New shelter

[from Diego Mendez]

I just read somewhere that there are plans in the works for moving a shelter from Columbia Heights to 1131 Spring Rd. Does anyone have any information about this?

Comments

[amel]

I was at the meeting last night (regarding a Family Shelter on Spring Rd) and I think the overall sentiment is not really a disdain for poor people; but instead a disdain for how these programs are managed by the DC government. There are hundreds of shelters/group homes in the city, most managed privately, and you do not hear about the serious problems from these privately run shelters/group homes. I think the DC government needs to really address the problems on how these shelters/group homes are being run and institute some sort of oversight that will hold those who break the rules ACCOUNTABLE. Its the DC government that has no respect for poor people! They do not support these programs (i.e. providing enough services) for the residents of these shelters/group homes to succeed. Maybe we need to find out why other privately run programs in the city are more successful and implement their best practices.
Thank you.

[Crystal]

The disdain for poor people in our community is disgusting. Shame, shame.

[Amel]

JUST IN!!!! Meeting about the Shelters on Spring Rd!

Meeting TONIGHT, May 16th at 6:45pm located at the Spring Road Mental Health Center, 1125 Spring RD NW. This meeting is a follow-up meeting on other shelters on Spring Rd. The meeting is organized by the Office of Councilmember Jim Graham and the Spring/Perry Neighborhood Association.
We are expecting the following attendees:
Councilmember Graham, W 1
Councilmember Bowser, W 4
Director of the Department of Human Services

For more information contact Anna Nzuwah at (202) 210-8917 or [email protected]

Please come out and voice your concerns/opinions!

Thank you

[Cliff]

Currently, there are 5 homeless shelters within a 1/2 mile radius of the Petworth Metro Station (this does not include the shelter that won't be built because it will be tied up in several lawsuits for years to come - Central Union Mission). There are 4 free clinics (some include methadone distribution), and 170 half-way houses.

Regardless of how much you may or may not feel these serviced help people, it is a legitimate concern that all this poverty is being pushed into 1 area over the last few years. The effects of this tactic have been proven in many other cities. It is bad for both the users of these services and the neighborhoods they overwhelm.

This will be my only comment on this topic, so I ask that the zen-facists do not distort or infer anything from my post other than what I wrote, or that they refer to prior posts on the Central Union Mission issue.

[Jason G]

Am I correct in reading this, that the plan to relocate La Casa shelter to Spring Road was passed during a period when the Ward 4 council seat and the ANC 4C06 commissioner seat were both vacant?

[Adam]

Isn't La Casa Shelter the very same shelter that many people who oppose(d) the Central Union Mission cited as a successful example of a shelter due to its management and relative small size? I seem to remember hearing support for La Casa from anti-shelter folks at hearings pertaining to the Mission and from Graham. I also heard those who opposed the Mission say they would support a smaller shelter. Has something changed?

[Joe Martin]

For residents of SMD 4C06, the district in which the possible, temporary shelter is planned, I suggest you contact your new commissioner, Kelita Boyd, and work with her on this issue. Her email address is [email protected]

Commissioner Boyd, while sworn in, has yet to attend a full ANC 4C meeting nor participate in executive committee sessions. She could not make the first meeting because of school commitments, she said. But this past week, she was completely unaware that we were meeting.

Strong leadership for a SMD 4C06 commissioner is needed on this and other issues. I have no doubt all the commissioners on ANC 4C are looking forward to working with Commissioner Boyd for the benefit of the residents of SMD 4C06.

Muriel Bowser, our new Ward 4 Councilmember-elect, will be sworn in on Tuesday, and I'm sure she will be responsive on this and other issues facing us across the Ward. I have no doubt she will work hard to earn everyone's support. I am looking forward to working with her for the benefit of our ANC residents, and I look forward to doing everything I can to help her be a success for all of us.

I would like the full ANC to look into the possible, proposed homeless shelter issue. Please share your views with your own individual commissioners. As the chair of ANC 4C and the commissioner representing SMD 4C06, I have not received any notification about this. Clearly, we, as an ANC, need to do more work.

Contact information made available to the Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners can be found at:
http://app.anc.dc.gov/wards.asp?ward=4&office='C'

I have been hearing from residents of another SMD who feel their commissioner is not being responsive. Please discuss these matters with your commissioner directly and look for a solution favorable to your entire SMD. Thank you.

[Jocelyn]

For more information:

http://www.streetnewsservice.org/index.php?page=archive_detail&articleID=1124

[Jocelyn]

My first response is that this has got to be a joke! Are you kidding me? Another shelter in Petworth? This is simply unacceptable given the resounding community opposition to the shelter at 3510 Georgia Avenue and now another within just a few blocks walking distance. I implore EVERYONE to write DC Council Member elect Muriel Browser at [email protected]4.com and be sure to CC [email protected] I also encourage everyone to write DC Council Member Jim Graham at [email protected]

[Amel]

Actually, I attended the meeting in April that was held with Jim Graham and some community members. It looks like the city is moving the current La Casa Shelter (located on 14th and Irving) into the old DC Dept. of Immunization building at 1131 Spring Rd. The city claims this move will be "temporary" but most of us in the community are not buying it. The city new about the plans for this shelter since last summer, and were not going to tell the community AT ALL! It took some folks hounding CM Jim Graham's office since the winter to get them to finally address the community. I was just shocked that most of the folks at the meeting were from Ward 1; and the shelter will actually be in Petworth, Ward 4. Some folks in the community (especially us living around Spring Rd) are still trying to get details about the move. There are some conflicting dates on when the move will actually take place. In the mean time, the building is currently being rehabbed for the new La Casa shelter!