Considering Seaton, but concerned about the homeless encampment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone at that encampment was just arrested with multiple guns and a high capacity magazine, which is totally unacceptable on many levels, and particularly in front of a school. Unfortunately, many in the community have been too compassionate about the encampment, which was clearly more dangerous than anyone thought.

That’s awful, generally I have found homeless people to keep to themselves but regardless that’s not acceptable.

So the guy was picked up a few blocks away at 6th and Q, according to the police report. Neighbors heard that he lived in the encampment from another member of the encampment.

Not that I don't find it extremely alarming, but just adding facts.

So there is clear evidence of guns on public school property and nothing is being done about it? I'm all for rehousing people, but if I were a parent and my kids were being now knowingly being exposed to firearms literally on their playground I would be beyond alarmed and asking for immediate action.

I don't think it actually is owned by the school.

OK, but aren't there laws about drugs, guns, etc within some number of feet of school property. Assuming the line is the fence, the encampment is feet away from school property.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A letter was sent out regarding the homeless camp. They are on it.

> On Apr 19, 2021, at 2:52 PM, REMOVED for PRIVACY wrote:
>
> 
>
> Dear Seaton Community,
>
> Many of you may have received a note from Seaton’s principal earlier today regarding the encampment next to the playground at Seaton Elementary School. We wanted to provide you with some more context and information regarding the encampment, especially the issue that led to the note.
>
> Over the course of the last year the homeless encampment on 10th Street along the Seaton playground fence has been growing. The encampment started prior to the pandemic with one resident and has now grown to more than 12 structures.
>
> In the course of regular conversations with the residents of the encampment, one resident recently informed us that another resident was arrested on April 11 (at 6th and Q NW) for charges including assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of a large capacity Ammunition Feeding Device, possession of Unregistered Ammunition, and receiving Stolen Property (information on the arrest is available here: https://mpdc.dc.gov/release/mpd%E2%80%99s-weekly-firearm-recoveries-april-5-2021-april-12-2021). We were told that the arrested individual had been keeping the gun at the encampment, in their tent, next to the Seaton Elementary School playground. Officials from DCPS (including Chancellor Lewis Ferebee and Chief Operating Officer Patrick Davis), the Mayor’s Office, and Councilman Charles Allen’s office were notified of this development last week. So far the only response has been the letter you recently received from Seaton.
>
> Community members have spent the last year engaging with city officials, the Mayor’s office, DCPS, and the Seaton administration and PTO to request services and assistance for the unhoused residents of the encampment and to improve the conditions at the encampment. They have been in touch with organizations including Miriam’s Kitchen and Bread for the City and representatives from those organizations and the Mayor’s Office have regularly engaged residents. Residents have been offered spaces in shelters for more permanent housing, but the unhoused residents have not accepted.
>
> Despite having worked with every possible resource and agency to find practical, win-win solutions that would work for all the members of the neighborhood, recent events have raised the level of concern about the effect of the encampment on the health and safety of the Seaton community. The City previously responded to community voices by conducting a clean-up in mid-March, asking residents to move their belongings 3 feet from the fence, and installing a mesh fabric barrier on both sides of the fence. However, as events since then have demonstrated, these measures are ineffective and insufficient to protect the students, staff, and parents of Seaton Elementary School.
>
> The proximity of the encampment, its residents and their property, to both the playground and the area used for student pick-up make compliance with CDC, DC, and DCPS mandated COVID protocols difficult, if not impossible. Additionally, the police have responded to the encampment multiple times to address domestic disturbances, open fires, drinking, and drug use in sight of the playground, and a police officer is now present for pick-up because residents of the encampment have harassed students and parents.
>
> DCPS officials have said that they cannot do anything more to address the situation because the encampment sits on city rather than DCPS property, and the city has said that they will not move or clear the encampment as that practice has been suspended according to CDC recommendations during the pandemic.
>
> While we have tremendous empathy for the residents of the encampment, especially after having engaged with them as neighbors over the past year and having done everything we can think of to find a solution that is sustainable over the long-term for all involved, the recent developments have cemented concerns about the effect of the encampment on the health and safety of the Seaton community and made it clear that is only a matter of time before something happens to a member of the community. We are concerned that something will happen to one of the children who attends Seaton and/or uses its outdoor space.
>
> After speaking with members of the PTO executive board, we are sharing this information with the Seaton Community so that everyone is at least aware of the ongoing situation. If you have concerns about the safety of those at Seaton Elementary, you should consider asking the city and DCPS to remove the encampment (while providing residents with help moving their tents and continuing to offer spots in shelters and assistance finding more permanent housing), make the land on which it sits DCPS property, and incorporate it with the rest of the Seaton outdoor space by moving the fence out to the sidewalk.
>
> We are sharing this information because we feel that it is important that every parent of a student at Seaton is aware of the situation. The community has tried every avenue to address the safety concerns posed by the encampment. Based on the experiences of the past year, it is unsafe for an encampment to be located in such close proximity to a school. It is also clear that the leadership in DCPS, the Mayor’s Office, and the City Council consider the status quo situation acceptable and have no intention of changing policy.
>

