07 28 2021

VOL. 18 ISSUE 27

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EVENTS

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NEWS IN BRIEF Funding likely for DC office for Deaf and Hardof-Hearing communities

Get Ready 4 School Giveaway Saturday, July 31 // 11 am - 5 pm 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE Martha’s Table is holding a back-to-school giveaway where families can safely pick up sneakers, jackets, school uniforms, and school supplies at no cost, including backpacks and PPE items. Healthy snacks and family-friendly entertainment will be provided. This socially distanced outdoor event is free to attend and open to all D.C. families.

Masks are required at the event. Each ticket gets your entire family in to shop with us, you don’t need to register for each child. Limit 1 shopping circuit (ticket) per family. Register: tinyurl.com/marthas-table-giveaway WEDNESDAY, JULY 28

UPDATES ONLINE AT ICH.DC.GOV

Virtual Franklin Park stakeholder meeting

D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness Meetings

1 pm // Online, register at tinyurl.com/franklin-park-6

Emergency Response and Shelter Operations Committee July 28, 1 - 2:30 pm // WebEx

Construction is nearing completion.

Hear from the folks leading this project: Neil Albert, President & CEO of DowntownDC BID; Delano Hunter, Director of D.C. DPR; and Jeff Reinbold, Superintendent of NPS. MORE INFO: downtowndc.org/franklinpark

Executive Committee Aug. 10, 1:30 - 3 pm // WebEx ***For call-in information, as well as meeting info for unlisted working groups, contact: ich.info@dc.gov.

SUNDAY, AUG. 1

My Brother’s Keeper: Helping the DC homeless community 10 am - 1 pm // 100 K Street NE My Brother’s Keeper will be handing out care packages for people experiencing homelessness during this event. Donors (supplies or finances) and volunteers to assemble care packages needed.

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The D.C. Council approved an initial budget plan funding the city’s Office for the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing (ODDHH) during a virtual meeting on July 20. If left intact during the council’s upcoming Aug. 3 vote, the budget will mark the first time the city has funded an agency dedicated to advancing the civil rights of deaf, deaf-blind, and hard-of-hearing District residents.

Legislation establishing the office was enacted last September after nearly two years of council consideration, but it has not had the funds to begin operating before now. In addition to advocacy, ODDHH will maintain a register of qualified District interpreters, as well as review existing D.C. services to ensure accessibility to its target communities. The office will be led by a deaf, deaf-blind, or hard-ofhearing mayoral appointment.

Despite the District being home to a number of Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities — capital “D” differentiating cultural identity from deafness as a condition, per the National Association of the Deaf — D.C. has trailed behind other states in forming an office to serve their needs. According to a roster compiled by the National Association of State Agencies of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, approximately 38 states have previously established offices serving deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind people. That left the District, which has one of the country’s largest per capita deaf populations, as an outlier.

“D.C. is at the bottom for education and employment outcomes for deaf people — ranking 50th to 52nd of all states and territories. When it comes to early intervention, D.C. is also dead last — as of 2017, zero families received services for their deaf infant,” Sean Maiwald, president of the District of Columbia Association of the Deaf (DCAD), wrote in an email to Street Sense Media. “Deaf people in D.C. deserve better, especially when it comes to recovery from the pandemic.”

DCAD, alongside organizations like the D.C. Area Black Deaf Advocates and Gallaudet University, have pushed the city to establish this office for years. “[ODDHH] will be an integral part of ensuring that deaf people have a seat at the table,” Maiwald wrote.

Though Gallaudet administrators generally preferred not to comment until the D.C. Council’s final vote next month, University President Roberta Cordano has spoken in support of the office as a resource for students and alumni living in Washington. “The city needs this office,” she said through an interpreter during the council’s original 2019 hearing on the bill. “Deaf people and people who sign are an economic engine brought to this city that I know can and will continue to grow.”

If kept in the District’s final 2022 budget, the office will start receiving funds on Oct. 1.

—john.woolley@streetsensemedia.org

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NEWS

How DC’s new basic income program would work

BY ALLY SCHWEITZER & MARTIN AUSTERMUHLE

This article was first published by DCist on July 22.

D.C. lawmakers approved a historic tax increase this week that, if implemented, could lift thousands of District residents out of poverty. But advocates say further steps are needed to make sure people know the new resource exists.

Proposed changes to the city’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) came during a July 20 debate and vote on the 2022 budget, when lawmakers approved raising taxes on residents who make more than $250,000 a year. A large portion of the revenue from the tax hike will fund homeless services and early childhood education, but the remainder would allow D.C. to increase its local match of the federal tax credit to 55% from the current 40%, with the extra benefit provided in the form of a monthly payment.

