Bowser Spreads the Wealth opens homeless shelters in each DC ward

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The faux concern on this thread is nauseating.

A lot of very legitimate questions have been raised in this thread with few answers in response other than the standard "you're a NIMBY and you don't care about the poors."

Maybe some don't, maybe some do but that still doesn't specifically address the concerns being raised. Some have pointed out that this could be as bad or worse of a debacle than DC General already is, some have pointed out that Bowser's concern may be faux and in fact more about developer cronies...

Don't be too sure about what is or isn't faux.

Can you read?!?!

Most of the faux concern/non-issues have been addressed.

You shouldn't be so rude. There at several players relying to you and not just one person as you may think. If someone feels their security is at rush, that their property value will decrease, and that their school performance will diminish, that is their opinion and are valid concerns. Stop being so judgmental!!

Typos. "Several posters" and "security is at risk"

But your home values will be fine, schools will be fine, security will be fine.

You are panicking for no good reason other than fear of the unknown.

We have homeless shelters and housing programs throughout MoCo...including (gasp) Bethesda!

Do you think home values and test scores have gone down? No.

Quick question for the critics: who are you supporting in the election? Must be a republican, otherwise you are a hypocrite.

Please provide data for your adamant statementsbb

I thought I did when I stated that we have homeless shelters and housing programs in BETHESDA...ever heard of it? It's much nicer than the area we're discussing on Wisconsin, with high end housing, top notch schools, etc.

Much nicer? Check your price per square foot comps. A half-mile is much much different than one to four or five doors down. There is a reason this lot is not zoned for this type of building. There was no bidding process on this project. The purchaser of the lot wanted to build a big development, but couldn't due to zoning. Now he can. When the city stops leasing the property from him, he will convert it to apartments and will have successfully skirted the zoning laws. For those of you who say you live in the neighborhood, if you live in Glover Park, you do not. Yes, there will be support for a family shelter from the neighborhood, but only for one that zoning allows.

Sigh.

Yes, pp. We all realize that you paid a ridiculous premium to live in that part of DC...but overpaying for a hood with so-so schools just to be in DC doesn't make the area better than Bethesda. In fact, lots of people flee the city for the better schools and more kid-friendly environs of the burbs.

But let's not get sidetracked.

The point is that MoCo has done a superior job of dispersing housing programs across the county as opposed to segregating homeless people in bad areas like DC has. But Bowser has perhaps some of the best homeless experts on her team, and they are implementing a promising plan based on best practices. If you could see beyond your initial fear of the unknown and read the data, you'd understand that this makes sense and it won't impact your life, home value, or test scores. Take a deep breath...it's going to be fine.

How about you sign a document for the folks impacted, saying you will take personal responsibility if anyone is personally harmed. You willing to go there?

What exactly are you afraid of?

This will be a FAMILY shelter. The families will consist of a single mother and anywhere from 1 to 3 young children. The average mom has a baby and young child.

Why are you afraid of these families? Do you think a young mom with a baby strapped to her will mug you? Or are you more afraid of her four year old?

You do realize these women can't have men over at the shelter, right?

So we are literally just talking about a young mom who will have her hands full caring for her young children while complying with the shelter rules and program (job search, training, etc.). They won't be hanging outside on the street (against the rules). They have strict curfews.

Seriously, pp: WTF are you afraid of? Exactly how do you envision being harmed?

Folks in Ward 5 and Ward 6 seem to be protesting already. What are they afraid of?

Apparently they are afraid of toddlers with brown skin...because that's the largest group who will be living in the family shelter...briefly.

Nice try but sorry, no. Wards 5/6 happen to be majority AA, they aren't 70%+ white like Wards 2/3.

Well, apparently Ward 5/6 AA residents can be as afraid as Ward 2/3 white ones. Apparently even more afraid, given that they are leading the protests:
http://dcist.com/2016/02/housing.php

Can they not see that this is a must for all wards, to break down infamous DC General? Can you not show a bit of compassion, especially when most of those families and kids are NOT white?

I support closing DC general and creating small shelters but why all over the city and so far away from where they currently are living and enrolled in school and working?

Because all the data points towards this model. There was a great study done in MoCo where families were randomly assigned to housing in two different areas: yuppieville and crappyville. Guess what? The kids who lived in subsidized housing in yuppieville excelled, while the kids left behind in crappyville did not.

If you are attempting to break the cycle of poverty, then you need to put these families in good communities where good behavior is modeled and the kids have an opportunity to succeed.

In other words, only gentrification will save us, helping build "good communities where good behavior is modeled and the kids have an opportunity to succeed."

Agreed.

Now, can Bowser get enough votes if she runs on that platform?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The faux concern on this thread is nauseating.

A lot of very legitimate questions have been raised in this thread with few answers in response other than the standard "you're a NIMBY and you don't care about the poors."

Maybe some don't, maybe some do but that still doesn't specifically address the concerns being raised. Some have pointed out that this could be as bad or worse of a debacle than DC General already is, some have pointed out that Bowser's concern may be faux and in fact more about developer cronies...

Don't be too sure about what is or isn't faux.

Can you read?!?!

Most of the faux concern/non-issues have been addressed.

You shouldn't be so rude. There at several players relying to you and not just one person as you may think. If someone feels their security is at rush, that their property value will decrease, and that their school performance will diminish, that is their opinion and are valid concerns. Stop being so judgmental!!

Typos. "Several posters" and "security is at risk"

But your home values will be fine, schools will be fine, security will be fine.

You are panicking for no good reason other than fear of the unknown.

We have homeless shelters and housing programs throughout MoCo...including (gasp) Bethesda!

