes me have different values. I grew-up with several girls who had abortions while they were still young teens...they used to gently tease me because I chose not have sex while in high school. I went on to college and carefully planned my family. The homeless are in the position of being homeless because they lack an education...that is what needs to change first. Placing them in an expensive neighborhood without helping them learn the values and skills that will keep them and their children out of poverty does not do anyone any good. Money should be spent on job training and improving schools in poor neighborhoods...not buying million dollar lots and building fancy buildings and then hoping that the education and values of those who surround them will simply rub-off on those who had the misfortune of growing-up poor and uneducated. BTW, lest someone accuse me of racism- - the poor neighborhood that I grew-up in was multi-ethnic and plenty of the boys I knew who went to jail (and some of the girls who had abortions as teens) were white. So it's not about race, but low SES and the accompanying lack of education.

DC General allows the homeless to be out of sight and out of mind. If there is mismanagement, lack of services, etc., few notice and even fewer try to do anything about it. If nothing else, spreading the homeless facilities throughout the city is making this issue a problem for more people. Many in DC are going to be invested in the homeless issue whether they like it or not. So, rather than using your energy to complain or try to interfere with the plans (plans your Council Member supports), you are likely better off using your political and economic strength to push for good management and delivery of the type of services you suggest. That approach could easily turn out to be a win-win.

I can't think of too many examples of where taking mismanagement and spreading it around ever solved much.

Think about the situation with DCPS. Wealthy areas have been much more successful at getting their needs met than less wealthy areas. Do you think it is an accident that Janney has had multiple renovations in the same time period that many schools have had none? If that same sort of energy is used to ensure that the needs of the homeless are met so that that the new facilities are not problematic to their neighborhoods, there probably won't be mismanagement.

Sounds like the kind of situation where the wealthiest ward will then get their homeless problems "solved" after it's spread their way, while the others get ignored. That's what happened with DCPS.

That may well be, but that is better than none of the homeless problems getting solved. I think "I live in an expensive neighborhood and if we are going to have a homeless shelter, there better be proper management and services" is a better argument than "I live in an expensive neighborhood and I don't want a homeless shelter here".