“What we’re really talking about is a universal basic income,” says Councilmember Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), who sponsored the measure. “For low-income households, working families, it is — every month — cash coming in. Whether that’s to help pay the bills, put food on the table, buy the kids new clothes, it is deeply impactful and meaningful.”

Created during the Nixon administration, the EITC lets low- and moderate-income working people lower their tax burden or get more money back from the government.

Currently, a single worker with two kids making less than $48,000 a year qualifies for the EITC, as does a married couple with three kids who bring in less than $58,000.

The council’s change — which still requires final approval in August — would make D.C.’s EITC match the most generous in the country. But residents can’t claim the benefit if they don’t know it exists.

An estimated 20,000 families in D.C. are not collecting the tax credit even though they’re eligible, says Joseph Leitmann-Santa Cruz, the CEO of Capital Area Asset Builders, a nonprofit that connects lowincome D.C. residents to the financial system.

“At the end of the day, what matters is not that the resources are available, but that those who could benefit from the resources know about the resources and take advantage of them,” Leitmann-Santa Cruz says.

In 2020, nearly 50,000 tax filers benefited from the EITC, with an average of $2,343 per filer. But data from 2017 — the latest available — show that the city’s EITC participation rate was 77%, meaning thousands of residents left money on the table, the CEO says.

D.C. already provides one of the country’s most robust EITC matches. The city started kicking in an additional 10% on top of the federal credit two decades ago, and has since increased it to 40%. Currently, if a resident with three children qualifies for an EITC of $6,200, they could fetch an additional $2,500 or so from the city.

“These are people who work, who are earning wages but still struggle to get by. So it’s basically allowing them to keep more of the money that they’re earning,” says Tazra Mitchell, the policy director for the left-wing D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute. Mitchell says her own family

benefited from the EITC when she was a teenager.

One key component of the measure passed this week is that it allows residents to collect the credit as a monthly payment starting in 2023, instead of a lump-sum refund at tax time. That’s crucial, says Leitmann-Santa Cruz.

“Every family has to make sure that there is sufficient money to cover the electricity, the water and the credit card bills, but not necessarily the amount of income will be available at that specific date when the bill is due,” says Leitmann-Santa Cruz. “So by having a recurring monthly payment, we are ensuring that people have access to a tax credit [that lets them] pay bills on time.”

Councilmember Allen says the idea of increasing the local EITC match had been percolating for at least three years, since the council’s budget office conducted research on universal basic income programs. Economic disparities exposed and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic made the issue more urgent, he says.

“I think that it really helped shine a light on how different our city is within its own borders,” he says.

Across the country, governments are beginning to experiment with basic income programs that provide regular cash infusions to needy individuals and families.

The Biden administration has embraced the concept, too, with its new expansion of the federal Child Tax Credit. Locally, nonprofits in D.C. directly gave out cash to hundreds of East of the River families who lost income during the pandemic. Families reported using the funds to pay back rent, cover education supplies for their kids, and even start businesses.

Mary Bogle, a researcher in the Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center at the Urban Institute, says the conversation around cash benefits has evolved in recent years. Policymakers today are less likely to fret over how recipients use the money, because research has shown that people usually spend it on essentials.

“Cash is equitable. Cash is a way to put something in the hands of folks and say, ‘Now you make decisions about your lives, and you don’t have to have all these barriers,’” Bogle says. “It’s deeply in keeping with the American view of things, which is, give people choice.

Let them make their decisions.”

Proposed changes to the city’s Earned Income Tax Credit are still in flux, according to Councilmember Allen. An initial estimate of the initiative’s cost came in under what lawmakers expected, meaning the match might even surpass the current proposal of 55% before the final budget vote is taken next month.

If the expansion is ultimately approved — which is likely — the next challenge will be making sure lowincome residents file their taxes so they can collect the credit, says Leitmann-Santa Cruz. He says many low-income Washingtonians aren’t required to file a federal tax return because their incomes are too low.

“That, right there, is the biggest obstacle for families,” he says.

Capital Area Asset Builders is already working with the D.C. government to spread the word about the Earned Income Tax Credit. If the benefits get the boost that lawmakers are seeking, that publicity will become even more essential.

Behind the council vote to tax residents making more than $250K, and other budget amendments you might not have heard about

BY WILL SCHICK // will@streetsensemedia.org

T

he D.C. Council last week debated a range of additions to the District’s fiscal year 2022 budget legislation, including a successful amendment to raise taxes on high-income earners as well as a failed proposal to expand hero’s pay for the city’s essential workers.