Do you think home values and test scores have gone down? No.

Quick question for the critics: who are you supporting in the election? Must be a republican, otherwise you are a hypocrite.

Please provide data for your adamant statementsbb

I thought I did when I stated that we have homeless shelters and housing programs in BETHESDA...ever heard of it? It's much nicer than the area we're discussing on Wisconsin, with high end housing, top notch schools, etc.

Much nicer? Check your price per square foot comps. A half-mile is much much different than one to four or five doors down. There is a reason this lot is not zoned for this type of building. There was no bidding process on this project. The purchaser of the lot wanted to build a big development, but couldn't due to zoning. Now he can. When the city stops leasing the property from him, he will convert it to apartments and will have successfully skirted the zoning laws. For those of you who say you live in the neighborhood, if you live in Glover Park, you do not. Yes, there will be support for a family shelter from the neighborhood, but only for one that zoning allows.

Sigh.

Yes, pp. We all realize that you paid a ridiculous premium to live in that part of DC...but overpaying for a hood with so-so schools just to be in DC doesn't make the area better than Bethesda. In fact, lots of people flee the city for the better schools and more kid-friendly environs of the burbs.

But let's not get sidetracked.

The point is that MoCo has done a superior job of dispersing housing programs across the county as opposed to segregating homeless people in bad areas like DC has. But Bowser has perhaps some of the best homeless experts on her team, and they are implementing a promising plan based on best practices. If you could see beyond your initial fear of the unknown and read the data, you'd understand that this makes sense and it won't impact your life, home value, or test scores. Take a deep breath...it's going to be fine.

How about you sign a document for the folks impacted, saying you will take personal responsibility if anyone is personally harmed. You willing to go there?

What exactly are you afraid of?

This will be a FAMILY shelter. The families will consist of a single mother and anywhere from 1 to 3 young children. The average mom has a baby and young child.

Why are you afraid of these families? Do you think a young mom with a baby strapped to her will mug you? Or are you more afraid of her four year old?

You do realize these women can't have men over at the shelter, right?

So we are literally just talking about a young mom who will have her hands full caring for her young children while complying with the shelter rules and program (job search, training, etc.). They won't be hanging outside on the street (against the rules). They have strict curfews.

Seriously, pp: WTF are you afraid of? Exactly how do you envision being harmed?

Folks in Ward 5 and Ward 6 seem to be protesting already. What are they afraid of?

Apparently they are afraid of toddlers with brown skin...because that's the largest group who will be living in the family shelter...briefly.

Nice try but sorry, no. Wards 5/6 happen to be majority AA, they aren't 70%+ white like Wards 2/3.

Well, apparently Ward 5/6 AA residents can be as afraid as Ward 2/3 white ones. Apparently even more afraid, given that they are leading the protests:
http://dcist.com/2016/02/housing.php

Can they not see that this is a must for all wards, to break down infamous DC General? Can you not show a bit of compassion, especially when most of those families and kids are NOT white?

I support closing DC general and creating small shelters but why all over the city and so far away from where they currently are living and enrolled in school and working?

Because all the data points towards this model. There was a great study done in MoCo where families were randomly assigned to housing in two different areas: yuppieville and crappyville. Guess what? The kids who lived in subsidized housing in yuppieville excelled, while the kids left behind in crappyville did not.

If you are attempting to break the cycle of poverty, then you need to put these families in good communities where good behavior is modeled and the kids have an opportunity to succeed.

Copying behavior can go both ways. As much as model behavior can be copied, so can problem behavior be modeled by children already living there. There are studies on this too, but you are trying to ignore any negative statistics and truthful facts to get your program through.

Wrong, pp.

Newsflash: you already have disruptive little shits in your kid's school. They might not have brown skin, so maybe you haven't noticed.

Why can't you understand that you won't have hundreds of kids from the shelter in your school? Babies and toddlers don't go to school.

Why can't you understand that babies and toddlers grow up, and there's no guarantee that the homeless families will overcome current problems and dysfunctionality - in fact many won't. Some of these families will be dependent on shelters and help for years, maybe even entire lifetimes.

Wow, you are all over the place!

Babies and toddlers will not grow up fast enough to enroll in your school if they are in this temporary family shelter. They are aiming for a two month turnover. So that's not a real issue.

Yes, breaking the cycle of poverty takes a lot. The best way to break the cycle is to permanently house these families in great neighborhoods with great schools. Then they have a chance. Data supports this...including the MoCo study.

But you seem to think the best approach is to leave them in the ghetto...so as not to offend you. Let's explore that. What does that say about you? Would you say that out loud? Would you say this to your boss? On a stage at a public forum?

http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/2015/Police-Statistics-Murders-Rapes-Increased-in-Montgomery-County-in-2015/

1. Most victims know their rapist. Date rape is far more common than stranger rape.

2. The vast majority of toddlers living in homeless shelters are not rapists...or murderers. Neither are their mothers.

3. You crazy alarmists are hilarious. This is my favorite dcum thread ever! I'm going to place it on the agenda for my next meeting with policy advocates...because this underscores who the real adversary is: well educated white liberal yuppies.

I am just one of the posters that you are attacking. How rascist if you to assume that we are white yuppies because we don't agree with you? Hmm you sure didn't mind taking all of my money in donations over the years to help homeless causes and organizations. So you will take our money for donations but if we have concerns that we are called rascists?

If you fear FAMILIES, then you have some issues.

If you posted the link and tried to assert that homeless families commit rape and murder, then you are crazy.

