By Ernestine Ward, on May 19th, 2014  Want to do something about DC’s affordable housing crisis? How about the hundreds of homeless families in the city? The Washington Interfaith Network has an agenda to help end homelessness in DC. Bring DC Home!
BUILD AND RENOVATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
- $100 million for the Housing Production Trust Fund to meet the District’s goal of producing and preserving affordable housing units.
- Dedicate public lands to affordable housing- We support the Disposition of District Land for Affordable Housing Amendment Act, introduced by CM Kenyan McDuffie. The bill requires certain levels of affordable housing to be built whenever the District sells its public land to a private developer.
HOUSING FOR HOMELESS YOUTH, FAMILIES, AND INDIVIDUALS
- Full funding of the End Youth Homelessness Amendment Act, which will increase longterm housing options homeless youth, including unaccompanied minors and families headed by 16-24 year olds.
- Support the Way Home Campaign to end chronic homelessness in DC by 2020.
- Support the roadmap to ending family homelessness in DC. WIN is one of 20 organizations supporting this plan, which calls for increased funding in programs to keep families in housing and more quickly provide housing to families in emergency shelter.
WIN supports the roadmap’s call for increased rapid-rehousing slots, only with certain enhancements to the programs such as:
- Job placement, child care, and quality caseworker supports,
- Matching families with housing units at rents that will be affordable to families when the rapid rehousing subsidy expires- such as rents affordable to families making minimum wage, and
- Provision of ongoing supports for families who find work but still are not able to maintain rent payments because the rent is too high.
HUMANE SHELTER FOR YOUTH, CHILDREN, AND FAMILIES
- The End Youth Homelessness Amendment Act, will increase emergency shelter space and services such as coordinated intake and street outreach for the estimated 3,000 youth age 24 and under who experience homelessness every year in DC.
- The roadmap to ending family homelessness
- in DC calls for improving conditions and services at DC General Shelter, such as on-site social workers, a playground, and trauma-informed care training for staff.
- Some are advocating a quick closure of DC General. Before that can be done, we demand alternatives in place that put families into homes, ensure adequate short term emergency shelter space, and take into account the interests of families currently housed in shelter.
By Grassroots DC, on May 14th, 2014
By Brian Anders, on January 2nd, 2014 Homeless advocate Brian Anders wrote these tips for winter survival in 2013 before succumbing to colon cancer. Thanks for the tips. We miss you terribly.
- Staying warm outside during the day requires wearing clothing in layers, but not in so many layers that one cannot move freely, or you begin to sweat.
 Brian Anders, a tireless D.C. activist and homeless advocate. His passing on August 28, 2013 was met with sadness and the determination to keep fighting.
- Using heavy sweaters, or sweat shirts made of cotton, or other natural materials will help your body retain heat.
- Long under ware, along with hats and gloves and a scarf/s to cover exposed areas works well. You should also wear a coat/jacket at least one size larger than your regular size as it makes it easier to add more clothing if the temperature falls.
- I recommend that other you limit the use of synthetic material as it sometimes over heats your skin and makes you sweat.
- Clothing that is restrictive makes your body work harder than it has to keep you warm. You want to also wear warm gloves and socks in layers when the weather is windy or wet. Remember if you are out all day in wet socks that at the end of the day to remove them dry your feet/hands before changing garments.
- Good footwear is also important. Water resistant boots, or rubber overshoes are good, Cloth shoes like sneakers are just going to make you uncomfortable.
- Hygiene:
- Hygiene is important to fight off illness. If possible shower and change your socks, undergarments daily. Use clean clothing and try and not sleep in the same clothing that you wear during the day. In a good sleeping bag you can remove your clothes and keep your self warm with blankets.
- Sleeping in cold weather:
- When setting up a tent it’s important to remember to keep your sleeping area clean and dry. If possible using a wooden pallet is a good start for a base to keep your body off of the ground.
- Covering it with either cardboard of plastic is a good way to keep the space dry. You want to then cover the floor space with either foam, or if possible some heavy blankets. (The best option is the heavy quilts used by furniture movers to cover furniture. They are thick, but they also retain heat.)
- Plastic is not a good cover for your sleeping bag or body. Plastic is a good insulator, but it doesn’t retain heat and it causes you to sweat. Use plastic to line the floor of the sleeping area, or the outside of the tent.
- Make sure when setting up the sleeping area that you have enough space to stretch out to prevent cramping while you sleep. If using a two person tent make sure this is the case for both persons sleeping there.
- Note: try to avoid eating and drinking at least two hours before you’re planned sleeping time. This will cut down on those annoying middle of the night bathroom breaks
- A down filled sleeping bag that has is large enough to move around in is a good choice for the long winter sleep-out.
- Along with long underwear this will keep you warm, and keep you comfortable. Do not sleep in your street clothing as the clothes you’ve worm during the day retain to same temperature as the weather outside. The idea is for you’re body to rest and not have to work twice as hard to keep you warm.
