New Ward 3 Homeless Families Shelter Site

[Anonymous]

Proponents say the whole reason for this plan is so that the wards all have "skin in the game."

Don't we already have Redskins in the game?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole plan is bizarre:

For 120 days --

Put children in a school in a neighborhood where their parents are unlikely to afford the rents when they gain independence. What happens to the kids?

For 120 days--

Encourage people to work in the local fast food in said neighborhood. How do the parents keep the job once they move?

For 120 days--

Emphasize closeness to metro which is an expensive way for homeless/near homeless to travel.

Why not put the money towards low income housing/mixed development that offers a more permanent lifetime to these families AFTER homelessness? Why not have everyone consolidated for the 120 days in an efficient facility with buses to schools, jobs and training programs? Why use primo real estate when there is so much more value in not blowing the money on rent/mortgage? We are not talking about your/their dreamhouse. We are talking about a three month stay for families to get stabilized. Put it out on that road by the arboretum. It's on a major causeway, and buses/shuttles could run. Many services could be provided on site.

People are currently in hotels in MD. I would call homeless hotels small, intimate 'satellite locations'. How's that working out for those families? They all moving to independence? There's your case study on how random, scattered 'intimate' locations 'improve' matters.

They couldn't get DC General right, they couldn't get hotels right, but somehow blowing a ton of money on the housing itself with IMPROVE the services provided?

They couldn't get DC General right so their answer is that they are creating 8 mini DC Generals while not at all addressing the underlying issues of why they couldn't get DC General right in the first place. Brilliant.

The other fact is that the Ward 3 shelter won't be 1/8 the size of DC general. The planned size keeps increasing. By the time it is built, the Homeless Shelter at Cathedral Commons will be more like 35% the size of DC General, which will mean a pretty substantial facility.

No way.

The size already increased from 30 to 50 units in just one week.

Fact is that distributing shelters across DC is based more on legislative strategy than anything else. It's just more difficult to argue with the perception of equality, especially when Ward 3 is flush with liberal guilt and NIMBY-phobia. Nobody was willing to stand up and say this is a dumb idea when it was proposed in concept. By the time it became a reality it was too late. Fact of the matter is that replacing DC General only accounts for 25% of the homeless, another 75% are in hotels. This problem isn't going away with the right to shelter law, especially when it has been voluntarily expanded to provide year round shelter. This entire escapade was motivated by Bowser's political publicity stunt to gut Reservation 13 for her developer donors under the guise of helping the homeless. She has been assisted by council members bought by Fresh PAC in all of her pay to play schemes, homeless shelters being the tip of the iceberg. If you really want to right the ship, start with voting against or funding the opponent of Brandon Todd, LaRuby May, Yvette Alexander and Vincent Orange. Getting rid of them will significantly change the balance of power on DC council (4 automatic yes votes gone). Nadeau also needs to go, but she isn't up. Most importantly, come 2018 do everything you can to put Bowser out on her ass.

Sorry, a bit confused by your comment. Whom should we vote for, if we want to oppose Bowser and her cronies?

[Anonymous]

Ward 3 is not alone in their requests for information and a transparent process.

This article is mostly about the Ward 6 site and the lack of information surrounding that decision. The quote in bold really sums it all up for me.

"I was frankly opposed to anything going up at 2nd and K without being part of the process," says Dr. Joseph Evans, senior pastor of the Mount Carmel Baptist Church at 901 3rd St. NW. "It’s not about whether it’s homeless people or not. We were not permitted to participate in what takes place literally 10 feet from my property line."
"What we are saying is you cannot usurp a democratic process for political expediency," he says, adding that the historically black church has occupied its location in the busy neighborhood for more than a century.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/city-desk/blog/20781274/councils-revised-dc-general-plan-raises-familiar-questions-about-process

[Anonymous]

Does anyone find it ironic that Bowser is making such a play for states rights, yet trampling on our rights? Chilling, isn't it? Makes me firmly opposed to D.C. Statehood right now.

[Anonymous]

I mean, what would Bowser do as Governor. (just adding on here). I never liked her. When our hard working charter school moved to her neighborhood she never visited. I find her...politically awful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone find it ironic that Bowser is making such a play for states rights, yet trampling on our rights? Chilling, isn't it? Makes me firmly opposed to D.C. Statehood right now.