If you had hoped that making an annual donation to a provider (not likely...you probably just donated your kids' old clothes and baby gear...cue the slow 80s movie clap) would absolve you of any societal and moral obligation to assist your fellow American by simply not becoming apoplectic at the suggestion of a family shelter somewhere in your zip code, then I guess you were incorrect.

I encourage you to ask questions, learn more about the program, and hold the city accountable in terms of ensuring that the program is of high quality and ultimately successful. Do it! That's the right thing to do.

But throwing rocks out of fear of the unknown isn't cool. You know that, right?

The article was in response to you saying how wonderful MoCo is. I never said homelessness caused an increase in crime but the article was to show that MoCo may not be in as great shape as you say it is. Btw I have given more than clothes and if you did your research you would know that the white yuppies that you seem to hate so much actually are the ones that are funding majority of all of these programs and these foundations and on these boards, so I would stop criticizing them just because they have concerns.

Yes, I know what's what.

I never said MoCo was utopia. Rather, I've pointed out that MoCo has spread housing programs across the county--including Bethesda, an upscale area--without incident. And MoCo was at the center of a longitudinal study that supports the notion of housing people in good areas.

Do you understand the relevance of those comments to this discussion?

Disclosure: I'm a white liberal yuppie. I don't hate all white liberal yuppies. I just find it amusing when they act all progressive and then turn around and signal an alarm when it might potentially impact them.

I encourage you to send a nice letter to the Mayor, Zeilinger and Greenhut to ask for more info.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The faux concern on this thread is nauseating.

A lot of very legitimate questions have been raised in this thread with few answers in response other than the standard "you're a NIMBY and you don't care about the poors."

Maybe some don't, maybe some do but that still doesn't specifically address the concerns being raised. Some have pointed out that this could be as bad or worse of a debacle than DC General already is, some have pointed out that Bowser's concern may be faux and in fact more about developer cronies...

Don't be too sure about what is or isn't faux.

Can you read?!?!

Most of the faux concern/non-issues have been addressed.

You shouldn't be so rude. There at several players relying to you and not just one person as you may think. If someone feels their security is at rush, that their property value will decrease, and that their school performance will diminish, that is their opinion and are valid concerns. Stop being so judgmental!!

Typos. "Several posters" and "security is at risk"

But your home values will be fine, schools will be fine, security will be fine.

You are panicking for no good reason other than fear of the unknown.

We have homeless shelters and housing programs throughout MoCo...including (gasp) Bethesda!

Do you think home values and test scores have gone down? No.

Quick question for the critics: who are you supporting in the election? Must be a republican, otherwise you are a hypocrite.

Please provide data for your adamant statementsbb

I thought I did when I stated that we have homeless shelters and housing programs in BETHESDA...ever heard of it? It's much nicer than the area we're discussing on Wisconsin, with high end housing, top notch schools, etc.

Much nicer? Check your price per square foot comps. A half-mile is much much different than one to four or five doors down. There is a reason this lot is not zoned for this type of building. There was no bidding process on this project. The purchaser of the lot wanted to build a big development, but couldn't due to zoning. Now he can. When the city stops leasing the property from him, he will convert it to apartments and will have successfully skirted the zoning laws. For those of you who say you live in the neighborhood, if you live in Glover Park, you do not. Yes, there will be support for a family shelter from the neighborhood, but only for one that zoning allows.

Sigh.

Yes, pp. We all realize that you paid a ridiculous premium to live in that part of DC...but overpaying for a hood with so-so schools just to be in DC doesn't make the area better than Bethesda. In fact, lots of people flee the city for the better schools and more kid-friendly environs of the burbs.

But let's not get sidetracked.

The point is that MoCo has done a superior job of dispersing housing programs across the county as opposed to segregating homeless people in bad areas like DC has. But Bowser has perhaps some of the best homeless experts on her team, and they are implementing a promising plan based on best practices. If you could see beyond your initial fear of the unknown and read the data, you'd understand that this makes sense and it won't impact your life, home value, or test scores. Take a deep breath...it's going to be fine.

How about you sign a document for the folks impacted, saying you will take personal responsibility if anyone is personally harmed. You willing to go there?

What exactly are you afraid of?

This will be a FAMILY shelter. The families will consist of a single mother and anywhere from 1 to 3 young children. The average mom has a baby and young child.

Why are you afraid of these families? Do you think a young mom with a baby strapped to her will mug you? Or are you more afraid of her four year old?

You do realize these women can't have men over at the shelter, right?

So we are literally just talking about a young mom who will have her hands full caring for her young children while complying with the shelter rules and program (job search, training, etc.). They won't be hanging outside on the street (against the rules). They have strict curfews.

Seriously, pp: WTF are you afraid of? Exactly how do you envision being harmed?

Folks in Ward 5 and Ward 6 seem to be protesting already. What are they afraid of?

Apparently they are afraid of toddlers with brown skin...because that's the largest group who will be living in the family shelter...briefly.

Nice try but sorry, no. Wards 5/6 happen to be majority AA, they aren't 70%+ white like Wards 2/3.

Well, apparently Ward 5/6 AA residents can be as afraid as Ward 2/3 white ones. Apparently even more afraid, given that they are leading the protests:
http://dcist.com/2016/02/housing.php

Can they not see that this is a must for all wards, to break down infamous DC General? Can you not show a bit of compassion, especially when most of those families and kids are NOT white?

I support closing DC general and creating small shelters but why all over the city and so far away from where they currently are living and enrolled in school and working?

Because all the data points towards this model. There was a great study done in MoCo where families were randomly assigned to housing in two different areas: yuppieville and crappyville. Guess what? The kids who lived in subsidized housing in yuppieville excelled, while the kids left behind in crappyville did not.

