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The Continuing Fight to End Homelessness in the District of Columbia

By Liane Scott, on May 21st, 2014

Here’s a video I did for the Fair Budget Coalition last year during their State of the District’s Poverty event. In 2013, the FBC–along with a whole host of other organizations and individuals–was trying to convince Mayor Gray and the DC City Council to do something about the lack of affordable housing and the abundance of homelessness within the District of Columbia. The Fair Budget Coalition presented a plan to our elected representatives in which an investment of $4.5 million dollars in DC’s shelter system would ensure sufficient housing for the 300 families in DC General and the families housed in motels during the winter. But is the shelter at DC General closed? No. Clearly, the council and the mayor didn’t listen to the plan. This despite a $417 million budget surplus.

There were however significant gains in DC’s budget last year. Funding increased for TANF and some of DC’s Affordable Housing programs. These wins would not have happened without significant effort from DC’s activist and progressive communities. And so it is again this year.

The DC Council is in its final stages of negotiating DC’s budget. There are some key programs that are being overlooked and need our immediate support to push Councilmembers to make them a priority. We are asking you to participate in two 1-click email actions to support these programs:

1) Take action to End Homelesseness for more than 800 families and individuals! Two of the most important affordable housing programs that end homelessness are Permanent Supportive Housing (for the chronically homeless) and the Local Rent Supplement Program Tenant Vouchers (for families). Tell the Council to prioritize ending homelessness with housing by taking action here: http://bit.ly/1ti308B

2) Take action for Adult Literacy!* Adult education programs have been underfunded for years, though adult ed has been linked to lower unemployment and poverty rates for adult learners and higher high school graduation rates for the kids of adult learners. We need the Council to fund adult education. Take action for adult literacy here: http://bit.ly/1oXTXHj

And finally, the Fair Budget Coalition will be hosting our culminating action of this budget season on Friday! Join us to stand up for safety net programs at:

Close the Divide!: A Public Forum on Reducing Inequality in the District of Columbia Friday, May 23rd, 10am-Noon At the Wilson Building: 1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW

*Bring ID to get in the building *Light lunch provided RSVP Here: http://bit.ly/CloseDivide

Rapidly growing inequality in DC is deepening the divides between the rich and poor. But the DC Council can close that divide by investing in anti-poverty programs and affordable housing that would make DC a city for everyone. Come hear stories from people whose lives have been changed by safety net programs & what Councilmembers are doing to support these programs in this year’s budget

There will also be the opportunity to learn how to do a Lobby Visit and then participate in one to a Councilmember’s office!

Questions? Contact Janelle at janelle@fairbudget.org or 202-986-9580

Comments are closed   Affordable Housing, Gentrification, Homelessness   , , , , , ,  

Bring DC Home! The Washington Interfaith Network’s Agenda on Housing and Homelessness

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! Budget and Policy Demands – SIGN THE PETITION!

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.

Comments are closed   Affordable Housing, Gentrification, Homelessness,   , , , , , , ,  

Empower DC Packs Council Hearing on Housing Authority Budget

By Grassroots DC, on May 5th, 2014

Cross-posted from the DC Independent Media Center written by Luke

On the 30th of April, Empower DC brought well over 100 DC public housing residents and supporters to pack Muriel Bowser’s hearing on the DC housing authority budget, which contains zero money for repair or renovation of traditional public housing.

Instead, the city applied to HUD for money to DEMOLISH three properties and thankfully these funds were refused. Almost all the attendees at the hearing were either residents or supporters of public housing, and for once witnesses did not have to sit through hours of testimony from developers before being permitted to speak.

A witness reported that Muriel Bowser was the only Councilmember present at the hearing, and she sat “stone-faced” through all testimony except when she was directly singled out for criticism. Several witnesses said they would not vote for her for Mayor even if she was the only candidate running.

Reverend Hagler called out the City Council for committing a “moral sin” by budgeting only $50 million for all the DC Housing Authority out of a total city budget of $11 billion while surrounded by massive wealth.

Click Here to view the entire hearing.