I see those two events as unrelated. We all can easily list off dozens of terrible governors that other states have elected and stupid policies they have imposed. Just because you're a state doesn't mean you are protected from politicians making bad choices.

[Anonymous]

Exactly. But our DC politicians seem to make particularly stupid ones. I'm personally fine with having Congress intervene from time to time. Except for Toby Williams, I dont see a track record that merits home rule. I am becoming increasingly ok with the idea of MD annexing ward 3 though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. But our DC politicians seem to make particularly stupid ones. I'm personally fine with having Congress intervene from time to time. Except for Toby Williams, I dont see a track record that merits home rule. I am becoming increasingly ok with the idea of MD annexing ward 3 though.

Move to Bethesda then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone find it ironic that Bowser is making such a play for states rights, yet trampling on our rights? Chilling, isn't it? Makes me firmly opposed to D.C. Statehood right now.

What right is it that is being trampled? The right not to live near people you loathe? Last I looked you do not get to say who moves onto property you do not own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone find it ironic that Bowser is making such a play for states rights, yet trampling on our rights? Chilling, isn't it? Makes me firmly opposed to D.C. Statehood right now.

What right is it that is being trampled? The right not to live near people you loathe? Last I looked you do not get to say who moves onto property you do not own.

No, but you do get to oppose zoning changes that result in an adverse impact on the surrounding community. So do that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone find it ironic that Bowser is making such a play for states rights, yet trampling on our rights? Chilling, isn't it? Makes me firmly opposed to D.C. Statehood right now.

What right is it that is being trampled? The right not to live near people you loathe? Last I looked you do not get to say who moves onto property you do not own.

No, but you do get to oppose zoning changes that result in an adverse impact on the surrounding community. So do that!

+1. No taxation without real representation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. But our DC politicians seem to make particularly stupid ones. I'm personally fine with having Congress intervene from time to time. Except for Toby Williams, I dont see a track record that merits home rule. I am becoming increasingly ok with the idea of MD annexing ward 3 though.

Move to Bethesda then.

Tony Williams -- best damn DC mayor ever! The rest are mostly clowns who are more like crony-corrupt developing country politicians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone find it ironic that Bowser is making such a play for states rights, yet trampling on our rights? Chilling, isn't it? Makes me firmly opposed to D.C. Statehood right now.

I see those two events as unrelated. We all can easily list off dozens of terrible governors that other states have elected and stupid policies they have imposed. Just because you're a state doesn't mean you are protected from politicians making bad choices.

True, but most states have bicameral legislatures that can slow down hare-brained proposals for more considered debate (I know, there are exceptions, like with North Carolina's LGBT law) and provide meaningful oversight of executive branch actions. In DC, council members basically get elected with a mere plurality in the Democratic primary or special election. Unlike in various states, there are no run-off elections among top candidates who failed to get a majority in the primary. And once elected, major policies and other decisions can be effected with a majority comprised of seven (sometimes fewer) people. So while very Democratic, DC is not really very democratic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. But our DC politicians seem to make particularly stupid ones. I'm personally fine with having Congress intervene from time to time. Except for Toby Williams, I dont see a track record that merits home rule. I am becoming increasingly ok with the idea of MD annexing ward 3 though.

Move to Bethesda then.

Here's another idea. Same as Alexandria voted to leave DC and join Virginia, why wouldn't Wards 7 and 8 want to join MD/ PG?

If you look at a map, it'd make a lot of sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. But our DC politicians seem to make particularly stupid ones. I'm personally fine with having Congress intervene from time to time. Except for Toby Williams, I dont see a track record that merits home rule. I am becoming increasingly ok with the idea of MD annexing ward 3 though.

Move to Bethesda then.

Here's another idea. Same as Alexandria voted to leave DC and join Virginia, why wouldn't Wards 7 and 8 want to join MD/ PG?

If you look at a map, it'd make a lot of sense.

This is too absurd to merit a response and yet I am compelled to do so but will restrict it to the fact of the availability of PK and good charter schools. As much as you would like, you can't get ride of the poors that easily.