If you are attempting to break the cycle of poverty, then you need to put these families in good communities where good behavior is modeled and the kids have an opportunity to succeed.

Copying behavior can go both ways. As much as model behavior can be copied, so can problem behavior be modeled by children already living there. There are studies on this too, but you are trying to ignore any negative statistics and truthful facts to get your program through.

Wrong, pp.

Newsflash: you already have disruptive little shits in your kid's school. They might not have brown skin, so maybe you haven't noticed.

Why can't you understand that you won't have hundreds of kids from the shelter in your school? Babies and toddlers don't go to school.

Why can't you understand that babies and toddlers grow up, and there's no guarantee that the homeless families will overcome current problems and dysfunctionality - in fact many won't. Some of these families will be dependent on shelters and help for years, maybe even entire lifetimes.

Wow, you are all over the place!

Babies and toddlers will not grow up fast enough to enroll in your school if they are in this temporary family shelter. They are aiming for a two month turnover. So that's not a real issue.

Yes, breaking the cycle of poverty takes a lot. The best way to break the cycle is to permanently house these families in great neighborhoods with great schools. Then they have a chance. Data supports this...including the MoCo study.

But you seem to think the best approach is to leave them in the ghetto...so as not to offend you. Let's explore that. What does that say about you? Would you say that out loud? Would you say this to your boss? On a stage at a public forum?

http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/2015/Police-Statistics-Murders-Rapes-Increased-in-Montgomery-County-in-2015/

1. Most victims know their rapist. Date rape is far more common than stranger rape.

2. The vast majority of toddlers living in homeless shelters are not rapists...or murderers. Neither are their mothers.

3. You crazy alarmists are hilarious. This is my favorite dcum thread ever! I'm going to place it on the agenda for my next meeting with policy advocates...because this underscores who the real adversary is: well educated white liberal yuppies.

I am just one of the posters that you are attacking. How rascist if you to assume that we are white yuppies because we don't agree with you? Hmm you sure didn't mind taking all of my money in donations over the years to help homeless causes and organizations. So you will take our money for donations but if we have concerns that we are called rascists?

If you fear FAMILIES, then you have some issues.

If you posted the link and tried to assert that homeless families commit rape and murder, then you are crazy.

If you had hoped that making an annual donation to a provider (not likely...you probably just donated your kids' old clothes and baby gear...cue the slow 80s movie clap) would absolve you of any societal and moral obligation to assist your fellow American by simply not becoming apoplectic at the suggestion of a family shelter somewhere in your zip code, then I guess you were incorrect.

I encourage you to ask questions, learn more about the program, and hold the city accountable in terms of ensuring that the program is of high quality and ultimately successful. Do it! That's the right thing to do.

But throwing rocks out of fear of the unknown isn't cool. You know that, right?

The article was in response to you saying how wonderful MoCo is. I never said homelessness caused an increase in crime but the article was to show that MoCo may not be in as great shape as you say it is. Btw I have given more than clothes and if you did your research you would know that the white yuppies that you seem to hate so much actually are the ones that are funding majority of all of these programs and these foundations and on these boards, so I would stop criticizing them just because they have concerns.

Yes, I know what's what.

I never said MoCo was utopia. Rather, I've pointed out that MoCo has spread housing programs across the county--including Bethesda, an upscale area--without incident. And MoCo was at the center of a longitudinal study that supports the notion of housing people in good areas.

Do you understand the relevance of those comments to this discussion?

Disclosure: I'm a white liberal yuppie. I don't hate all white liberal yuppies. I just find it amusing when they act all progressive and then turn around and signal an alarm when it might potentially impact them.

I encourage you to send a nice letter to the Mayor, Zeilinger and Greenhut to ask for more info.

I give money lots without saying or pretending I am anything but what I am and they sure have no problem cashing my checks! I certainly don't think the homeless advocates would want you out here promoting the idea that if we are not on board with all of your ideas we get attacked because you will lose support and donations with that approach. Btw you have posted non-stop about how wonderful MoCo is and I posted an article showing there is an increase in crime. You can't prove what caused the crime can you? Neither can I but it should be part of the conversation about MoCo of that is your ideal model.

[Anonymous]

...we get it, pp. You clearly fear low-income women and toddlers. You might want to raise this with your therapist.

[Anonymous]

Listen, pp. I'll try to break this down for you again without being flip, but you really need to try to read it, comprehend it and keep an open mind.

1. The only points I've made about MoCo are the following (peppered with some new ones in an effort to provide context): MoCo was an early adopter of housing first, so it's ahead of dc in terms of addressing homelessness in terms of using data driven best practices; of course, MoCo has a much smaller homeless population compared to dc (but the issues and barriers are the same; and dc has a much larger tax base equipped to fund services); MoCo implemented inclusionary zoning practices in the early 70s in an effort to create affordable housing (and it's considered a model across the nation); MoCo didn't segregate housing programs in poor areas--in fact, they have programs in affluent areas including Bethesda; a longitudinal study conducted in MoCo documented the success of housing families in good school districts.

2. I didn't post any of that to brag. Rather, I hoped that it might allay fears about housing families in good school districts.

3. Your link focuses squarely on murder and rape. Women and young children are more likely to be victims than perpetrators of such violent crimes...so I'm stumped as to why you think that link is relevant to a discussion about temporarily housing families comprised of women and young children in an area.

4. You need not accept this program. You are welcome to advocate against it...this is America. But I would encourage you to tread lightly. Educate yourself before you throw rocks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The faux concern on this thread is nauseating.

A lot of very legitimate questions have been raised in this thread with few answers in response other than the standard "you're a NIMBY and you don't care about the poors."

