Gas Leak or Fire Drill? at New York Ave Men’s Shelter

Was it a “gas leak” last night or was it just a “fire drill”? At about 11:20 PM last night, everyone had to quickly evacuate from the New York Avenue Low-Barrier Men’s Shelter Northeast D.C.

After the DC FEMS checked the building, and it was considered safe it started to rain. And it really rained everyone was soaked!

Thanks to Department of the Environment Director and former Councilperson @TommyWells who along with @PersephoneChild who actively retweeted my posts…

Yes, homeless people are now required to remove their shoes when being scanned. It’s like going through an airport. The only exception is inclement weather such as rain or snow.

There has to be a better way. A more streamlined procedure during emergencies like this. What if it was a cold winter in December, January or February? We could have frozen from hypothermia. Let alone caught pneumonia from the rain!

Was the whole thing just a ruse for Catholic Charities to justify another “fire drill” before their new fiscal budget kicked in?

Again, thanks to Department of the Environment Director and former Councilperson @TommyWells who along with @PersephoneChild who actively retweeted my posts. Consider though, the other homeless men and women in this city who may not have the thought, ability, and aptitude to do what I did on social media. I am just one voice. Until others start trying to let the world know what is happening to the homeless in the city, nothing will change things will only get worse.

Today, this morning it is raining, but we had to leave the shelter. If this is how Catholic Charities DC @CCADW is treating us this month, what are we gonna do during the rainy, cold month of November?

“Causing people to suffer because you have forgotten to how to care, that’s really hard to understand.” — Dr. Julian Bashir while walking with Commander Benjamin Sisko in 2024’s Sanctuary District A, San Francisco. ST: Deep Space 9, Episode 3×11 “Past Tense” Parts I and II. (1995)

The Sanctuary District was a type of concentration camp set aside for up to 10,000 people, walled off from the rest of a major city. To outsiders, there was the promise of getting people health care and jobs. The reality is that it was a ghetto. A slum where disease and violence were rampant.

I guess I better get the “21st century lingo” in the episode straight.

Gimme – As in “gimme (give me) a job”. Sane people like me that want employment.

Dim – As in someone is “dim”. People with intellectual disabilities and learning disabilities like those who have autism and dyslexia. Also, called retarded. Some also belong in the “Ghost” category.

Ghost – As in “like a ghost”. those who need psychiatric care. Emotionally disturbed, those who have mental issues like schizophrenia, and violent tendencies. And possibily those who are high on narcotic drugs.

I didn’t hear any slang terms for alcoholics, substance abusers and those with physical disabilities.

“Out of sight out of mind.” Is Washington, D.C. trying to set up a similar program under the guise of “Eliminating Homelessness”? Let us hope that science fiction does not become fact.

Homeless Services Cut and Restricted

Mayor Bowser is doing for the homeless people of Washington, D.C. what was done for the Jews of Nazi Germany.

On September 20, the DC Council Human Services Committee will vote on whether to move forward a bill called the Homeless Services Reform Amendment Act of 2017 (HSRA Act 2017). Many groups, including Bread for the City, Break the Cycle, Fair Budget Coalition, Children’s Law Center, DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence, DC Fiscal Policy Institute, Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, Neighborhood Legal Services Program, and the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless have testified in June 2017 about the harm that could come from this bill.

How come nobody knows about it? It was never on the news. The Mayor’s office never mentioned it.

In the midst of DC’s affordable housing crisis, this bill…

• Defines people out of eligibility for housing, emergency rental assistance and homeless services.
• Demands that homeless families and youth overcome unreasonable bureaucratic barriers to get emergency shelter on freezing nights.
• Puts the health and safety of DC residents at risk, particularly youth and children.
• People who have been in hospitals or jails or other institutions for more than 90 days won’t get shelter or permanent supportive housing anymore.
• People in transitional housing and rapid re-housing could be terminated for any reason especially if they’ve reached a set time limit.
• Emergency terminations could happen even when there is no immediate threat (a full day later) and for a much broader category of “offenses.”
• People could be terminated from any shelter or housing program at any time if a provider learns of any new or relevant information that impacts eligibility.
• Greatly expands the power of shelter and housing providers to put people out.

… and does NOTHING to actually end homelessness.

How is this solving the problem of homelessness?