In an 8-5 vote, council members agreed July 20 to amend the FY 2022 Budget Support Act by raising taxes on residents who make more than $250,000 a year. Subject to final approval in early August, the resulting revenue is slated to help bring funds to support increasing the salaries of child care workers, the creation of a universal basic income for low-income households, and funding enough permanent supportive housing (PSH) vouchers to end homelessness for potentially thousands of families and individuals over the next few years.

An estimated $100 million in FY 2022 would climb each subsequent year, reaching a projected $175 million in fiscal year 2025. By then, the tax will provide approximately $75 million annually for a new District program titled “Birthto-Three” that aims to improve mental health and child care services for families in the city.

Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, who co-introduced the amendment, said the plan calls for several kinds of housing investments targeted at a wide range of people experiencing homelessness. The plan includes an annual investment of 1,267 PSH vouchers, which include wraparound services for mental health and other care for unhoused residents who have a qualifying disability, have experienced homelessness for more than a year, or have had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years. A second element, Nadeau said, provides 300 Targeted Affordable Housing vouchers, which work as rental subsidies for families who need financial support to remain in their homes. The plan also includes 400 Local Rent Subsidy Program vouchers for LGBTQI+ residents, domestic violence survivors, seniors and returning citizens. Part of the funds raised through this tax would also help fund D.C. Flex, a rapid rehousing subsidy that covers part of the costs for a rental unit.

Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen worked with

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

Nadeau, Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, and several others to draft the amendment to the FY 2022 budget.

During the debate, Allen described the measure as necessary to provide relief for people experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable residents in the District.

“We have always known there are massive inequalities and inequities in the District, and this past year and a half has put that into very stark relief,” Allen said.

The increase in the marginal tax rate would apply to income over $250,000. The rate for people making between $60,000 and $350,000 is currently 8.5%; those making between $350,000 and $1 million a year are taxed at 8.75%. The new measure would raise the rates to 9.25% and 9.75%, respectively.

For those earning more than $1 million, the top marginal tax rate would rise from 8.95% to 10.75%, according to Lewis George’s Ward 4 newsletter. Among the 5% of D.C. taxpayers who would be affected, the annual increase would range from an estimated $375 for someone earning $300,000 to $1,291 for someone earning $1.5 million, according to Allen’s office.

Council Chair Phil Mendelson was the most vocal in expressing his opposition to the proposed tax increase, saying that the money to fund these programs could have been found within the city’s planned $17.5 billion budget without relying on new tax revenue, particularly with the infusion of federal support through the American Rescue Plan. Mayor Muriel Bowser echoed some of the same arguments recently in urging the council to “reconsider” its vote, although Mendelson and other lawmakers say there’s little likelihood of a reversal.

“There’s a lot of duplication and even unsuccessful programs — yes, waste in our government, in our budget,” Mendelson said during the July 20 debate.

During a work session 10 days earlier, Nadeau said that every year the council has had to “do some magic” to find funding for PSH. But Nadeau noted at the time that her goal was “to raise revenue on the wealthiest residents making $250,000 and above so that we have a constant, steady, recurring stream of funding for those most in need, which in my mind are those experiencing homelessness.”

To bolster his opposition the day of the vote, Mendelson went on to note that he had been able to identify money within the FY 2022 budget for various programs the mayor and council committees had not funded. Mendelson said he had found enough “to almost triple the mayor’s investment for permanent supportive housing for the homeless, to almost double funding for access to justice, to fully expand mental health services in our schools, to break up [the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs] and create a new department, et cetera.”

Mendelson was also careful to state that he supported the initiatives but objected to the procedure by which these changes were being made. He returned to that point, saying legislators who opposed the tax increase should not be characterized as opposing the programs targeted for the new funds.

Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh echoed Mendelson’s concerns, saying she also didn’t think an “ad hoc proposal” such as the proposed tax changes should be approved without a hearing.

“We ended the previous year in a surplus and with federal aid,” Cheh said, arguing that money could probably be found within the budget to support such programs.

Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto also cited procedural concerns and urged her colleagues to await the results of the forthcoming Tax Revision Commission’s analysis of the District’s tax policy.

“Circulating a proposal less than 24 hours before voting is not the way to make profound changes to the tax code,” she said. “As a former tax attorney, I don’t think this is the way to do this.”

Proponents, however, were adamant that the amendment was a modest measure that could be “transformative” for the lives of many vulnerable District residents — pointedly using a word Mendelson had used earlier in the meeting to describe his own changes to the budget.