Maybe some don't, maybe some do but that still doesn't specifically address the concerns being raised. Some have pointed out that this could be as bad or worse of a debacle than DC General already is, some have pointed out that Bowser's concern may be faux and in fact more about developer cronies...

Don't be too sure about what is or isn't faux.

Can you read?!?!

Most of the faux concern/non-issues have been addressed.

You shouldn't be so rude. There at several players relying to you and not just one person as you may think. If someone feels their security is at rush, that their property value will decrease, and that their school performance will diminish, that is their opinion and are valid concerns. Stop being so judgmental!!

Typos. "Several posters" and "security is at risk"

But your home values will be fine, schools will be fine, security will be fine.

You are panicking for no good reason other than fear of the unknown.

We have homeless shelters and housing programs throughout MoCo...including (gasp) Bethesda!

Do you think home values and test scores have gone down? No.

Quick question for the critics: who are you supporting in the election? Must be a republican, otherwise you are a hypocrite.

Please provide data for your adamant statementsbb

I thought I did when I stated that we have homeless shelters and housing programs in BETHESDA...ever heard of it? It's much nicer than the area we're discussing on Wisconsin, with high end housing, top notch schools, etc.

Much nicer? Check your price per square foot comps. A half-mile is much much different than one to four or five doors down. There is a reason this lot is not zoned for this type of building. There was no bidding process on this project. The purchaser of the lot wanted to build a big development, but couldn't due to zoning. Now he can. When the city stops leasing the property from him, he will convert it to apartments and will have successfully skirted the zoning laws. For those of you who say you live in the neighborhood, if you live in Glover Park, you do not. Yes, there will be support for a family shelter from the neighborhood, but only for one that zoning allows.

Sigh.

Yes, pp. We all realize that you paid a ridiculous premium to live in that part of DC...but overpaying for a hood with so-so schools just to be in DC doesn't make the area better than Bethesda. In fact, lots of people flee the city for the better schools and more kid-friendly environs of the burbs.

But let's not get sidetracked.

The point is that MoCo has done a superior job of dispersing housing programs across the county as opposed to segregating homeless people in bad areas like DC has. But Bowser has perhaps some of the best homeless experts on her team, and they are implementing a promising plan based on best practices. If you could see beyond your initial fear of the unknown and read the data, you'd understand that this makes sense and it won't impact your life, home value, or test scores. Take a deep breath...it's going to be fine.

How about you sign a document for the folks impacted, saying you will take personal responsibility if anyone is personally harmed. You willing to go there?

What exactly are you afraid of?

This will be a FAMILY shelter. The families will consist of a single mother and anywhere from 1 to 3 young children. The average mom has a baby and young child.

Why are you afraid of these families? Do you think a young mom with a baby strapped to her will mug you? Or are you more afraid of her four year old?

You do realize these women can't have men over at the shelter, right?

So we are literally just talking about a young mom who will have her hands full caring for her young children while complying with the shelter rules and program (job search, training, etc.). They won't be hanging outside on the street (against the rules). They have strict curfews.

Seriously, pp: WTF are you afraid of? Exactly how do you envision being harmed?

Folks in Ward 5 and Ward 6 seem to be protesting already. What are they afraid of?

Apparently they are afraid of toddlers with brown skin...because that's the largest group who will be living in the family shelter...briefly.

Nice try but sorry, no. Wards 5/6 happen to be majority AA, they aren't 70%+ white like Wards 2/3.

Well, apparently Ward 5/6 AA residents can be as afraid as Ward 2/3 white ones. Apparently even more afraid, given that they are leading the protests:
http://dcist.com/2016/02/housing.php

Can they not see that this is a must for all wards, to break down infamous DC General? Can you not show a bit of compassion, especially when most of those families and kids are NOT white?

I support closing DC general and creating small shelters but why all over the city and so far away from where they currently are living and enrolled in school and working?

Because all the data points towards this model. There was a great study done in MoCo where families were randomly assigned to housing in two different areas: yuppieville and crappyville. Guess what? The kids who lived in subsidized housing in yuppieville excelled, while the kids left behind in crappyville did not.

If you are attempting to break the cycle of poverty, then you need to put these families in good communities where good behavior is modeled and the kids have an opportunity to succeed.

In other words, only gentrification will save us, helping build "good communities where good behavior is modeled and the kids have an opportunity to succeed."

Agreed.

Now, can Bowser get enough votes if she runs on that platform?

Wait, what? I thought gentrification was supposed to be the great evil that somehow caused segregation and homelessness. Now we're saying it's the solution?

[Anonymous]

DC wasn't "segregated" - it was overwhelmingly majority AA and AA run. Gentrification didn't cause the problems - they were already there. Whites suddenly became a convenient excuse and scapegoat for decades of pre-existing problems. [i]

Did you move to DC yesterday? Ugh. I don't quite grasp why folks believe that this problem is the fault of the AA middle class abandoning the city. This is a city/community problem. If you don't want to buy into the city's history (both AA and white middle class left the city), then don't live here.

I live near the proposed site for Ward 3 and don't like the real estate versionof bait and switch of the shelter (developer and the administration collude to circumvent current zoning laws). The city should build an appropriately sized shelter on the site, not as a giveaway for a developer unable to build luxury condos on the site as now zoned, but will do so in ten years when the lease expires.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Alexandria City does the mixed use housing with mixed results. The presence of public housing units does keep prices lower in the market rate properties compared to similar properties without public housing units.

Unfortunately, it is the reality of the new economy that people cannot earn enough to provide housing for themselves, particularly when they have children they cannot afford to raise. The government must step in to provide shelter or the related social,problems will only grow worse

Those who benefit from the economy are subsidizing those who do not. It is very simple and a reality that will never be changed.

