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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Compassion is important, but there are limits.  Nobody has the right to public property by adverse possession.  There are enough vacant office buildings in this town that could be converted to emergency shelters.  Allowing endless homeless encampments in residential areas is a public health and safety issue.  [/quote]

DC has lots of shelter beds.  But they won’t let patrons do drugs and other activities there.  For some reason, the D.C. government has no problem then if druggies and deviants carry on such activities on public space.[/quote]

Look, I know not everyone understands municipal government, or the specific challenges of the unhoused community, but maybe don't comment if you don't understand?

There are fewer than 700 "low barrier" beds available in Washington, DC. Most fill up by 8 pm, and then folks need to be out again by 7 am. On an average night in DC, 99% of beds are full. No, they don't allow drugs, but that's not actually what stops (most) people from using the shelter. It's that you cannot secure your personal items, and you only have secure housing for one night. For most unhoused individuals, a tent is a better option because they don't need to pack up and move every night.

There are programs and systems that work for long-term intervention, but they are expensive and politically unpalatable. But the idea that nice, accessible, shelters are available in DC and folks just aren't using them is a fallacy.

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