Bowser Spreads the Wealth opens homeless shelters in each DC ward

[Anonymous]

Ethically speaking, Bowser is turning into Marion you-know-who in a skirt.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe there is already another thread on this, but wasn't there supposed to be a city Council meeting or hearing this morning about this where the mayor was supposed to make her arguments? Did anybody attend or listen in? Any thoughts or comments

There has been a Council hearing going all day. However, while Bowser was there at the beginning, she didn't testify.

It appears that whoever supports the shelters is ignoring the cost and whoever is concerned about the cost is being written off as a NIMBY.

One Update: Grosso has expressed a lack of confidence in the high-cost numbers. According to Tom Sherwood, other CMs are also wary.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe there is already another thread on this, but wasn't there supposed to be a city Council meeting or hearing this morning about this where the mayor was supposed to make her arguments? Did anybody attend or listen in? Any thoughts or comments

There has been a Council hearing going all day. However, while Bowser was there at the beginning, she didn't testify.

It appears that whoever supports the shelters is ignoring the cost and whoever is concerned about the cost is being written off as a NIMBY.

One Update: Grosso has expressed a lack of confidence in the high-cost numbers. According to Tom Sherwood, other CMs are also wary.

The cost must make one pause, I would think. A dorm room with communal toilets and showers is twice the cost of a a flat @ St Albans. How did they think people would respond when they said the need for "durable surfaces" justified the cost?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/homeless-shelter-plan-could-be-profitable-for-bowsers-backers/2016/03/16/cbab0e76-eadc-11e5-b0fd-073d5930a7b7_story.html?hpid=hp_local-news_dchomeless-845pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

and in the article " broad range stems from the fact that the administration chose sites suited for families. He also said the buildings would be unique and require costly amenities such as durable surfaces, since families could be moving multiple times per year, and would include cafeterias and play spaces for children."

Cafeterias for what? At that rent units should have kitchens. WTF play space? Suburban style yards? Note units near woodley park metro are by a DC public school. We saw one building where a whole side of it overlooked the playground. Came with renovated kitchens , balconies, granite, breakfast bar in lobby, washer-dryers in units. Less rent than Bowser.

A charitable organization-Anne Frank House-rents or owns units-http://www.theannefrankhouse.org/
It serves those with chronic mental illness but the model would work far better than Bowser's and many in DC general might be chronically homeless.

Stats on move-outs? Move-ins?

Aren't there good reasons to have a communal dining area and cafeteria? Each unit would need to have a kitchen and dining area, which adds to costruction costs. Furnishing a kitchen is incredibly expensive and would have to be restocked each time a unit was turned over. Kitchens present an increased risk of fire. CFSA can do a better job in ensuring nutritional needs are being met and do it more economically than each family purchasing their own food. A communal area helps families with children socialize so that they don't cocoon in their units and staff can better monitor whether nutritional needs are being met, evidence of substance abuse and neglect, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/homeless-shelter-plan-could-be-profitable-for-bowsers-backers/2016/03/16/cbab0e76-eadc-11e5-b0fd-073d5930a7b7_story.html?hpid=hp_local-news_dchomeless-845pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

and in the article " broad range stems from the fact that the administration chose sites suited for families. He also said the buildings would be unique and require costly amenities such as durable surfaces, since families could be moving multiple times per year, and would include cafeterias and play spaces for children."

Cafeterias for what? At that rent units should have kitchens. WTF play space? Suburban style yards? Note units near woodley park metro are by a DC public school. We saw one building where a whole side of it overlooked the playground. Came with renovated kitchens , balconies, granite, breakfast bar in lobby, washer-dryers in units. Less rent than Bowser.

A charitable organization-Anne Frank House-rents or owns units-http://www.theannefrankhouse.org/
It serves those with chronic mental illness but the model would work far better than Bowser's and many in DC general might be chronically homeless.

Stats on move-outs? Move-ins?

Aren't there good reasons to have a communal dining area and cafeteria? Each unit would need to have a kitchen and dining area, which adds to costruction costs. Furnishing a kitchen is incredibly expensive and would have to be restocked each time a unit was turned over. Kitchens present an increased risk of fire. CFSA can do a better job in ensuring nutritional needs are being met and do it more economically than each family purchasing their own food. A communal area helps families with children socialize so that they don't cocoon in their units and staff can better monitor whether nutritional needs are being met, evidence of substance abuse and neglect, etc.