Yep.

Decades and decades of segregated housing and ignoring the plight of lie income African Americans in DC has yielded a crisis. Truly.

Fortunately, Mayor Bowser gets it and is attempting to fix the problem.

DC wasn't "segregated" - it was overwhelmingly majority AA and AA run. Gentrification didn't cause the problems - they were already there. Whites suddenly became a convenient excuse and scapegoat for decades of pre-existing problems.

Oy vey...I don't have time to break this down for you.

In short: zoning laws were historically driven by racism and classism. It's a thing. Google it.

I know that you know that generational poverty exists in the bad areas of DC that you would never live. And you realize that those areas have high crime, bad schools, poor housing stock, etc. Google food deserts.

Now google opportunity zones.

And stop painting white yuppies as victims. Jesus. If you don't want to live near brown people, then move to Chevy Chase View in Kensington. Literally everyone is white, catholic and republican. You'll love it there, but you'll need some money to afford a $1.3 million home. Home prices are high to keep out the riff raff...see how that works?

Yeah, it's a "thing" in some places but here in DC you are at total odds with actual facts and history. The fact is the city has been AA run since the late 1960s. No matter how badly you want to, you cannot retroactively blame the white yuppies who only arrived a few years ago for the past 50 years of bad zoning laws, bad schools, poor housing stocks, food deserts, crime, and the last couple generations worth of multigenerational poverty in DC. It was blacks - not whites - who had the power and position and opportunity and ability to change all that, had they wanted to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
DC wasn't "segregated" - it was overwhelmingly majority AA and AA run. Gentrification didn't cause the problems - they were already there. Whites suddenly became a convenient excuse and scapegoat for decades of pre-existing problems. [i]

Did you move to DC yesterday? Ugh. I don't quite grasp why folks believe that this problem is the fault of the AA middle class abandoning the city. This is a city/community problem. If you don't want to buy into the city's history (both AA and white middle class left the city), then don't live here.

I live near the proposed site for Ward 3 and don't like the real estate versionof bait and switch of the shelter (developer and the administration collude to circumvent current zoning laws). The city should build an appropriately sized shelter on the site, not as a giveaway for a developer unable to build luxury condos on the site as now zoned, but will do so in ten years when the lease expires.

That's a legitimate gripe and it calls the program into question. But I don't see how that has anything to do with the specious notion that we should be blaming middle class families moving into the city for all of its ills. The problem has more to do with greedy developers than it does with middle class families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Alexandria City does the mixed use housing with mixed results. The presence of public housing units does keep prices lower in the market rate properties compared to similar properties without public housing units.

Unfortunately, it is the reality of the new economy that people cannot earn enough to provide housing for themselves, particularly when they have children they cannot afford to raise. The government must step in to provide shelter or the related social,problems will only grow worse

Those who benefit from the economy are subsidizing those who do not. It is very simple and a reality that will never be changed.

Yep.

Decades and decades of segregated housing and ignoring the plight of lie income African Americans in DC has yielded a crisis. Truly.

Fortunately, Mayor Bowser gets it and is attempting to fix the problem.

DC wasn't "segregated" - it was overwhelmingly majority AA and AA run. Gentrification didn't cause the problems - they were already there. Whites suddenly became a convenient excuse and scapegoat for decades of pre-existing problems.

Oy vey...I don't have time to break this down for you.

In short: zoning laws were historically driven by racism and classism. It's a thing. Google it.

I know that you know that generational poverty exists in the bad areas of DC that you would never live. And you realize that those areas have high crime, bad schools, poor housing stock, etc. Google food deserts.

Now google opportunity zones.

And stop painting white yuppies as victims. Jesus. If you don't want to live near brown people, then move to Chevy Chase View in Kensington. Literally everyone is white, catholic and republican. You'll love it there, but you'll need some money to afford a $1.3 million home. Home prices are high to keep out the riff raff...see how that works?

Yeah, it's a "thing" in some places but here in DC you are at total odds with actual facts and history. The fact is the city has been AA run since the late 1960s. No matter how badly you want to, you cannot retroactively blame the white yuppies who only arrived a few years ago for the past 50 years of bad zoning laws, bad schools, poor housing stocks, food deserts, crime, and the last couple generations worth of multigenerational poverty in DC. It was blacks - not whites - who had the power and position and opportunity and ability to change all that, had they wanted to.

Sigh.

The bad areas of DC have been ignored for decades. Generations, actually. Fact.

I'm not placing the blame squarely on white yuppies, but you are naive if you think the city leaders haven't pandered to white yuppies and corporate interests.

The fact of the matter is that Bowser is the first mayor to proactively address homelessness by throwing money at the problem. She has a great team in place and I'm optimistic that her efforts will be successful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
DC wasn't "segregated" - it was overwhelmingly majority AA and AA run. Gentrification didn't cause the problems - they were already there. Whites suddenly became a convenient excuse and scapegoat for decades of pre-existing problems. [i]

Did you move to DC yesterday? Ugh. I don't quite grasp why folks believe that this problem is the fault of the AA middle class abandoning the city. This is a city/community problem. If you don't want to buy into the city's history (both AA and white middle class left the city), then don't live here.

I live near the proposed site for Ward 3 and don't like the real estate version of bait and switch of the shelter (developer and the administration collude to circumvent current zoning laws). The city should build an appropriately sized shelter on the site, not as a giveaway for a developer unable to build luxury condos on the site as now zoned, but will do so in ten years when the lease expires.

That's a legitimate gripe and it calls the program into question. But I don't see how that has anything to do with the specious notion that we should be blaming middle class families moving into the city for all of its ills. The problem has more to do with greedy developers than it does with middle class families.