2 comments - (Comments are closed)   Gentrification, Public Housing   , , ,  

DC Budget Hearing: DOES and the Workforce Investment Council

By Grassroots DC, on May 3rd, 2014

 

3 comments - (Comments are closed)   Adult Education, Education   , ,  

Save Public Housing and Fund Needed Repairs Call To Action

By Grassroots DC, on April 27th, 2014

Cross-posted on behalf of Empower DC

CALL TO ACTION!!! Forward this message far and wide and join us for an important rally and then to pack the room for the DC Housing Authority budget hearing:

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30 12 NOON WILSON BUILDING 1350 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, NW (Accessible by Federal Triangle or Metro Center Stations) Rally outside followed by packing room 412 Bring ID to enter

Bus transportation is being arranged from public housing communities. To request transportation, testimony support or for more information about how you or your organization can support the Public Housing Campaign contact Schyla at (202) 234-9119 x101 or housing@empowerdc.org.

WE MUST PRESERVE & IMPROVE DC’S TRADITIONAL PUBLIC HOUSING

We stand united in support of preserving and improving our traditional public housing communities which serve a critical role in the affordable housing landscape of DC. We support a moratorium on the emptying and demolition of currently occupied units. We support improving and reopening units that have been left vacant due to disrepair.

Traditional public housing is a public resource which must be managed to serve the needs of current and future residents who can not access other private and subsidized housing because of multiple barriers. Public housing is the only permanently affordable housing owned by the city which ensures housing is available to people based on their income, with no bottom threshold and without utility costs, where families can remain intact and residents are supported by tight knit social networks.

WE HAVE LOST TOO MUCH

Due to completed and planned demolitions of public housing through the federal HOPE VI and Choice Communities programs and DC’s “New Communities” program, DC’s public housing stock has been decimated in recent years from over 11,000 units to only about 7,000 remaining units – at least 500 of which are currently vacant due to disrepair or pending demolition. During the same time the need for truly affordable housing has increased and DC has quickly become an unaffordable city to live in for low income working people and the most disenfranchised families and individuals.

THE NEED IS GREAT

The desperate need for traditional public housing is evidenced by:

– 7,000+ residents experience homelessness on any given day in DC[i]. In March of 2014, the city had 827 families in shelters including 1,591 children.[ii]

– Over 70,000 people were on the city’s waiting list for affordable housing in DC when it was closed last April[iii]

– The loss of over half of DC’s low cost rental housing units in only 10 years time, from 70,600 units to only 34,500[iv]

– The market rate cost of housing has skyrocketed to $1,500 or more for a two bedroom apartment, for which one would need to earn $60,000 per year or $29 per hour to afford.[v]

Housing vouchers and the private market can not adequately replace the need for public housing. Neither can job training or education programs. The people currently served by DC’s public housing communities include:

– over 15,000 residents – over 50% of whom are above age 50 – 23% have disabilities – With an average household income of $13,000 per year, or the equivalent of 35 hours per week at minimum wage[vi] PUBLIC LAND FOR PUBLIC NEEDS

Traditional public housing is the only form of permanently affordable housing in DC that is on public land and held in the public trust to serve the needs of current and future generations. The extremely high cost of real estate in DC is a barrier to creating more truly affordable housing. Public land is a precious resource with which we are able to provide for the long-term needs of our city. These lands must no longer be privatized and converted into middle and upper income tracts with time-limited (usually only 15 years) affordability covenants. STOP DISPLACEMENT

The loss of traditional public housing is worsening DC’s homelessness crisis, and has contributed to the push-out of over 40,000 African American residents from our city within the time period of 2000-2010.[vii]

Public housing demolition and redevelopment is promoted by the “deconcentration myth” which assumes it is detrimental for low income residents to live in a clustered area, and that individual lives improve when residents are dispersed. These assumptions are not supported by concrete results, in fact several scholars have documented the detrimental impact of the loss of social networks, stable housing, sense of place and identity.[viii] The underlying stereotypes against public housing and its residents are discriminatory and blame people for . . . → Read More: Save Public Housing and Fund Needed Repairs Call To Action

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