Just FYI, one of the long-time unhoused people who lived on the streets near Safeway died of an overdose during the daytime in late 2019. My child and I watched her body being taken away in an ambulance after school let out. Alice's death was tragic. I have conversations with my child about drugs, unhoused people, and hard facts of life, but this community can't become skid row. We have the means to help these people. I understand they can't be involuntarily committed, but tolerating their encampment isn't the answer. Pushing for real help is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe you all live around this. That article says an example of an injustice against the homeless was a cafe trying to clear an encampment so they could actually have outdoor seating for their customers. What is it you all are trying to achieve? Drug addicts shooting up wherever?

What are you trying to achieve? Where do you think the people should live?

It’s definitely complicated but in this country most people who are homeless are choosing to be (to avoid restrictions placed in them by shelters.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe you all live around this. That article says an example of an injustice against the homeless was a cafe trying to clear an encampment so they could actually have outdoor seating for their customers. What is it you all are trying to achieve? Drug addicts shooting up wherever?

What are you trying to achieve? Where do you think the people should live?

I think people should live in their own homes. If they are unable to unwilling to find housing for themselves, they should live in a mental health care facility if mentally ill, drug treatment facility if addicted, homeless shelter if down on their luck, or jail if behaving criminally, depending on the circumstances.

This. I have no idea why this is so controversial. People who can't take care of themselves cannot live on the street. Period. At least in an institution, they'd get a private bed and three square meals a day.

What a ridiculous article.

"Some residents disagree with who is really unsafe."
The people living outside Safeway are active drug users. They need help. It's not safe for neighbors or them for them to be living like that on the street. They live directly on a highly trafficked route to the elementary school. They defecate in the alley where children walk to school. They do hard drugs directly outside the neighborhood's grocery store. It is UNSAFE.

"The unabated harassment of our unhoused neighbors by those living around them is appalling and needs to stop."
I have only seen neighbors trying to engage Stevie (the woman) and her partner out there. They give them food and money. What I have seen from them, however, is domestic disputes, drug use, and theft.


This is the best part:
“I do think some of this is racism,” Nunn told City Paper, acknowledging her own struggles as a Black woman residing in Dupont Circle. “The public people that were living there… were predominantly Black or Brown, and, you know, this is not a Black or Brown neighborhood … If it was a family of White, you know, blue-eyed blondes that were living in front of Safeway, I think they’d be treated differently.”
The woman who is most visible at this encampment is a blonde white woman. Before they moved all their friends in, it was this white woman and her black male partner.

I am so disappointed with my community for allowing this to continue. It's not compassionate to let them stay. It's not working for anyone, least of all the 200 elementary kids and their families trying to navigate around the school and grocery store safely. To top things off, their encampment has killed an old mature tree that was a gem of the street. It's not sanitary or safe for anyone.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe you all live around this. That article says an example of an injustice against the homeless was a cafe trying to clear an encampment so they could actually have outdoor seating for their customers. What is it you all are trying to achieve? Drug addicts shooting up wherever?

What are you trying to achieve? Where do you think the people should live?

I think people should live in their own homes. If they are unable to unwilling to find housing for themselves, they should live in a mental health care facility if mentally ill, drug treatment facility if addicted, homeless shelter if down on their luck, or jail if behaving criminally, depending on the circumstances.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe you all live around this. That article says an example of an injustice against the homeless was a cafe trying to clear an encampment so they could actually have outdoor seating for their customers. What is it you all are trying to achieve? Drug addicts shooting up wherever?

What are you trying to achieve? Where do you think the people should live?

Not in their backyard?

Right, in somebody else's backyard!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe you all live around this. That article says an example of an injustice against the homeless was a cafe trying to clear an encampment so they could actually have outdoor seating for their customers. What is it you all are trying to achieve? Drug addicts shooting up wherever?

What are you trying to achieve? Where do you think the people should live?

DP. I don't know where they should live - I don't think anyone has a clear answer to that. I would like to see more access to housing, sure. And I don't think they should be forced into shelters. But the fact that we don't have a clear answer on where they SHOULD live does not mean that the community has no say in where they DO live. Homeless people need to follow basic community rules just like everyone else. They don't get to monopolize public space in a city, create nuisances, or conceal crime behind a facade of homelessness.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe you all live around this. That article says an example of an injustice against the homeless was a cafe trying to clear an encampment so they could actually have outdoor seating for their customers. What is it you all are trying to achieve? Drug addicts shooting up wherever?

What are you trying to achieve? Where do you think the people should live?

Not in their backyard?

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe you all live around this. That article says an example of an injustice against the homeless was a cafe trying to clear an encampment so they could actually have outdoor seating for their customers. What is it you all are trying to achieve? Drug addicts shooting up wherever?

What are you trying to achieve? Where do you think the people should live?

I can't believe you all live around this. That article says an example of an injustice against the homeless was a cafe trying to clear an encampment so they could actually have outdoor seating for their customers. What is it you all are trying to achieve? Drug addicts shooting up wherever?

Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t really make sense that the planters are “dumping” but an encampment is allowed. Both sides are just trying to get what they want. The only fair thing would be to keep the area clear from long term storage of anyone’s personal belongings or business property - tents or planters.

One side, as you call it, has their personal belongings on public property to live in.

The other side is gluing planters to the ground on public property to stop other people from having their personal belongings on public property to live in.

In any case:

"Christy Respress, executive director of Pathways to Housing DC, said there is only one solution to "shuffling people around" from encampment to encampment: housing."

What a balanced and nuanced reporting of events!
[/sarcasm]

It doesn’t really make sense that the planters are “dumping” but an encampment is allowed. Both sides are just trying to get what they want. The only fair thing would be to keep the area clear from long term storage of anyone’s personal belongings or business property - tents or planters.

I refuse to give to the homeless outside of my high traffic grocery stores. They eventually move along to other neighborhoods that will tolerate a hand-out.

Read it and weep: https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/527774/the-story-behind-an-illegal-dumping-attempt-to-keep-out-unhoused-residents-outside-ward-2-safeway/

Some day these dummies are going to have to face the fact that they aren’t helping anyone by encouraging homeless encampments on highly trafficked public space.

All this article makes me think is that I will be especially vigilant to ensure that no tents pop up in parks near me. You have to get rid of the first one you see.

Btw - I actually support the right of people to camp on public space. It just cannot be in actual parks used by the public for recreation or on any sidewalks, and they have to be clean and crime-free.