Reply to New Ward 3 Homeless Families Shelter Site

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]What makes you think these will be families who use Eaton? What about mentally ill (who I see wandering Tenlrytown) or drug addicts? Spice, meth, crack? Has anyone specified to you who will be served there? [/quote]

It's specifically a shelter for families, which by definition means kids. They might not go to Eaton: they might not be elementary-school aged or they might choose to continue to go to wherever they went before (homeless students have certain rights, which include being allowed to stay in a previous school). Their parents might, indeed, be mentally ill, but I do not think they will be active drug users.[/quote]

Can you cite where there is guarantee that it will only be families? Or no active drug users?

BTW. I'm fine with the location, but lets not be naive.[/quote]

For starters, here is the original press release: http://mayor.dc.gov/release/mayor-bowser-details-plan-close-dc-general The word "family" or "families" appears 16x. These shelters are intended to replace DC General, which is... wait for it... A FAMILY SHELTER. It's not a shelter for single adults, period. There are other shelters that serve those populations, but DC General is not one of them and neither are 7/8 of the new proposed shelters (the one in Ward 2 is supposed to be a women's shelter, which has never made sense to me but whatever).

Secondly, being a mom with children is not a guarantee that there will not be some drug users among the shelter population. It is also not a guarantee that there will not be mentally ill adults. They will just be mentally ill or drug addicted PARENTS with small children. Not sure that will make PP feel any better, but there it is.[/quote]

Yes, yes, I get that Bowser's team used the word "family" as many times as possible to try to sell the plan.  But I see nothing that says single adults are not going to be placed there.  If it's so clearly going to be limited to families only - and no single adults - I'm sure you can show me where Bowser's plans say that explicitly.  Please provide a link.  Thanks.[/quote]

I guess I just don't really understand your concern. DC General is a family shelter. Single adults do not get placed there. The other family shelters I can think of in DC are also family shelters where single adults do not get placed. They are two separate systems. Families seeking emergency shelter go through the Virginia Williams Center (http://www.dccfh.org/programs/housing/virginia-williams-family-resource-center), where they are screened for eligibility, including residency. If a single adult shows up there, they will be directed to another program.

Bowser's plans say specifically that it's FAMILY SHELTERS over and over again, with the stated exception of the shelter in Ward 2 every time. Single adult females will be placed there or Harriet Tubman or Nativity or another program specifically for women. Single adult males will be referred to 801 East Shelter or La Casa or another program that is specifically for men. [/quote]

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