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Nadeau described the need for the spending as too urgent to “And one can dismiss that loan from Treasury as if it’s wait for an overarching look at a fairer tax structure. “Fortyof no consequence, but it would cost us additional dollars,” three people have died sleeping on the streets this year, so Mendelson said. The added expense would be about $2.9 the question I have for the body is how many more people million, according to a fiscal impact statement provided by are we OK with dying on the street while we wait for the Tax the council’s budget office.

Revision Commission to do its work?” she said.

Silverman, however, countered that it is preferable to use Responding to concerns from some that increasing taxes the money now for needed programs rather than worry about high-income earners could lead to capital flight, Allen scoffed taking out a Treasury Department loan, something she said at the idea anyone would move because of a tax increase that many other cities have done during the pandemic. would cost them less than a moving truck would.

Still, Mendelson questioned the outcome of such a decision, Allen and other supporters also pointed to public support saying that small businesses could see their taxes rise in 2023 for the idea that high wage earners can afford to do more to and 2024 to pay off the loan. help D.C. residents hardest hit by the pandemic. “I have been While Mendelson dismissed the idea of adding an extra stopped on the sidewalk more times than I can count this year incentive to an incentive program like STAY D.C., he said he by neighbors asking me to raise their taxes,” Allen said. would attempt to find another way to provide the additional The amendment ultimately passed with the support of all $6 million for excluded workers. but five council members — Mendelson, Cheh, Pinto, Ward Several councilmembers expressed some confusion over 5’s Kenyan McDuffie and at-large member Anita Bonds. In a how the proposed programs would work in practice. subsequent vote on the FY 2022 Local Budget Act, legislators Allen, who voted against the amendment, said he believed opted not to rehash the debate before agreeing to incorporate Silverman was sincere in trying to find ways to provide added the spending funded with the new tax. relief to city residents. But he said he While this was by far the most was wary that the amendment might significant amendment, the council cause the city to have to raise taxes on incorporated other modest changes employers. He also said he was unclear to Mendelson’s proposed budget — about how the proposed funds for hero’s including an amendment proposed by pay or the further STAY D.C. incentives At-large Councilmember Christina would be distributed, a sentiment other Henderson to add $100,000 to a $400,000 councilmembers echoed. project to build a dog park in Ward 7 in “We shouldn’t be recommending the Benning Ridge neighborhood. that we put the city in the position to “We have 16 dog parks across the city have to borrow money when we are and not a single one east of the river,” literally spending in a budget that is Henderson explained. She noted that $17.5 billion,” McDuffie said. “I think the city was also funding two dog park we have to be smart about how to spend improvement projects in Northwest that our dollars.” total more than $1 million each.

The amendment failed 10-3 as The amendment passed unanimously Silverman was only able to garner support without any debate. from Nadeau and Lewis George. Without Another measure proposed by Nadeau the proposed funding, Silverman criticized Charles Allen and Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray the resulting budget as failing to do Ward 6 Councilmember to simplify the recertification process for enough for the working poor who suffered D.C. Health Care Alliance — the city’s economic setbacks during the pandemic. health insurance for low-income residents who don’t qualify for While the council debated these items for close to six hours, Medicaid — passed unanimously. Advocacy groups have long changes incorporated into the 2022 budget without any debate decried the requirement that participants show up in person twice included funding for the breakup of the city’s Department of a year and endure long waits in order to keep their coverage, Consumer and Regulatory Affairs into two agencies, as well as but the council’s attempts at reform didn’t succeed until it was an additional $50 million for public housing repairs. The changes, dropped temporarily during the public health emergency. as proposed by Mendelson in his “committee print” released on A notable amendment from At-large Councilmember Elissa the afternoon before the vote, also included $32 million to fund Silverman, meanwhile, proved unsuccessful. Silverman sought “baby bonds,” a McDuffie priority that will provide up to $1,000 to expand financial support to the city’s essential workers and per year in trust funds for low-income families, an added $5.5 incentivize STAY D.C. — the city’s emergency assistance million for emergency rental assistance, a reversal of staff cuts program for renters behind on rent — but lost on a 3-10 at the Department of Behavioral Health, and $5 million for the vote amid concerns about the funding source and, for some GAIN Act — a program that would pay housing providers to legislators, the areas proposed for the spending. convert market-rate rental units into affordable housing.