Different poster here, let me say that some folks on DCUM seem to have a very selective view of "the city's history."

What some vilify as "gentrification" is little other than going back to long-term normal--after a period of abnormal violence and poverty rates.

Example: Percentage of blacks as % of the city population...

1870 33.00%
1880 33.60%
1890 32.80%
1900 31.10%
1910 28.50%
1920 25.10%
1930 27.10%
1940 28.20%
1950 35.00%
1960 53.90%
1970 71.10%
1980 70.30%
1990 65.80%
2000 60.00%
2010 50.70%
2014 49.00%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The faux concern on this thread is nauseating.

A lot of very legitimate questions have been raised in this thread with few answers in response other than the standard "you're a NIMBY and you don't care about the poors."

Maybe some don't, maybe some do but that still doesn't specifically address the concerns being raised. Some have pointed out that this could be as bad or worse of a debacle than DC General already is, some have pointed out that Bowser's concern may be faux and in fact more about developer cronies...

Don't be too sure about what is or isn't faux.

Can you read?!?!

Most of the faux concern/non-issues have been addressed.

You shouldn't be so rude. There at several players relying to you and not just one person as you may think. If someone feels their security is at rush, that their property value will decrease, and that their school performance will diminish, that is their opinion and are valid concerns. Stop being so judgmental!!

Typos. "Several posters" and "security is at risk"

But your home values will be fine, schools will be fine, security will be fine.

You are panicking for no good reason other than fear of the unknown.

We have homeless shelters and housing programs throughout MoCo...including (gasp) Bethesda!

Do you think home values and test scores have gone down? No.

Quick question for the critics: who are you supporting in the election? Must be a republican, otherwise you are a hypocrite.

Please provide data for your adamant statementsbb

I thought I did when I stated that we have homeless shelters and housing programs in BETHESDA...ever heard of it? It's much nicer than the area we're discussing on Wisconsin, with high end housing, top notch schools, etc.

Much nicer? Check your price per square foot comps. A half-mile is much much different than one to four or five doors down. There is a reason this lot is not zoned for this type of building. There was no bidding process on this project. The purchaser of the lot wanted to build a big development, but couldn't due to zoning. Now he can. When the city stops leasing the property from him, he will convert it to apartments and will have successfully skirted the zoning laws. For those of you who say you live in the neighborhood, if you live in Glover Park, you do not. Yes, there will be support for a family shelter from the neighborhood, but only for one that zoning allows.

Sigh.

Yes, pp. We all realize that you paid a ridiculous premium to live in that part of DC...but overpaying for a hood with so-so schools just to be in DC doesn't make the area better than Bethesda. In fact, lots of people flee the city for the better schools and more kid-friendly environs of the burbs.

But let's not get sidetracked.

The point is that MoCo has done a superior job of dispersing housing programs across the county as opposed to segregating homeless people in bad areas like DC has. But Bowser has perhaps some of the best homeless experts on her team, and they are implementing a promising plan based on best practices. If you could see beyond your initial fear of the unknown and read the data, you'd understand that this makes sense and it won't impact your life, home value, or test scores. Take a deep breath...it's going to be fine.

How about you sign a document for the folks impacted, saying you will take personal responsibility if anyone is personally harmed. You willing to go there?

What exactly are you afraid of?

This will be a FAMILY shelter. The families will consist of a single mother and anywhere from 1 to 3 young children. The average mom has a baby and young child.

Why are you afraid of these families? Do you think a young mom with a baby strapped to her will mug you? Or are you more afraid of her four year old?

You do realize these women can't have men over at the shelter, right?

So we are literally just talking about a young mom who will have her hands full caring for her young children while complying with the shelter rules and program (job search, training, etc.). They won't be hanging outside on the street (against the rules). They have strict curfews.

Seriously, pp: WTF are you afraid of? Exactly how do you envision being harmed?

Are you willing to reimburse folks if their property value drops? If there is theft? If their children are impacted in the schools?

Your home value will not decline unless you live next door to it...possibly. Down the street or around the corner? Not an issue.

I've explained a million times that schools won't be impacted. Apparently you can't read.

Theft? Who will steal? The mom who is busy participating in shelter programs and has a strict curfew, or her toddler?

Again: what are you really afraid of? The red herrings you keep throwing aren't real issues.

So then you will take full financial responsibility, correct? You won't go there because you know the risk exists. Otherwise you would have answered straight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The faux concern on this thread is nauseating.

A lot of very legitimate questions have been raised in this thread with few answers in response other than the standard "you're a NIMBY and you don't care about the poors."

Maybe some don't, maybe some do but that still doesn't specifically address the concerns being raised. Some have pointed out that this could be as bad or worse of a debacle than DC General already is, some have pointed out that Bowser's concern may be faux and in fact more about developer cronies...

Don't be too sure about what is or isn't faux.

Can you read?!?!

Most of the faux concern/non-issues have been addressed.

You shouldn't be so rude. There at several players relying to you and not just one person as you may think. If someone feels their security is at rush, that their property value will decrease, and that their school performance will diminish, that is their opinion and are valid concerns. Stop being so judgmental!!

Typos. "Several posters" and "security is at risk"

But your home values will be fine, schools will be fine, security will be fine.

You are panicking for no good reason other than fear of the unknown.

We have homeless shelters and housing programs throughout MoCo...including (gasp) Bethesda!

Do you think home values and test scores have gone down? No.

Quick question for the critics: who are you supporting in the election? Must be a republican, otherwise you are a hypocrite.