Where did you get the idea that each unit would include a well stocked kitchen? Source? Even if that were true, the cost is completely unjustified. Please think through what you seem to be suggesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/homeless-shelter-plan-could-be-profitable-for-bowsers-backers/2016/03/16/cbab0e76-eadc-11e5-b0fd-073d5930a7b7_story.html?hpid=hp_local-news_dchomeless-845pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

and in the article " broad range stems from the fact that the administration chose sites suited for families. He also said the buildings would be unique and require costly amenities such as durable surfaces, since families could be moving multiple times per year, and would include cafeterias and play spaces for children."

Cafeterias for what? At that rent units should have kitchens. WTF play space? Suburban style yards? Note units near woodley park metro are by a DC public school. We saw one building where a whole side of it overlooked the playground. Came with renovated kitchens , balconies, granite, breakfast bar in lobby, washer-dryers in units. Less rent than Bowser.

A charitable organization-Anne Frank House-rents or owns units-http://www.theannefrankhouse.org/
It serves those with chronic mental illness but the model would work far better than Bowser's and many in DC general might be chronically homeless.

Stats on move-outs? Move-ins?

Aren't there good reasons to have a communal dining area and cafeteria? Each unit would need to have a kitchen and dining area, which adds to costruction costs. Furnishing a kitchen is incredibly expensive and would have to be restocked each time a unit was turned over. Kitchens present an increased risk of fire. CFSA can do a better job in ensuring nutritional needs are being met and do it more economically than each family purchasing their own food. A communal area helps families with children socialize so that they don't cocoon in their units and staff can better monitor whether nutritional needs are being met, evidence of substance abuse and neglect, etc.

Please. The families can't piss or bathe in privacy so "they don't cocoon in their units"!? When your four year old needs to use the bathroom @ 4 AM, do you have to wake all your other children and have them to accompany you to the communal bathroom lest they wake up (or be left alone in the room)?

You make me laugh at your naïveté on how kitchens would "add[s] to the construction costs." The city is not including private bathrooms in order to evade zoning restrictions- that's Bowser putting the developers' ahead of families' well-being.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/homeless-shelter-plan-could-be-profitable-for-bowsers-backers/2016/03/16/cbab0e76-eadc-11e5-b0fd-073d5930a7b7_story.html?hpid=hp_local-news_dchomeless-845pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

and in the article " broad range stems from the fact that the administration chose sites suited for families. He also said the buildings would be unique and require costly amenities such as durable surfaces, since families could be moving multiple times per year, and would include cafeterias and play spaces for children."

Cafeterias for what? At that rent units should have kitchens. WTF play space? Suburban style yards? Note units near woodley park metro are by a DC public school. We saw one building where a whole side of it overlooked the playground. Came with renovated kitchens , balconies, granite, breakfast bar in lobby, washer-dryers in units. Less rent than Bowser.

A charitable organization-Anne Frank House-rents or owns units-http://www.theannefrankhouse.org/
It serves those with chronic mental illness but the model would work far better than Bowser's and many in DC general might be chronically homeless.

Stats on move-outs? Move-ins?

Aren't there good reasons to have a communal dining area and cafeteria? Each unit would need to have a kitchen and dining area, which adds to costruction costs. Furnishing a kitchen is incredibly expensive and would have to be restocked each time a unit was turned over. Kitchens present an increased risk of fire. CFSA can do a better job in ensuring nutritional needs are being met and do it more economically than each family purchasing their own food. A communal area helps families with children socialize so that they don't cocoon in their units and staff can better monitor whether nutritional needs are being met, evidence of substance abuse and neglect, etc.

Please. The families can't piss or bathe in privacy so "they don't cocoon in their units"!? When your four year old needs to use the bathroom @ 4 AM, do you have to wake all your other children and have them to accompany you to the communal bathroom lest they wake up (or be left alone in the room)?

You make me laugh at your naïveté on how kitchens would "add[s] to the construction costs." The city is not including private bathrooms in order to evade zoning restrictions- that's Bowser putting the developers' ahead of families' well-being.

Agree re: naïveté. I think perhaps PP hasn't spent much time yet paying her own rent/mortgage. She would know how out of line these numbers are.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe there is already another thread on this, but wasn't there supposed to be a city Council meeting or hearing this morning about this where the mayor was supposed to make her arguments? Did anybody attend or listen in? Any thoughts or comments

There has been a Council hearing going all day. However, while Bowser was there at the beginning, she didn't testify.

