Dumpsters overflow with trash, discarded PPE at DC quarantine site On Connecticut Ave

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anybody know the locations of the other four quarantine sites?

Bowser won’t say. “DC confidential.”

[Anonymous]

If I were one of the many small businesses owners on that block I’d be in a rage. Like they don’t have enough to deal with. It’s almost like the Mayor is trying to put them out of business so UDC can extend their land grab to the North and make the Days Inn the UDC dorm they crave so much. Hmmm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Post did a story about this very block and it’s struggles. And just two weeks later the mayor decides to drop a quarantine shelter on them? She just drove the nail into the coffin of half a dozen small businesses. Madness.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/04/01/one-block-more-than-120-jobs-lost/?arc404=true

Strange. Just across the street is Park Van Ness, the (unusually well done) example of the density that the mayor wants to push everywhere. Why punish them? I guess that, unlike other developers, BF Saul hasn’t sent fat contributions the mayor’s way.

One of the biggest problems that the Van Ness area faces is dealing with UDC. They keep snapping up real estate but then doing nothing with it so we have those huge vacant spots. They refuse to work with the community. I really don't understand why they have so much clout. I'm all for a functioning community college or real one but the amount of money that is spent on UDC for so few students boggles the mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Councilmember Cheh's statement was good. I am genuinely floored that she found out about the shelter through a chance interview. Amazing. The Mayor really hold zero regard for anyone not lining her pockets.

Update in the Forest Hills Connection too https://www.foresthillsconnection.com/news/the-van-ness-days-inn-is-one-of-the-districts-covid-19-quarantine-sites/

[Anonymous]

It’s amazing how poorly handled this was. This was like 1980 DC at work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Councilmember Cheh's statement was good. I am genuinely floored that she found out about the shelter through a chance interview. Amazing. The Mayor really hold zero regard for anyone not lining her pockets.

Update in the Forest Hills Connection too https://www.foresthillsconnection.com/news/the-van-ness-days-inn-is-one-of-the-districts-covid-19-quarantine-sites/

So basically it sounds like all that the city is providing is a paid for hotel room to quarantine in and nothing else. The hotel (Days Inn) is actually still running itself and taking care of guest relations. There is no oversite from the city. The hotel probably has a contracted rate that pays for 100% occupancy seven days a week for the term of the contract, but nothing else. The hotel is probably scrambling for PPE and they certainly don't care if their employee is going to Burger King for lunch.

This is a massive dropped ball by the city that the Mayor probably feels is 100% not her responsibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s amazing how poorly handled this was. This was like 1980 DC at work.

Yup. With this mayor, there are many comparisons to 1980s DC, none of them flattering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Councilmember Cheh's statement was good. I am genuinely floored that she found out about the shelter through a chance interview. Amazing. The Mayor really hold zero regard for anyone not lining her pockets.

Update in the Forest Hills Connection too https://www.foresthillsconnection.com/news/the-van-ness-days-inn-is-one-of-the-districts-covid-19-quarantine-sites/

So basically it sounds like all that the city is providing is a paid for hotel room to quarantine in and nothing else. The hotel (Days Inn) is actually still running itself and taking care of guest relations. There is no oversite from the city. The hotel probably has a contracted rate that pays for 100% occupancy seven days a week for the term of the contract, but nothing else. The hotel is probably scrambling for PPE and they certainly don't care if their employee is going to Burger King for lunch.

This is a massive dropped ball by the city that the Mayor probably feels is 100% not her responsibility.

What is scary is to ask what regard is being given to the people who clean the hotel etc. Also, is this an enforced quarantine or are residents free to wander without escorts. What happens if someone has a mental health break? Who is providing medical/mental health/substance services?
I am not sure how a hotel could be expected to monitor anything. Time for National Guard call-up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Councilmember Cheh's statement was good. I am genuinely floored that she found out about the shelter through a chance interview. Amazing. The Mayor really hold zero regard for anyone not lining her pockets.

Update in the Forest Hills Connection too https://www.foresthillsconnection.com/news/the-van-ness-days-inn-is-one-of-the-districts-covid-19-quarantine-sites/

So basically it sounds like all that the city is providing is a paid for hotel room to quarantine in and nothing else. The hotel (Days Inn) is actually still running itself and taking care of guest relations. There is no oversite from the city. The hotel probably has a contracted rate that pays for 100% occupancy seven days a week for the term of the contract, but nothing else. The hotel is probably scrambling for PPE and they certainly don't care if their employee is going to Burger King for lunch.

This is a massive dropped ball by the city that the Mayor probably feels is 100% not her responsibility.

The details remain to be disclosed. I cannot imagine that there is no one contracted with for the site but Days Inn, at minimum I would expect some public health/behavioral health social worker types to be assigned. We shall see.

I suspect that the workers get one set of PPE per day and thus he did not want to take it off.

The NextDoor has been going crazy with people saying they will avoid all the other businesses in the neighborhod, even Giant, which seems a bit nuts.

