Reply to Considering Seaton, but concerned about the homeless encampment

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Reply to "Considering Seaton, but concerned about the homeless encampment"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Wow you guys are the worst[/quote]

I've been pleasantly surprised by how few people like you and the previous jackass have been in this thread. Just about every belief goes out the window when your kids are in potential danger.[/quote]

My eye-opening experience was seeing a fake homeless encampment being used as a drug dealing/stolen property hiding/prostitution location. Anyone with eyes could see what was going on. And yet, you still had people on Nextdoor talking oh-so-virtuously about "our homeless neighbors." There are legitimately people who chose to live on the streets, and I actually respect their right to do so, but not in a way that interferes with public space and safety.  And[b] there are also very bad elements who exploit those homeless people and their encampments, either by masquerading or just opportunistically using them for their crimes. [/quote][/b]

This is what I'm seeing too. Not at Seaton, but it's clear that very vulnerable people, including children, are in serious danger at and near (like schools) exposed encampments. It's not a housed vs homeless issue. It's an intersection of public safety, public health, affordable housing AND criminal justice/policing reform. It's all connected. Like race, gender, and class inequities. I don't have any solutions, but I think school communities and families should keep this in mind. It's not us and them, and it's not just tents. We don't need to accuse each other of virtue signaling or NIMBYism.

On what level can or should DCPS/DME get involved? Ideas?[/quote]

It's really a DC problem.

We need 
- (1) shelter beds and housing
- (2) services (since many of the homeless are mentally ill or suffering from addiction, or both) and 
- (3) rules that say no one can camp on public land

We have (1) and (2), but could always have more.  Once COVID emergency is over we need (3).

This is a mayor/Council problem.  Call the mayor and call your council members.[/quote]

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