Bowser Spreads the Wealth opens homeless shelters in each DC ward
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jsteele
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I am not sure why a publicity stunt that occurred a single time several years ago is evidence of anything, but it has been posted over and over again that the homeless programs are aimed at the impoverished that are right here in DC. But, let's be frank. The suggestion that people from outside DC would inhabit these shelters is simply a diversionary tactic being employed by those opposed to the shelters. In the same breath, it is argued that these folks have stronger ties to other neighborhoods and should be housed there instead. |
Anonymous
Anonymous
How is it not? For a woman who put zero thought into family planning it's a pretty good outcome. They get free room and free food. |
Anonymous
Jamming five people into a hotel room? Commuting 4 hours a day on the bus so that her daughter can get to kindergarten? |
Anonymous
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What I have learned from this thread is that there is no way I would ever move to upper NW and that I hope that I do not actually know any of you people in real life. This has been one of the more depressing threads in recent memory.
Mayor of city with chronic family homelessness proposes closing the no-longer-fit-to-be-a-hospital shelter and proposes 8 new shelters, spread out over 1 city. Conversation on DCUM devolves into whether or not people deserve help if they are poor and have multiple children. |
Anonymous
I agree. I'm drawing some comfort from the fact that there seems to be several posters who think like you. |
Anonymous
I hope you're trolling. But you find this situation okay for the children, particularly an infant? How do propose that we break the cycle of poverty and unwed teenage mothers for the next generation? Do you donate to Planned Parenthood to help make free contraceptives available for family planning? IIRC something like 60 percent of pregnancies in DC are unintended. |
Anonymous
Exactly. How is the status quo acceptable? "The last six months have been filled with trying to understand exactly what has plagued this department for decades and to better comprehend why people die needlessly in the District of Columbia... First, the culture of the DC Fire and EMS Department is highly toxic to the delivery of any semblance of quality pre-hospital patient care. EMS reform, even attempts to make basic changes, are met with resistance from the top down... https://www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/local/dc-ems-resignation-letter/1955/?tid=a_inl |
Anonymous
+1. Every now and then, a thread pops up that really gives me a dim view of people in DC. Last year, it was thread where essentially people were saying that certain Wards "deserve" more city services than other Wards and that if you were not rich enough to live in these one of the certain wards, too bad for you. This thread echoes that mindset. People seem to forget that some of you or even people you know are one more recession away from being in a similar boat. Honestly, you have to be a stone cold fool to believe that the majority of residents want to raise their children in a homeless shelter or transitional housing. Such that they would have more children just to stay there? Come the fvck on! Frankly, some of you need to get out and actually meet some working poor people who are trying to make things work. Thing is many of you are around them everyday - at Giant, on the bus or train, etc. But God forbid that they house these people in your neighborhood in a major city. Poor people who work or are striving to work get the biggest shaft in this country. A Ward 1 resident - by choice - who has met some nice and interesting people living in the shelters and who realizes that they want the same thing for their kids that I want for mine. |
Anonymous
There are actually a couple of Airbnb party rental houses in that block, and the neighbors have complained directly to Bowser and Cheh to shut them down. They are likely to be no less vocal about the shelter proposal. For those in DC at the time, a former mayor (Pratt Kelly) tried to put a homeless shelter into the same area and ran into a buzz saw. |
Anonymous
This may be a more cost-effective alternative to Glover Pk and the Tenley location makes more sense for people who depend on public transportation. |
Anonymous
The most shocking part was when she was stymied in her plan to evaluate the skills and performance EMS personnel, and fire dept management caved to the union and blocked it. Worth remembering when you realize that a DC ambulance may be called upon to transport the president in an emergency -- or your child! |
Anonymous
Clearly, you don't live near one of these sites. |
jsteele
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No, though I think my neighborhood would be a great location for such a shelter and I would welcome it (can't speak for my neighbors though). We do have other group homes for various disadvantaged groups. |
Anonymous
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If you are one of the people who live close to public housing or shelter, please, please PLEASE remember that when you advocate for good, safe, clean living conditions, you need to advocate for THOSE PEOPLE IN THOSE HOMES TOO.
If a housing project or shelter is not run well, speak up for yourself, but also for the people who live there who deserve so much better. The management cannot be let off the hook. The police cannot be let off the hook. Social services cannot be let off the hook. If all you advocate for is that the site be put somewhere else, that is NOT ADVOCAY. That is irresponsible at best, and definitely cowardly and downright inhumane. I'll tell you, it is harder to get assholes to do the right thing that to get them to move. But it is the RIGHT THING TO DO. I've live in neighborhoods like this. I can promise you, it was neighbors fighting to get the apartments cleaned up, well run, supervised, and responsive not just to the residents (often disenfranchised an without clout) but to the people around them WHO CARED ABOUT THE RESIDENTS that made the biggest difference. Love, Daughter of mum who benefitted so much from a beautiful, safe public housing project--though not in this country. (Mum eventually became a doctor in DC... maybe she treated you?  )
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