[Anonymous]

Lovely evening for a stroll to Thai Pad for take out or to Italian Pizza Kitchen for wings.

One staff person went in Burger King.

Think it is safe to go to BreadFurst and Giant.

And no, it is not a FEMA camp so the Ntl Guard is not involved. If/when you or your family get CV you will not be imprisoned either. If someone needs other medical care, the message said they would be transported to area hospitals. There are firetrucks and ambulances there all the time, so I imagine the hotel guests are receiving care. I would much rather they be taken care of and have a warm, safe place to rest. Would you prefer that they were camped out by the Van Ness metro?

The only outstanding questions seem to be the lax infection controls re: trash, PPE worn to Burger King and how the hotel will be disinfected after this. There have been rumors it may stay in housing stock for the homeless, time will tell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Councilmember Cheh's statement was good. I am genuinely floored that she found out about the shelter through a chance interview. Amazing. The Mayor really hold zero regard for anyone not lining her pockets.

Update in the Forest Hills Connection too https://www.foresthillsconnection.com/news/the-van-ness-days-inn-is-one-of-the-districts-covid-19-quarantine-sites/

So basically it sounds like all that the city is providing is a paid for hotel room to quarantine in and nothing else. The hotel (Days Inn) is actually still running itself and taking care of guest relations. There is no oversite from the city. The hotel probably has a contracted rate that pays for 100% occupancy seven days a week for the term of the contract, but nothing else. The hotel is probably scrambling for PPE and they certainly don't care if their employee is going to Burger King for lunch.

This is a massive dropped ball by the city that the Mayor probably feels is 100% not her responsibility.

The details remain to be disclosed. I cannot imagine that there is no one contracted with for the site but Days Inn, at minimum I would expect some public health/behavioral health social worker types to be assigned. We shall see.

I suspect that the workers get one set of PPE per day and thus he did not want to take it off.

The NextDoor has been going crazy with people saying they will avoid all the other businesses in the neighborhod, even Giant, which seems a bit nuts.

It is very common and all the counties have contracts with hotels for overflow homeless shelters, especially for families. This isn't something new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lovely evening for a stroll to Thai Pad for take out or to Italian Pizza Kitchen for wings.

One staff person went in Burger King.

Think it is safe to go to BreadFurst and Giant.

And no, it is not a FEMA camp so the Ntl Guard is not involved. If/when you or your family get CV you will not be imprisoned either. If someone needs other medical care, the message said they would be transported to area hospitals. There are firetrucks and ambulances there all the time, so I imagine the hotel guests are receiving care. I would much rather they be taken care of and have a warm, safe place to rest. Would you prefer that they were camped out by the Van Ness metro?

The only outstanding questions seem to be the lax infection controls re: trash, PPE worn to Burger King and how the hotel will be disinfected after this. There have been rumors it may stay in housing stock for the homeless, time will tell.

Days Inn has always been known as a homeless shelter. They will probably wash everything, shampoo the carpets and be done with it.

[Anonymous]

So based on the Days Inn ownership statement and having heard nothing from DC city government (shocking I know), there is actually no reason to expect that there is a behavioral health expert at the hotel or anybody else from the DC department of health. If there had been any sort of DC official present, I have no doubt that they would have at least had access to safe practices which they could refer the hotel to.

This sounds more like a case of DC Government stupidity. What is the quote? Never ascribe to malice what can be plainly explained by incompetence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lovely evening for a stroll to Thai Pad for take out or to Italian Pizza Kitchen for wings.

One staff person went in Burger King.

Think it is safe to go to BreadFurst and Giant.

And no, it is not a FEMA camp so the Ntl Guard is not involved. If/when you or your family get CV you will not be imprisoned either. If someone needs other medical care, the message said they would be transported to area hospitals. There are firetrucks and ambulances there all the time, so I imagine the hotel guests are receiving care. I would much rather they be taken care of and have a warm, safe place to rest. Would you prefer that they were camped out by the Van Ness metro?

The only outstanding questions seem to be the lax infection controls re: trash, PPE worn to Burger King and how the hotel will be disinfected after this. There have been rumors it may stay in housing stock for the homeless, time will tell.

Errrr.... don't you remember when everyone flown back from China and quarantined on a military base? We actually can call up the National Guard in DC and use them for helping hands. That's the Mayor's prerogative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So based on the Days Inn ownership statement and having heard nothing from DC city government (shocking I know), there is actually no reason to expect that there is a behavioral health expert at the hotel or anybody else from the DC department of health. If there had been any sort of DC official present, I have no doubt that they would have at least had access to safe practices which they could refer the hotel to.

This sounds more like a case of DC Government stupidity. What is the quote? Never ascribe to malice what can be plainly explained by incompetence.

If they are using PPE's and cleaning, there isn't much more that can be done. All families are assigned a worker, but they probably are just doing phone check ins. Usually the families have to do things like drug testing, job search, etc. but none of that is probably going on right now and everyone is on survival mode.