It appears that whoever supports the shelters is ignoring the cost and whoever is concerned about the cost is being written off as a NIMBY.

One Update: Grosso has expressed a lack of confidence in the high-cost numbers. According to Tom Sherwood, other CMs are also wary.

Meaning what? That they are happily assuming that the costs will just be lower? Meaning that they can eat lots of cake and lose weight at the same time?

[Anonymous]

$300 million: No private bathrooms, kitchens, utilities, wrap-around, or government owned-properties. Bowser's developers are going to make a fortune in this "pay to play" deal. I would prefer my money to actually go to helping the homeless, not rich developers.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe there is already another thread on this, but wasn't there supposed to be a city Council meeting or hearing this morning about this where the mayor was supposed to make her arguments? Did anybody attend or listen in? Any thoughts or comments

There has been a Council hearing going all day. However, while Bowser was there at the beginning, she didn't testify.

It appears that whoever supports the shelters is ignoring the cost and whoever is concerned about the cost is being written off as a NIMBY.

One Update: Grosso has expressed a lack of confidence in the high-cost numbers. According to Tom Sherwood, other CMs are also wary.

Meaning what? That they are happily assuming that the costs will just be lower? Meaning that they can eat lots of cake and lose weight at the same time?

No, the opposite. Grosso was pretty explicit that the budget has some place holders for construction costs that the Administration says can't be filled in at this time. Grosso says he has never seen a placeholder turn out to be lower than expected. He thinks the budget, as high as it is, is likely to go higher. He also thinks the proposed deals are not very good. Check out his Twitter feed to see for yourself: https://twitter.com/cmdgrosso

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe there is already another thread on this, but wasn't there supposed to be a city Council meeting or hearing this morning about this where the mayor was supposed to make her arguments? Did anybody attend or listen in? Any thoughts or comments

There has been a Council hearing going all day. However, while Bowser was there at the beginning, she didn't testify.

It appears that whoever supports the shelters is ignoring the cost and whoever is concerned about the cost is being written off as a NIMBY.

One Update: Grosso has expressed a lack of confidence in the high-cost numbers. According to Tom Sherwood, other CMs are also wary.

Meaning what? That they are happily assuming that the costs will just be lower? Meaning that they can eat lots of cake and lose weight at the same time?

No, the opposite. Grosso was pretty explicit that the budget has some place holders for construction costs that the Administration says can't be filled in at this time. Grosso says he has never seen a placeholder turn out to be lower than expected. He thinks the budget, as high as it is, is likely to go higher. He also thinks the proposed deals are not very good. Check out his Twitter feed to see for yourself: https://twitter.com/cmdgrosso

Thanks. Just did. DC is a great city, but it still has major challenges. It needs its citizens being outraged when appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/homeless-shelter-plan-could-be-profitable-for-bowsers-backers/2016/03/16/cbab0e76-eadc-11e5-b0fd-073d5930a7b7_story.html?hpid=hp_local-news_dchomeless-845pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

and in the article " broad range stems from the fact that the administration chose sites suited for families. He also said the buildings would be unique and require costly amenities such as durable surfaces, since families could be moving multiple times per year, and would include cafeterias and play spaces for children."

Cafeterias for what? At that rent units should have kitchens. WTF play space? Suburban style yards? Note units near woodley park metro are by a DC public school. We saw one building where a whole side of it overlooked the playground. Came with renovated kitchens , balconies, granite, breakfast bar in lobby, washer-dryers in units. Less rent than Bowser.

A charitable organization-Anne Frank House-rents or owns units-http://www.theannefrankhouse.org/
It serves those with chronic mental illness but the model would work far better than Bowser's and many in DC general might be chronically homeless.

Stats on move-outs? Move-ins?

Aren't there good reasons to have a communal dining area and cafeteria? Each unit would need to have a kitchen and dining area, which adds to costruction costs. Furnishing a kitchen is incredibly expensive and would have to be restocked each time a unit was turned over. Kitchens present an increased risk of fire. CFSA can do a better job in ensuring nutritional needs are being met and do it more economically than each family purchasing their own food. A communal area helps families with children socialize so that they don't cocoon in their units and staff can better monitor whether nutritional needs are being met, evidence of substance abuse and neglect, etc.