>REMOVED FOR PRIVACY ---Emails below are DC.gov or dccouncil.us , people who are accountable to DC residents, so, not private
>
> Here is a list of the city officials who have already been involved:
>
> Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen [e-mail]
>
> Deputy Chief of Staff to the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Jessica Smith [e-mail]
>
> Encampment Coordinator Monika Merk [e-mail]
>
> Chancellor Lewis Ferebee [e-mail]
>
> COO of DCPS Patrick Davis [e-mail]
>
> Michael Eichler [e-mail]
>
> Rochelle Nigro [e-mail]
>
> Other officials to engage:
>
> Paul Kihn, Deputy Mayor for Education [e-mail]
>
> DC Council Chairman [e-mail]
>
> Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto [e-mail]
>
> At Large Council Members:
>
> Elissa Silverman [e-mail]
>
> Anita Bonds [e-mail] <---she is not going to do jack for you.
>
> Robert White [e-mail] <---- just as useless
>
> Christina Henderson [e-mail]

Who are "they" and it seems that parents have already been raising alarm to no avail. Scary for all those parents and kids.

[Anonymous]

WTF? No! This is completely nuts. Ow is this even remotely accessible? The CDC provides recommendations, not laws. If folks have refused housing (understandable that they wouldn’t want to go to Covid-y shelters, though), their belongings should be respectfully moved to a clean designated camping area with toilets, showers and security. This might need to be created in an appropriate location not too far away. Homeless folks are often mentally and/or physically ill and should not be in close proximity to school children on a daily basis. Bowsers office needs to get it together and act to protect both children and homeless individuals...now.

[Anonymous]

Remotely possible

[Anonymous]

We just like to put kids LAST in this town, don’t we? Of COURSE this cannot continue!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WTF? No! This is completely nuts. Ow is this even remotely accessible? The CDC provides recommendations, not laws. If folks have refused housing (understandable that they wouldn’t want to go to Covid-y shelters, though), their belongings should be respectfully moved to a clean designated camping area with toilets, showers and security. This might need to be created in an appropriate location not too far away. Homeless folks are often mentally and/or physically ill and should not be in close proximity to school children on a daily basis. Bowsers office needs to get it together and act to protect both children and homeless individuals...now.

This.

[Anonymous]

Seaton parents have started bringing this to the press to hopefully put some pressure on the city to take action.

The encampment has disturbed many of us this year, and I think the recent arrest and news of the gun was a tipping point that is pushing people to act. so that is something. As the email said, everyone kind of accepted it as the status quo. At the last ANC 6E meeting, the commissioners brought it up as a "maybe let's remove this before the fall? " kind of issue. But many kids are attending Seaton in person now (including my child).