Please provide data for your adamant statementsbb

I thought I did when I stated that we have homeless shelters and housing programs in BETHESDA...ever heard of it? It's much nicer than the area we're discussing on Wisconsin, with high end housing, top notch schools, etc.

Much nicer? Check your price per square foot comps. A half-mile is much much different than one to four or five doors down. There is a reason this lot is not zoned for this type of building. There was no bidding process on this project. The purchaser of the lot wanted to build a big development, but couldn't due to zoning. Now he can. When the city stops leasing the property from him, he will convert it to apartments and will have successfully skirted the zoning laws. For those of you who say you live in the neighborhood, if you live in Glover Park, you do not. Yes, there will be support for a family shelter from the neighborhood, but only for one that zoning allows.

Sigh.

Yes, pp. We all realize that you paid a ridiculous premium to live in that part of DC...but overpaying for a hood with so-so schools just to be in DC doesn't make the area better than Bethesda. In fact, lots of people flee the city for the better schools and more kid-friendly environs of the burbs.

But let's not get sidetracked.

The point is that MoCo has done a superior job of dispersing housing programs across the county as opposed to segregating homeless people in bad areas like DC has. But Bowser has perhaps some of the best homeless experts on her team, and they are implementing a promising plan based on best practices. If you could see beyond your initial fear of the unknown and read the data, you'd understand that this makes sense and it won't impact your life, home value, or test scores. Take a deep breath...it's going to be fine.

How about you sign a document for the folks impacted, saying you will take personal responsibility if anyone is personally harmed. You willing to go there?

What exactly are you afraid of?

This will be a FAMILY shelter. The families will consist of a single mother and anywhere from 1 to 3 young children. The average mom has a baby and young child.

Why are you afraid of these families? Do you think a young mom with a baby strapped to her will mug you? Or are you more afraid of her four year old?

You do realize these women can't have men over at the shelter, right?

So we are literally just talking about a young mom who will have her hands full caring for her young children while complying with the shelter rules and program (job search, training, etc.). They won't be hanging outside on the street (against the rules). They have strict curfews.

Seriously, pp: WTF are you afraid of? Exactly how do you envision being harmed?

Are you willing to reimburse folks if their property value drops? If there is theft? If their children are impacted in the schools?

Your home value will not decline unless you live next door to it...possibly. Down the street or around the corner? Not an issue.

I've explained a million times that schools won't be impacted. Apparently you can't read.

Theft? Who will steal? The mom who is busy participating in shelter programs and has a strict curfew, or her toddler?

Again: what are you really afraid of? The red herrings you keep throwing aren't real issues.

So then you will take full financial responsibility, correct? You won't go there because you know the risk exists. Otherwise you would have answered straight.

I've already said I would up thread...but apparently you can't read.

So here it is again: I will take full responsibility for any toddler living in the shelter who murders a local homeowner.

Feel better?

[Anonymous]

^ PP please stop being an ass. The only one talking about toddlers murdering anyone is you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Alexandria City does the mixed use housing with mixed results. The presence of public housing units does keep prices lower in the market rate properties compared to similar properties without public housing units.

Unfortunately, it is the reality of the new economy that people cannot earn enough to provide housing for themselves, particularly when they have children they cannot afford to raise. The government must step in to provide shelter or the related social,problems will only grow worse

Those who benefit from the economy are subsidizing those who do not. It is very simple and a reality that will never be changed.

Yep.

Decades and decades of segregated housing and ignoring the plight of lie income African Americans in DC has yielded a crisis. Truly.

Fortunately, Mayor Bowser gets it and is attempting to fix the problem.

DC wasn't "segregated" - it was overwhelmingly majority AA and AA run. Gentrification didn't cause the problems - they were already there. Whites suddenly became a convenient excuse and scapegoat for decades of pre-existing problems.

Oy vey...I don't have time to break this down for you.

In short: zoning laws were historically driven by racism and classism. It's a thing. Google it.

I know that you know that generational poverty exists in the bad areas of DC that you would never live. And you realize that those areas have high crime, bad schools, poor housing stock, etc. Google food deserts.

Now google opportunity zones.

And stop painting white yuppies as victims. Jesus. If you don't want to live near brown people, then move to Chevy Chase View in Kensington. Literally everyone is white, catholic and republican. You'll love it there, but you'll need some money to afford a $1.3 million home. Home prices are high to keep out the riff raff...see how that works?

Yeah, it's a "thing" in some places but here in DC you are at total odds with actual facts and history. The fact is the city has been AA run since the late 1960s. No matter how badly you want to, you cannot retroactively blame the white yuppies who only arrived a few years ago for the past 50 years of bad zoning laws, bad schools, poor housing stocks, food deserts, crime, and the last couple generations worth of multigenerational poverty in DC. It was blacks - not whites - who had the power and position and opportunity and ability to change all that, had they wanted to.

Sigh.

The bad areas of DC have been ignored for decades. Generations, actually. Fact.

I'm not placing the blame squarely on white yuppies, but you are naive if you think the city leaders haven't pandered to white yuppies and corporate interests.

The fact of the matter is that Bowser is the first mayor to proactively address homelessness by throwing money at the problem. She has a great team in place and I'm optimistic that her efforts will be successful.

Ignored for the past 50 years by black administrations, who for decades didn't exactly have white yuppies or corporate interests to pander to in the first place.

Great that Bowser wants to do something about it but there's more to it than just throwing money at the problem, there's more to it than just randomly slicing DC General up and transplanting sections of it to different wards. Not to mention, crony developers with their hands in the pie looking to further their own interests... Thus far that's all the plan seems to describe. Maybe she's well-intentioned but I just don't share your optimism.