Silverman’s amendment would have taken $49 million from Among several amendments to pass unanimously without the city’s unemployment insurance trust fund, applying $20 debate during the meeting were $1 million for a project grant million to STAY D.C. incentive payments, $20 million to “hero’s to examine pay parity at the Duke Ellington School of Arts and pay” for the city’s essential workers, and just over $6 million to a requirement for D.C. Public Schools to release data from a financial relief for excluded workers. The other $3 million would recent survey conducted about teacher effectiveness. cover interest payments related to the proposed funding stream.

The final vote on the Local Budget Act that includes these Recipients of unemployment insurance who completed various program allocations is Aug. 3, and the final vote on their STAY D.C. applications would have received $500 the Budget Support Act that changes rules such as the tax under the amendment. code to enable these allocations is Aug. 10. In the meantime, Mendelson was the first to object to Silverman’s plan, saying residents, advocacy groups, and special interests continue the city’s chief financial officer had expressed concern about to lobby councilmembers. More information about these depleting the District’s unemployment insurance trust fund to a amendments, the votes, and the budget process is available at level that would likely require the city to take out a loan from www.dccouncilbudget.com/fy-2022-budget. the federal government for $47 million just to keep the fund’s This article was co-published with The DC Line. balance high enough to pay off what it owes.

“We have always known there are massive inequalities and inequities in the District, and this past year and a half has put that into very stark relief.”

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NEWS

Bowser announces updated plan to end homelessness with revamped goals and a larger price tag

BY SARAH WATSON sarah.watson@streetsensemedia.org

M

ayor Muriel Bowser’s office released its second five-year strategic plan to end homelessness in D.C. at the beginning of July. The document was released during a July 6 celebration of seven residents of the 801 East Men’s Shelter who were hired to help build its replacement. More than 200 men reside there on any given night, with a capacity of 240 residents.

The updated plan aims to make D.C. homelessness largely nonexistent by 2025, with a focus on unaccompanied adult homelessness following a previous model used to reduce family homelessness in the District. This would require expansion of the permanent supportive housing (PSH) and rapid rehousing programs, according to the document. It also calls for leadership to make housing a protected right for D.C. residents. The first version of Homeward D.C. was published by the D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness in 2015 with the aim of making homelessness “rare, brief and nonrecurring” in the District by 2020. While that goal has not yet been met — this update continues to pursue it.

Those first five years were designed to focus on families first, but then move on after addressing unhoused families to overhaul the full crisis response system. Some items took more time than expected. The District drastically reformed the family shelter system, with the 2018 closure of the D.C. General shelter in favor of multiple smaller sites, the last of which opened earlier this year.

Efforts to reduce family homelessness achieved a 73% decrease between 2015 and 2021, based on the Point-in-Time (PIT) census of the population conducted every January. This decrease is also due to the Homelessness Prevention Program, a D.C. Department of Human Services initiative to prevent people from entering shelters, instead “doubling up” families with other households, such as friends or relatives.

While Bowser reduced family homelessness, progress on individual homelessness was much less dramatic. Homeward D.C. 1.0 aimed to reduce overall homelessness in the District by 65% by the end of 2020, but the official count only decreased by approximately 30%, based on PIT Count data collected in 2015 and 2021. Because PIT data is largely considered an undercount, the decrease also does not account for all people experiencing homelessness in D.C. “Despite the significant progress we have made in the last five years, we still have a long way to go, particularly for single adults,” said Theresa Silla, a policy advisor for Interagency Council on Homelessness. “We look forward to applying lessons learned from the transformation of the family system to maintain our progress on the family front as well as realize resounding success in the reduction of homelessness for single adults.”

Now, Homeward D.C. 2.0 includes many priorities for unaccompanied adults and aims to nearly eliminate homelessness by 2025.

The plan outlines two scenarios, one that explains what D.C. 's system would look like if the plan failed to prevent “inflow” into homelessness and maintained a “steady level of investment” in permanent housing programs. The second, and preferable scenario “imagine[s] significant increases in financial resources and capacity to more fully meet the need” while assuming the same level of inflow as the first scenario.

“We know that if people are flowing into our system no

Six years ago, at a Feb. 7, 2015, Housing For All Campaign rally, Mayor Bowser promised to work toward eliminating homelessness and to not settle for short-term solutions like shelters.

ARCHIVE PHOTO BY JULIE GALLAGHER

matter what their residence is, whether from outside or inside the District, if we aren’t proactive and fast enough with our housing resources, those individuals will end up in chronic homelessness,” said Reginald Black, a Street Sense Media vendor and an appointed member of the D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness.

