Dupont circle deteriorating

[Anonymous]

Dupont circle, and in particular the 17th street strip which used to have a vibrant, proud local scene, has really deteriorated in the past few years. I am so dismayed as I've lived in the area for 15 years. In the past three years, I've seen unhoused people clearly high on drugs sitting in the street, having shouting matches, and tent encampments spreading in multiple areas of the commercial strip. There is feces in alleyways and more trash everywhere. Can anyone else who lives in the neighborhood weigh in? I am concerned that things won't get better as most neighbors I speak to seem so blinded by their old school love of the neighborhood that they refuse to look around at how it's now not a great place to raise their kids. The local park is crumbling down too. I am all for compassion for people on the street, but it's gotten so that we change our routes depending on how likely we'll be to get harassed on certain strips. Last year a member of the community OD'ed in broad daylight in front of McDonalds as kids were eating inside. I am not a pearl clutcher and have lived in less safe places — I just don't think it's unreasonable not to want to walk my 3 year old past someone clearly high on heroin to get to school. I don't want to move so I'm really mourning this. It's insane to me that the brownstones here are $2-5M easily yet it's a dump now. Anyone else in Dupont concerned? What is happening?

[Anonymous]

DuPont circle has always been sketchy/dangerous. Lots of muggings. I used to hang out there a lot 20 years ago and it got really unsettling after dark really fast. Even during the day, crossing the circle with all the homeless/mentally ill people...not the greatest. A lot nicer than adams Morgan used to be but that is not saying much. I am really sad about kramerbooks closing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DuPont circle has always been sketchy/dangerous. Lots of muggings. I used to hang out there a lot 20 years ago and it got really unsettling after dark really fast. Even during the day, crossing the circle with all the homeless/mentally ill people...not the greatest. A lot nicer than adams Morgan used to be but that is not saying much. I am really sad about kramerbooks closing.

I agree that 20 years ago it was so-so, but 10 years ago it was very nice, incredibly safe, and basically not run over with tents on the sidewalk. It has changed and I’m shocked the community isn’t fighting for it.

[Anonymous]

I also lived in Dupont Circle until 18 years ago. Sounds like it's reverting to what it was. Back then however prices were perhaps 1/3 of what they are today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dupont circle, and in particular the 17th street strip which used to have a vibrant, proud local scene, has really deteriorated in the past few years. I am so dismayed as I've lived in the area for 15 years. In the past three years, I've seen unhoused people clearly high on drugs sitting in the street, having shouting matches, and tent encampments spreading in multiple areas of the commercial strip. There is feces in alleyways and more trash everywhere. Can anyone else who lives in the neighborhood weigh in? I am concerned that things won't get better as most neighbors I speak to seem so blinded by their old school love of the neighborhood that they refuse to look around at how it's now not a great place to raise their kids. The local park is crumbling down too. I am all for compassion for people on the street, but it's gotten so that we change our routes depending on how likely we'll be to get harassed on certain strips. Last year a member of the community OD'ed in broad daylight in front of McDonalds as kids were eating inside. I am not a pearl clutcher and have lived in less safe places — I just don't think it's unreasonable not to want to walk my 3 year old past someone clearly high on heroin to get to school. I don't want to move so I'm really mourning this. It's insane to me that the brownstones here are $2-5M easily yet it's a dump now. Anyone else in Dupont concerned? What is happening?

I left 20 years ago when I had my kids OP. It has never been a great place for kids. Dupont Circle + Adams Morgan have always been adult, not kids' playgrounds. However Adams Morgan is so precious and full of itself now...I preferred the old trashiness (pizza wrappers everywhere) for the new (hipsters everywhere). With that being said, the problems you describe are the ones our rulers would love to see everywhere--rather than address them, they just want to have more and spread it all around (equity). I hope you bring attention to it and can begin some kind of call to action. What you describe is unpleasant for anyone, not just kids.

[Anonymous]

We are in the middle of a pandemic. Everything is a mess now, but recovery starts soon.

[Anonymous]

Unpopular view, but the first step would be to start calling “unhoused persons” bums, and overdosing “members of the community” addicts. You should be burning up the police call in number and the ones for the Mayor and council members. These things happen because they’re allowed to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in the middle of a pandemic. Everything is a mess now, but recovery starts soon.

The tent encampments started well before the pandemic. Safeway and McDonalds are really crappy neighbors. I have contacted Safeway’s hq about this location. It’s awful but nothing is done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unpopular view, but the first step would be to start calling “unhoused persons” bums, and overdosing “members of the community” addicts. You should be burning up the police call in number and the ones for the Mayor and council members. These things happen because they’re allowed to.

What do you think the police would do? Loitering isn't a crime. Trespassing is only a crime if the property owner wants the person to leave. By the time someone's overdosed they're not in possession of the drugs anymore.

[Anonymous]

Looking like SOMA or Tenderloin in SF.

[Anonymous]

NIMBYs are the problem. Virtually impossible to open a business around there between historic, Anc, liquor license reqs, etc. DC going the way of SF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unpopular view, but the first step would be to start calling “unhoused persons” bums, and overdosing “members of the community” addicts. You should be burning up the police call in number and the ones for the Mayor and council members. These things happen because they’re allowed to.

What do you think the police would do? Loitering isn't a crime. Trespassing is only a crime if the property owner wants the person to leave. By the time someone's overdosed they're not in possession of the drugs anymore.

Public camping is unlawful. So is littering. So is public “elimination.” So is aggressive panhandling. So is incommoding the public way. So are disorderly conduct, assault and resisting arrest, all of which are a not infrequent result of contact between police and drug addicts, particularly when as often is the case the individual in question has one or more outstanding warrants.

The police do nothing because they are not told to do something by their superiors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DuPont circle has always been sketchy/dangerous. Lots of muggings. I used to hang out there a lot 20 years ago and it got really unsettling after dark really fast. Even during the day, crossing the circle with all the homeless/mentally ill people...not the greatest. A lot nicer than adams Morgan used to be but that is not saying much. I am really sad about kramerbooks closing.

Is Kramerbooks closing? The last I heard was that they MIGHT move — and still have a few years to go with their current lease.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unpopular view, but the first step would be to start calling “unhoused persons” bums, and overdosing “members of the community” addicts. You should be burning up the police call in number and the ones for the Mayor and council members. These things happen because they’re allowed to.

What do you think the police would do? Loitering isn't a crime. Trespassing is only a crime if the property owner wants the person to leave. By the time someone's overdosed they're not in possession of the drugs anymore.

Public camping is unlawful. So is littering. So is public “elimination.” So is aggressive panhandling. So is incommoding the public way. So are disorderly conduct, assault and resisting arrest, all of which are a not infrequent result of contact between police and drug addicts, particularly when as often is the case the individual in question has one or more outstanding warrants.

The police do nothing because they are not told to do something by their superiors.

Oh, and internal possession of unlawful narcotics is prosecutable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unpopular view, but the first step would be to start calling “unhoused persons” bums, and overdosing “members of the community” addicts. You should be burning up the police call in number and the ones for the Mayor and council members. These things happen because they’re allowed to.

You realize how OP’s comments would be taken if they didn’t use the words they chose though, right?