- An air mattress is helpful, but they sometime leak and can become uncomfortable.
Using snow as an insulator:
In a heavy snowfall use the snow to cover the base of your tent. This will keep cold weather from blowing into the sleeping area and keep your space warmer.
Make sure when it begins to snow heavily use sheets of plastic to cover your outside areas of the tent to keep the snow from freezing on your shell which can cause leaks or tear your outer shell.
Make sure to not allow snow to build up on your shell, or grow to deep where you will be walking. As the temperature drops it can freeze into puddles of ice which can cause unnecessary problems when walking or moving things around.
By Liane Scott, on January 2nd, 2014 It’s 2014. The season of giving is coming to a close. As we move into 2014, it might do us good to remember those who won’t be moving into 2014 with us. The People for Fairness Coalition did just that during their 24-hour vigil and march in honor of those who have died because they did not have a home. This video below serves as a reminder of the work we still have to do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v90KKbxs0p8
By Liane Scott, on July 1st, 2013  Budget season is over. The process takes several months starting with a budget proposed by Mayor Vincent Gray, then hearings in which members of the public comment on the mayor’s proposed budget, an amended budget proposed by members of the city council, a contingency list of items that the Mayor would like to fund but isn’t sure we can afford, etc. Finally, last Wednesday, June 26, 2014 the DC City Council took their final vote on DC’s budget for fiscal year 2014, deciding on behalf of the residents of the District of Columbia how to spend our tax dollars.
As part of Grassroots DC’s mission to provide media coverage of issues that impact the underserved communities of the District of Columbia, we’ve reported on some of the issues in question on this blog. We wanted to cover more but alas, lacked the manpower. (Feel free to take that as a veiled plea to potential contributors.)
Here’s an update, as per DC’s Fiscal Policy Institute, on some of the provisions in the budget that are generally favorable to DC’s low-income and working-class residents:
Help for homeless residents. The FY 2014 budget included many increases in funding to help homeless residents or residents at risk of homelessness. Increases included:
- $2.2 million increase in permanent supportive housing, which provides housing to chronically homeless families and individuals.
- $1.5 million increase in emergency rental assistance, which helps prevent residents from becoming homeless.
- $400,000 to offer services to single homeless residents to help move them out of shelter quickly and into housing with supportive services.
- $5 million increase to the Office on Aging, including $3.5 million in operating funds. $1.5 million in capital funds.
Help for vulnerable families and individuals. The FY 2014 budget included two changes to DC’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program that will improve the lives of vulnerable families with children. First, the mayor’s budget included a delay in the benefit cut for families who have been on assistance for longer than 60 months. In addition, the Council also included funding to exempt some families with severe barriers from the time limit. These protections, which most states offer, give families a break from the 60-month time limit on benefits to give them time to deal with serious issues that interfere with their ability to work such as domestic violence, illness, or caring for a family member with a disability.
Help for parents who need child care. The FY 2014 budget increased funding for DC’s Subsidized Child Care program by $11 million. This program pays part of the childcare costs for parents of young children who are in school, working or looking for work but who cannot afford child care. The $11 million will increase the number of spaces available for infants and toddlers in community-based child care programs. It will also increase the reimbursement rates paid to providers by 10%. This is the first increase since 2004.
Help with rising housing costs. The FY 2014 budget includes significant increases to affordable housing. In addition to Mayor Gray’s proposed $100 million for affordable housing, the Council added funds for key affordable housing programs that had not received an increase in the mayor’s proposed budget. Including:
- An increase to DC’s Local Rent Supplement Program, which provides rental subsidies to families with very low-incomes. The Council’s budget includes $1.75 million to provide rent vouchers that will help approximately 120 low-income families obtain affordable housing.
- Increases to Low-Income Property Tax Relief or Schedule H, which is a tax credit for lower-income residents when rents or property taxes are high relative to income.
- An expanded property tax break for seniors. Under current law, senior homeowners with income under $100,000 qualify for a 50 percent cut in property taxes. The FY 2014 Budget will provide property tax reductions for seniors with incomes between $100,000 and $125,000.
On the flip side, I’m not too happy about the Council’s decision to accept Mayor Gray’s proposal to restore a tax break on income from out-of-state bonds. This will reverse legislation adopted in recent years to phase out the tax break for investments made starting in 2013. DCFPI points out that much of the tax-exempt income in DC is earned by very high-income residents, including some who earn millions from these investments. They proposed phasing out the tax break for wealthy residents while maintaining the exemption for low- and moderate residents. But the Council has proposed allowing all residents to retain the tax break, regardless of income.
On the whole, the DC Budget for Fiscal Year 2014 looks okay for low-income and working class residents. It’s certainly better than last year’s budget. Considering the $417 million budget surplus from 2013, it should be better. Is it better enough? That’s a question we hope to pose and attempt to answer before budget season for fiscal year 2015 begins.
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