A draft of Homeward D.C. 2.0 was released in February of last year, but its rollout was delayed due to COVID-19. At the time it was proposed, Homeward 2.0 received criticism for not securing enough housing options for single adults who might not qualify for permanent supportive housing.

To meet Bowser’s goal of ending homelessness in D.C. by 2025, the government must speed up the rate of people who receive housing through various programs each year.

Black acknowledged the drawbacks of the original plan that Homeward 2.0 attempts to remedy. “A lot of partners have said that those [2015-2020] goals were aspirational and they were estimates, so we fell significantly short of what we had planned in terms of permanent supportive housing.”

In response to concerns about resources for unhoused and unaccompanied individuals, the revamped strategy includes rapid rehousing for single adults which, according to the plan, “helps prevent inflow into long-term homelessness.” One scenario proposed adding 100 new slots of rapid rehousing annually.

Rapid rehousing (RRH) has received mixed feedback with criticisms that people are given temporary housing support without a living-wage job or enough support to attain one quickly, meaning they return to homelessness when their RRH time limits run out. The subsidy helps fund rent for a set time period, usually a year, with available extensions. The recipient must cover the full market-rate rent when the subsidy ends. Black has criticized the program because it provides participants rapid but temporary stability. After the financial support runs out, participants often become homeless again.

He pointed out that some recipients have felt they were "set up to fail," which was also the title of a 2017 Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless report documenting how many participants return to homelessness.

Homeward D.C. 2.0 admits that the frequently relied upon rapid rehousing program is not perfect, but is based on the idea

that it is better to provide some rent-stabilization to households, even in cost-burdened units, than to provide no help at all.

“RRH is not a replacement for the long-term investments in affordable housing – it is an emergency response while the District continues efforts to build that stock,” the plan states.

Advocates consider permanent supportive housing a better alternative to RRH. This most expensive option, while it has limited eligibility, supports residents without a time limit. In March 2021, Councilmember Brianne Nadeau proposed the city purchase hotels that were being used for the temporary Pandemic Emergency Program for Medically Vulnerable Individuals (PEP-V) to use the hotels for development of permanent supportive housing.

The 2.0 plan calls for 35% of future PSH investments be in such site-based projects where 50% - 100% of the units are PSH, based on recommendations from the Interagency Council on Homelessness. Homeward D.C. encourages PSH site development, to create supportive communities for an aging single adult population experiencing homelessness. The plan cites examples at the Dunbar, a 19-unit PSH facility for women, and the John and Jill Ker Conway Residence, a 124-unit building with 77 units of PSH and 47 units of affordable housing.

Expanded permanent housing capacity, however, is only possible with significantly more funding as described in the second scenario of the plan. According to Homeward D.C. 2.0, the preexisting level would “push our system and existing provider capacity to the limits.”

The Way Home Campaign, a coalition of nonprofit organizations attempting to end chronic homelessness in D.C., advocated for an amendment to the fiscal year 2022 budget that would set aside another $66 million toward permanent supportive housing.

[Disclaimer: Street Sense Media is a member of The Way Home Campaign but our newsroom is independent. Read more at streetsensemedia.org/ethics] That proposal was adopted during a July 20 vote, with support from councilmembers Brianne Nadeau, Janeese Lewis-George, Charles Allen, Trayon White, Vincent Gray, Robert White, Elissa Silverman and Christina Henderson. The passed amendment, which proposes an increase to the marginal income tax rate for D.C. residents earning more than $250,000 annually, would also fund a wage increase for childcare professionals and a monthly basic income for households earning less than $57,414 per year for a family of three.

If the amendment passes a final vote on Aug. 3, it will be the first time permanent supportive housing has had a dedicated revenue stream to support the city’s annual investments in the program.

Ideally, Black pointed out, no housing support systems are necessary if the city invests substantially in affordable housing for its residents. The plan calls for increased affordable housing development in the city, pointing to a goal Mayor Bowser announced in May 2019 of adding 36,000 new units of housing, including 12,000 affordable housing opportunities, to the District by 2025.

Homeward D.C. 2.0’s focus on single adult homelessness is also part of an effort to view homelessness through the perspective of racial equity. Black residents make up less than half of the D.C. population, but more than 85% of adults experiencing homelessness in the District. The plan includes a racial equity impact assessment tool to evaluate the effect of policies on different racial groups experiencing homelessness

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AT A GLANCE and two task forces: one to review system operations and one to review data on client race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and linguistics.