Please. The families can't piss or bathe in privacy so "they don't cocoon in their units"!? When your four year old needs to use the bathroom @ 4 AM, do you have to wake all your other children and have them to accompany you to the communal bathroom lest they wake up (or be left alone in the room)?

You make me laugh at your naïveté on how kitchens would "add[s] to the construction costs." The city is not including private bathrooms in order to evade zoning restrictions- that's Bowser putting the developers' ahead of families' well-being.

Agree re: naïveté. I think perhaps PP hasn't spent much time yet paying her own rent/mortgage. She would know how out of line these numbers are.

I think perhaps in your haste to be a bitch you failed to recognize that I did not offer my opinion about the reasonableness of the economics of the shelters. I was merely attempting to respond to the "cafeterias for what?" poster. And not that it's any of your business, I am quite familiar with the amount pay each month to the financial institution that holds the note on my mortgage. In any event, even though I'm by no means a expert on DC zoning regs, if the property needs to be upzoned, I'm fairly confident that even if a shelter of the type proposed isn't a matter of right use, the number of bathrooms isn't going be critical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/homeless-shelter-plan-could-be-profitable-for-bowsers-backers/2016/03/16/cbab0e76-eadc-11e5-b0fd-073d5930a7b7_story.html?hpid=hp_local-news_dchomeless-845pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

and in the article " broad range stems from the fact that the administration chose sites suited for families. He also said the buildings would be unique and require costly amenities such as durable surfaces, since families could be moving multiple times per year, and would include cafeterias and play spaces for children."

Cafeterias for what? At that rent units should have kitchens. WTF play space? Suburban style yards? Note units near woodley park metro are by a DC public school. We saw one building where a whole side of it overlooked the playground. Came with renovated kitchens , balconies, granite, breakfast bar in lobby, washer-dryers in units. Less rent than Bowser.

A charitable organization-Anne Frank House-rents or owns units-http://www.theannefrankhouse.org/
It serves those with chronic mental illness but the model would work far better than Bowser's and many in DC general might be chronically homeless.

Stats on move-outs? Move-ins?

Aren't there good reasons to have a communal dining area and cafeteria? Each unit would need to have a kitchen and dining area, which adds to costruction costs. Furnishing a kitchen is incredibly expensive and would have to be restocked each time a unit was turned over. Kitchens present an increased risk of fire. CFSA can do a better job in ensuring nutritional needs are being met and do it more economically than each family purchasing their own food. A communal area helps families with children socialize so that they don't cocoon in their units and staff can better monitor whether nutritional needs are being met, evidence of substance abuse and neglect, etc.

Please. The families can't piss or bathe in privacy so "they don't cocoon in their units"!? When your four year old needs to use the bathroom @ 4 AM, do you have to wake all your other children and have them to accompany you to the communal bathroom lest they wake up (or be left alone in the room)?

You make me laugh at your naïveté on how kitchens would "add[s] to the construction costs." The city is not including private bathrooms in order to evade zoning restrictions- that's Bowser putting the developers' ahead of families' well-being.

Agree re: naïveté. I think perhaps PP hasn't spent much time yet paying her own rent/mortgage. She would know how out of line these numbers are.

I think perhaps in your haste to be a bitch you failed to recognize that I did not offer my opinion about the reasonableness of the economics of the shelters. I was merely attempting to respond to the "cafeterias for what?" poster. And not that it's any of your business, I am quite familiar with the amount pay each month to the financial institution that holds the note on my mortgage. In any event, even though I'm by no means a expert on DC zoning regs, if the property needs to be upzoned, I'm fairly confident that even if a shelter of the type proposed isn't a matter of right use, the number of bathrooms isn't going be critical.

Not the pp of that point, but will say the number, moreover, the type of bathroom is the linchpin in the ability for the city to evade the zoning regs for the sites. And you are completely sidestepping about the safety and sanity of these families having to use dorm toilets and showers. Do you rouse your whole family, walk down the hall, and crowd into the bathroom when your toddler needs to use it in the wee hours of the morning?

[Anonymous]

Can you explain how the bathrooms are the linchpin in avoiding the zoning regs?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you explain how the bathrooms are the linchpin in avoiding the zoning regs?

Thanks.

Classified as dorms or boarding houses.