Shelter protest

(click to enlarge)

Click here for a few more photos from today's protest against Central Union Mission's proposed move to 3510 Georgia Avenue. The Washington Post was there as well by the way.

According to flyers that were handed out, Councilmember Jim Graham is holding a meeting next week for those concerned about this issue:

Thursday, May 18th, 6:30pm
Park View ES, 3560 Warder Street

DCRA will explain the required permits for a new shelter, and residents will each be allowed three-minute comments. Call 202-724-8198 to sign up to speak.

Resident Adam Wasch had a gathering nearby at Temperance Hall, for those not necessarily against the shelter. His flyer said concerns about property values, crime, etc. were "legitimate" yet urged residents to "have an open mind and to work with the Mission to address concerns, not to block a much-needed service for our city's needy."

Email Adam for more information about his effort.

Comments

[AJS]

Can we please give this "debate" a rest? I'm quite sure every person who reads this blog has a strong opinion about whether opening a 60,000-square-foot shelter for homeless men on Georgia Avenue near the Metro is a good idea or a bad idea.

[Adam]

Um, public uriniation, drug dealing, cars getting broken into... are you sure that's not something a police officer could say about many parts of the city, including the 3500 block of Georgia Ave. today? The Mission could improve the area and be a force for positive change.

As for the police questioning business, here's what I'm thinking: Police, eager to find a suspect, look for the "usual suspects," and want access to a private facility to question anyone they want. Homeless men, already fearing harassment, are told they don't have to answer the police's questions. Is this wrong? Drivers are advised as much during routine traffic stops.

Is this how it happened? I don't know. But neither does this one letter from an officer tell us. In fact, the letter tells us practically nothing about the circumstances. It's a red herring.

[Chris]

Rather than comment on Lt. Smith's opinion, I would like to share something I saw on DCist.com, from a Logan Circle resident who also had problems with crime. It provides a more constructive approach that I would endorse:

"I understand from a former ANC Commissioner there is no zoning issue where they want to move the shelter to and that it is a matter of right under DC code. The Petworth community may be better served by trying to forge agreements (like they do for ABC licenses) that would govern the operation of the shelter and their effect on the neighborhood."

[Bill]

Ok, I'm not trying to restart the homeless debate, let's continue to self-regulate please. I thought this deserves a place in the thread. It's from the UNC listserv, an email to Jim Graham from a police officer who has dealt with the mission in its current location. It does somewhat contradict the impression that the director of the mission has tried to portray:

-----
Central Union Mission has been a problem and it is not so much in how it is operated. N Street Village is different because it is set up for females and females normally don't commit the same types of crimes as males. So many of the males at R Street do commit a lot of crimes that we arrest them for and there are a lot of order maintenance issues around the mission such as drinking in public, urinating in public and disorderly conduct. That is just the nature of the beast and we can't just arrest the problem away. I see some drug dealing with the homeless, but mostly they just buy and use drugs from Riggs Street or the 1400 block of R Street.

With better weather coming, many of the homeless will opt to sleep in the parks or other places like vacant buildings. Some of them will break into cars and homes to support their drug habits. I often go to the mission after hours, but I can't get any staff members to answer the door. Once we were there looking for a murder suspect and the father that runs the location was telling the men not to talk to the police.

Michael A. Smith
Lieutenant, PSA 307

[Bill]

Thanks John/Chris/Laurie. John, I'm impressed with the Cartier-Bresson reference!

[Cliff]

Hey Adam...did you get my tab at the bar? I know you only said one drink but you know how that goes! :-)

[Laurie]

Nice pictures, Bill. Thanks for posting them!

[Chris]

I'm sure nobody wants me to reiterate the points I've already made on this topic, but I would like to make two points I haven't made before:

1. The pix are great. It's nice having a talented photographer in the neighborhood who's willing to document goings-on here.

2. I don't think anybody's tried to paint a picture of the Mission or of homeless people as all fun-and-games and rosy. I think everybody pretty much knows that much of the homeless population is troubled -- that is, after all, one of many reasons why they may be homeless. But to me the answer is not to simply reject one of the few institutions which exists to try to address the problem -- remember this is a Mission at which only one element of which is an emergency shelter. If it helps just one of those drunks at Logan Circle at its current location, it's doing its job. My view is that Central Union Mission at this new location can be done the right way. The place isn't going to get built for something like 5 years -- rather than just saying "no," to me it makes more sense for the neighborhood to say "maybe; let's talk," and attempt to negotiate a way to create an environment that works for everbody.

[Adam]

Mike,

In Internet parlance, we call that trolling.

In any case, these anecdotes (must I start a competing "fact" blog with contrary quotes from other area residents), are simple scare tactics.

As for the most acrimonious portion of your one-man letter, is it wrong to exercise your right not subject to yourself to warrantless police questioning, or even to be advised of that right? Or do homeless have no rights?

Who knows the actual circumstances. You ought to to better.

Homeless are disproportionately common victims of street crimes and crimes of opportunity, since they are the most vulnerable.

Look, I'm done for the day.... it's clear you're just selectively muckraking. Have at it. In the end, I'm confident a more reasoned, moderate view will prevail.

[Mike]

I'm sorry I couldn't get to the protest, but thanks for the pictures.

I'm pretty disturbed by that email regarding Central Union Mission from Lt. Stevens, head of the PSA in Logan (read about it here: www.missiondcfacts.com/main.htm ).

I hope even those one or two people that support this move will at least address the problem this poses to the leadership at Central Union Mission.

[Adam]

I don't get pictures, too? It was a decidely less grim scene, despite the barroom lighting!

[John King]

I'll not speak to the homeless shelter issue, but those are some great images. They convey some of the energy that represents the neigborhood.

And the last one has a twist: Henri Cartier-Bresson at a liquor store.