Reginald Black, the ICH member and Street Sense Media vendor, explained that since the plan’s initial 2020 release, it has been modified to account for the challenges of COVID19 as well as issues of structural racism that were highlighted during the pandemic. The end of COVID-19 protection programs like the eviction moratorium has raised concerns over an expected increase in the unhoused population. “We decided to reopen the plan to take a look at what is happening with COVID and make sure we have a plan for the next year that is comprehensive enough to serve unaccompanied unhoused populations that are underserved,” Black said.

While the plan includes language that acknowledges the pandemic, Silla of ICH said their modeling of the homeless services system relies on pre-pandemic analysis. These estimates will be updated later this year after evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on D.C. homelessness.

Outside of specific plans for rapid rehousing or permanent supportive housing, Black emphasized goal 12 of the plan: “Provide leadership on creating a right to housing in the United States.” Black, who is a long-term advocate of the proposal, believes that if housing was a protected right, people would be able to rent affordably without need for as many emergency or supportive housing resources.

“We believe that safe, stable, affordable housing should be a human right, not a privilege,” the plan states According to the plan, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development annually invests more in subsidies for wealthy homeowners than in affordable rent for people experiencing homelessness. Homeward D.C. 2.0 argues that D.C. could be a leading voice in encouraging the federal government to establish a Housing Assistance Entitlement Benefit that would dedicate more funding to homeless populations.

“We can be a model city to make sure all other cities follow our lead in terms of being able to provide decent, safe, and affordable housing to people.” Black said.

Winter 2021-22 hypothermia plan submitted for approval The D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH) shelter capacity subcommittee submitted a proposal for how to provide enough beds and physical space in shelters this winter.

The plan prepares D.C.’s low-barrier emergency shelters for hypothermia season, where D.C. is required by law to provide housing for all who request it when temperatures with wind chill are at 32 degrees or below, or 40 degrees and below with a greater than 50% chance of precipitation. Hypothermia season typically extends between Nov. 1 to March 31 annually. The Homeless Services Reform Act requires D.C. to have a plan to guarantee this right to shelter completed by the end of the fiscal year in September.

The ICH shelter capacity subcommittee met June 23 and July 15 to create recommendations for necessary bed numbers for the upcoming hypothermia season, based on past year’s data from the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness.

This year, the shelter capacity subcommittee recommended the city provide 1,500 beds for men and 625 beds for women. This year’s recommendation for 124 more men’s beds, but only one more women’s bed, comes amid concerns over how the end of the eviction moratorium could impact numbers of people experiencing homelessness. Last winter, the highest reported occupancy of beds was 1,350 men and 540 women.

In past years, the city’s hypothermia plan annually relies on three types of facilities: its year-round low-barrier shelters, along with seasonal shelters and

overflow shelters — mostly recreation centers converted to shelter space for the evening. Seasonal shelters are introduced on the first night a hypothermia alert is announced and remain open for the rest of the hypothermia season with more seasonal shelter space coming online as facilities near capacity. Overflow shelters only open on nights the hypothermia alert is activated.

According to the subcommittee’s recommendations, the beds proposed for this winter could include seasonal, overflow nights, and beds from the Pandemic Emergency Program for Medically Vulnerable Individuals (PEP-V) that was started in April 2020.

The PEP-V program, which includes four hotels to shelter people with underlying conditions in non-congregate spaces during the pandemic, is scheduled to end Sept. 30 when the opportunity to request reimbursement for program costs from FEMA ends with the fiscal year.

According to D.C. Department of Human Services spokesperson Lauren Kinard, the use of PEP-V beds has not been confirmed for the winter season. As of July 7, PEP-V housed 493 residents, according to DHS’s latest biweekly report to the D.C. Council Committee on Human Services. PEP-V residents must return to congregate shelters or outdoor living if they are not matched to a housing resource by the end of September.

This year’s plan will have to adapt to changes in COVID-19, the draft states.

Current shelter capacity limits remain lower than pre-pandemic levels in order to encourage social distancing and not all additional shelter spaces may be able to operate 24/7. Since the pandemic,

shelters have been operating 24/7, but keeping communities in place to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

“While this Winter Plan provides a framework for our hypothermia season operations in light of COVID-19, we know we will need to be flexible as the conditions around us continue to change,” the draft plan states.

During the 2020-2021 winter season, the hypothermia alert was activated on 114 days. From fiscal year 2016 to fiscal year 2019, at least 8 people experiencing homelessness have died due to hypothermia conditions, with the statistics from the 2020-2021 winter yet to be calculated. At least one death is known to have been due to hypothermia in 2020.

