Anonymous wrote:
Let's assume for a moment that these people do not want help. Can they simply camp forever on the school grounds or can the city do anything? Isn't there a health issue? What is the purpose of making the kids wear masks at recess, if the unvaccinated temporarily displaced population they share the playground with is not wearing masks or even just pooping on the ground in corners.


I don't think that's a great assumption. They may not want exactly what we want but most people can be reasoned with. They will be more willing to see things from our point of view if we're willing to see things from their point of view.

Also, I think the issue from public health is defecation, if they don't have somewhere to go, not COVID if they are outdoors / not in direct contact with kids. In fact, someone avoiding shelters is probably less likely to pick up COVID.

I think you should go test your theories. Go over to the tents and actually try to engage in a civilized neighborhood discussion about boundaries and compromise and then report back and tell us how it went . . . .

Friendship Place is pretty non responsive to requests that they check something or someone out. They are open a few days a week to assist those who walk in. They do outreach but if you look at their numbers is is about three people a week across the city. Before I read that I had assumed it would be about three people a day.

There is a guy living in the Tenley Library carport now as well. I think that the temporarily displaced have figured out that DC Govt Property is the ultimate safe place. After all the National Park Service can't give them grief.

Can someone call Friendship Place to check on these wood dwellers and coordinate with the city to move them to shelters or hospitals? I believe friendship place recieves grants from the city for this type of outreach and "knows" the local wood dwellers well. Do they not want to see them placed? They should definitely not be traversing the school grounds shouting obscenities.

Anonymous wrote:So who should be negotiating with the campers on Hearst? The Teachers or the parents of kids using the playground?

Whoever wants to come up with a good solution? If possible, the PTA with principal buy-in. I certainly wouldn't wait for the city to do something.

My guess is you’re just supposed to walk around them. Like when a crazy, seemingly homeless guy was yelling and cursing at moms when I was picking up my kid after school last year - you are just supposed to sort of ignore and tell your kids to pretend not to notice.

Anonymous wrote:not everyone wants or will accept help

Due to their illness, not everyone can accept help. It’s awful. We were just talking about my brother who was last spotted about 8 years ago under a railway passing.

So who should be negotiating with the campers on Hearst? The Teachers or the parents of kids using the playground?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:not everyone wants or will accept help

This. You need to get state law changed to allow for involuntary commitment, which is difficult to do. But the concern is that power could be abused and hold people for nefarious reasons.

Otherwise, there really is no solution. The people who want help can generally get it, although not always as fast as they want.

For those who don't want help, the traditional method of stopping their behavior was to arrest them. The police/courts are no longer really arresting and sentencing people for petty crimes associated with being homeless. So there is no where to really put them.

I think that's looking at it too black and white. What if we approach it as a negotiation? Using the police to force them out is one extreme, and like you pointed out, not their priority. We could try to force the police to do something, but that doesn't feel right to me and probably would have no traction anyway.

So when I think of negotiation, I'd consider what is it that they need and how can we help them while also balancing what we need.

Anonymous wrote:not everyone wants or will accept help

This. You need to get state law changed to allow for involuntary commitment, which is difficult to do. But the concern is that power could be abused and hold people for nefarious reasons.

Otherwise, there really is no solution. The people who want help can generally get it, although not always as fast as they want.

For those who don't want help, the traditional method of stopping their behavior was to arrest them. The police/courts are no longer really arresting and sentencing people for petty crimes associated with being homeless. So there is no where to really put them.

Anonymous wrote:Let's assume for a moment that these people do not want help. Can they simply camp forever on the school grounds or can the city do anything? Isn't there a health issue? What is the purpose of making the kids wear masks at recess, if the unvaccinated temporarily displaced population they share the playground with is not wearing masks or even just pooping on the ground in corners.

I don't think that's a great assumption. They may not want exactly what we want but most people can be reasoned with. They will be more willing to see things from our point of view if we're willing to see things from their point of view.

Also, I think the issue from public health is defecation, if they don't have somewhere to go, not COVID if they are outdoors / not in direct contact with kids. In fact, someone avoiding shelters is probably less likely to pick up COVID.

Let's assume for a moment that these people do not want help. Can they simply camp forever on the school grounds or can the city do anything? Isn't there a health issue? What is the purpose of making the kids wear masks at recess, if the unvaccinated temporarily displaced population they share the playground with is not wearing masks or even just pooping on the ground in corners.

not everyone wants or will accept help

I wonder what it would take to get these people actual help. Can we pool resources to hire a social worker that will get results?

The Snowden ranter is still living somewhere behind Hearst. Chalk him up as another one of the shouters you mentioned.

He actually lives somewhere in the woods adjacent to Hearst but walks through the parking lot and playground to get to wherever he goes for the day. The woods around Hearst have loads of toilet paper and such, so I can only imagine the feces.

But at least he uses TP unlike the Wilson Pool pooper who just leaves his/her mess on all of the benches.

Anyway, I am guessing that nothing will be done and the kids will simply coexist.

Friendship place will say that they know all about the local population, but they don't actually outreach beyond their air conditioned offices three days a week.

Obviously with schools having been closed for the last year and a half, leafy school grounds have turned into attractive camping locations for those experiencing temporary lack of access to housing. With school starting in a week or two though, I am surprised that these temporary dwellings have not been addressed by the city. Is it up to the teachers to seek help for the campers and clean up the dwellings? Do the students simply share their playgrounds and fields with the displaced persons.

In two cases that I am familiar with the unhoused men are clearly suffering from some sort of mental trauma and are very vocal and shout to no one and everyone at the same time. Colorful language is amongst their strengths. Harmless? Maybe? But I am not a mental health expert. I would think that perhaps in the last 18 months maybe DC would have had these men evaluated by an expert.

So at this point, who does the responsibility fall on? Teachers, DCPS, Friendship Place, DC Department of Human Services (Been contacting them for a year). Or perhaps we simply mark these encampments off limits to the students and simply share the spaces and call it a teaching moment?