[Anonymous]

It is definitely an issue and it needs addressing. The added pressure right now will hopefully provide faster results. As far as your question regarding a child who will be attending in the fall, I believe that (based on the pressure being exerted right now), that the situation will be resolved by the fall. I would not base my enrollment decision on this.

[Anonymous]

We won't be re-enrolling in Seaton for Fall.
The homeless camp was part of that decision. My DH was more disturbed by the camp than I was. But this news just re-enforces our decision.

Mayor Bowser is not afraid of clearing camps. She's done it before. What parents need to do is provide her political cover when the camp is moved.

If you are under the impression that it can be done in a nice manner. It can't. When our family had to deal with a hoarding family member, they fought and screamed and was in serious denial as we tried to get them to clean up their space (failure to do so meant they'd be homeless) and when we started hauling junk out, it wasn't pretty. When they move the camp, it won't be pretty. This needs to be done before Fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone at that encampment was just arrested with multiple guns and a high capacity magazine, which is totally unacceptable on many levels, and particularly in front of a school. Unfortunately, many in the community have been too compassionate about the encampment, which was clearly more dangerous than anyone thought.

That’s awful, generally I have found homeless people to keep to themselves but regardless that’s not acceptable.

So the guy was picked up a few blocks away at 6th and Q, according to the police report. Neighbors heard that he lived in the encampment from another member of the encampment.

Not that I don't find it extremely alarming, but just adding facts.

So there is clear evidence of guns on public school property and nothing is being done about it? I'm all for rehousing people, but if I were a parent and my kids were being now knowingly being exposed to firearms literally on their playground I would be beyond alarmed and asking for immediate action.

I don't think it actually is owned by the school.

OK, but aren't there laws about drugs, guns, etc within some number of feet of school property. Assuming the line is the fence, the encampment is feet away from school property.

Well yeah. The whole thing is illegal.

[Anonymous]

This was just posted on popville today too - https://www.popville.com/2021/04/potential-dangers-to-students-now-seem-to-outweigh-covid-risks/

[Anonymous]

I truly doubt that CDC’s recommendation to not move homeless encampments was meant to apply to this type of situation. I wonder what American Academy of Pediatrics would say?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone at that encampment was just arrested with multiple guns and a high capacity magazine, which is totally unacceptable on many levels, and particularly in front of a school. Unfortunately, many in the community have been too compassionate about the encampment, which was clearly more dangerous than anyone thought.

That’s awful, generally I have found homeless people to keep to themselves but regardless that’s not acceptable.

So the guy was picked up a few blocks away at 6th and Q, according to the police report. Neighbors heard that he lived in the encampment from another member of the encampment.

Not that I don't find it extremely alarming, but just adding facts.

There are a lot of mentally ill folks in encampments. Throw some guns in the mix and you should be highly alarmed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone at that encampment was just arrested with multiple guns and a high capacity magazine, which is totally unacceptable on many levels, and particularly in front of a school. Unfortunately, many in the community have been too compassionate about the encampment, which was clearly more dangerous than anyone thought.

That’s awful, generally I have found homeless people to keep to themselves but regardless that’s not acceptable.

So the guy was picked up a few blocks away at 6th and Q, according to the police report. Neighbors heard that he lived in the encampment from another member of the encampment.

Not that I don't find it extremely alarming, but just adding facts.

There are a lot of mentally ill folks in encampments. Throw some guns in the mix and you should be highly alarmed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We won't be re-enrolling in Seaton for Fall.
The homeless camp was part of that decision. My DH was more disturbed by the camp than I was. But this news just re-enforces our decision.

Mayor Bowser is not afraid of clearing camps. She's done it before. What parents need to do is provide her political cover when the camp is moved.

If you are under the impression that it can be done in a nice manner. It can't. When our family had to deal with a hoarding family member, they fought and screamed and was in serious denial as we tried to get them to clean up their space (failure to do so meant they'd be homeless) and when we started hauling junk out, it wasn't pretty. When they move the camp, it won't be pretty. This needs to be done before Fall.

Can I ask the other reasons why? We were considering our daughter for Pre K! Now I do not know!