According to the draft, D.C. is shifting its homelessness strategy away from a shelter-based system to a focus on stabilization services and permanent supportive housing, as outlined in the Mayor’s recently released Homeward DC 2.0. Homeward DC 2.0 is the second phase of the city’s plan to make homelessness “rare, brief, and nonrecurring.” In the meantime, however, hypothermia planning aims to protect people currently experiencing homelessness.

The ICH Emergency Response and Shelter Operations (ERSO) committee will meet virtually at 1 p.m. on July 28 to discuss and edit the first draft of the winter plan. Following approval by ERSO, a finalized plan will be presented to the ICH Executive Committee by mid-August.

—sarah.watson@streetsensemedia.org

Anthony Crawford.

ARCHIVE PHOTO

BIRTHDAYS Anthony Crawford July 29 ARTIST/VENDOR

James Davis Aug. 1 ARTIST/VENDOR

ACCOMPLISHMENTS Ayub Abdul

Moving to a new place ARTIST/VENDOR

VENDOR PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENTS • Vendors can bring in a complete CDC vaccination card for 15 free papers.

• New poetry workshop every Monday, 10:30 - 11:30am.

• As of Aug. 1, Street Sense Media will no longer offer Vendors the Tuesday 2-for-1 discount on papers.

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Random Acts of Kindness: The bucket list continues with Niagra Falls View of Niagra Falls from Buffalo, NY. PHOTO BY WENDELL WILLIAMS

STORY AND PHOTOS BY WENDELL WILLIAMS Artist/Vendor

I

n the previous installment of Random Acts of Kindness, I shared how I miraculously was able to cross another of the many places I thought I’d never see off my list. And soon after, because of an Act of Kindness from a friend, a chance to see one of the wonders of the world materialized out of a silly conversation.

We were just talking about all the places we couldn’t go to because of the pandemic, kind of playing our version of Travel Jeopardy. But we figured out there are a lot of places domestically we can go, many on day trips without flying. We eliminated one place after another based on a lot of factors and finally agreed we could both handle a 6.5-hour jaunt to Buffalo.

Why there? Because of the added value of Niagara Falls and Canada being only 20 minutes or so north.

I’ve always dreamed of going to the falls. I’d heard stories from my mom about it being a honeymoon spot, especially for African Americans during the height of “Jim Crow” when most destinations we think about today — like seaside resorts — were not an option. Even places “up north” like Atlantic City were segregated with its “Chicken Bone Beach” reserved for Black Americans. My family used to spend a week there every summer growing up without me ever being aware of the phenomenon of racism. My parents even attempted to purchase lots for Black families to build on out near the racetrack. I still have fond memories of AC, including my first concert alone: The Fifth Dimension on the Boardwalk’s world famous Steel Pier, which I really miss.

We were concerned about the distance. It seemed so far away in my mind and on the maps. But after making a detailed plan, it was just a short sprint for two senior drivers alternating twoand one-hour shifts at the wheel.

We began with a 5 a.m. departure to avoid the infamous D.C. beltway morning rush-hour traffic When the sun came up, we were blessed with the most beautiful sunrise as we climbed up the mountains of western Maryland heading towards Breezewood, the turnpike, and Pittsburgh while giving us this great view of the expansive green valley below.

Having lived in Michigan, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, I was a turnpike veteran and expected to be jockeying for position with hundreds of tractor trailers all morning. But in what seemed like a “Twilight Zone” episode, truck traffic was almost nonexistent. Next thing we knew, we had bypassed the Steel

City and were headed north on 91 towards Erie, Pennsylvania with clear skies ahead on a bright and beautiful day for a drive.

We started to see Erie signs and looked left. I remembered why they are called “The Great Lakes.” All I could see was water all the way to the horizon, and Erie is the smallest. It was then I thought about something else on my bucket list: seeing all five. Living in Ohio and Michigan, and occasionally traveling to Toronto has given me the opportunity to see four of them but one still eludes me: Superior or it’s Native American name “The Great Kitchi Gummi”, largest of the lakes holds 10% of the world’s fresh water. I am not sure how but hopefully I’ll get to cross that off as well.

After leaving Erie in the rearview mirror, we saw the “Welcome to New York” sign in what seemed like no time at all. I don’t know what the record driving time is to Buffalo but we must have broken it, which put us there way before our 4 p.m. check in time.

As we GPSed to our downtown hotel, we could see how grand of an old city Buffalo, New York, truly is. In another

We released the smiley-face balloon at the Falls for Valerie Jordan of “Random Acts of Kindness: A valentine for Valerie” to have her with us on this journey, as we do on all our trips. We take something of hers to leave. PHOTO COUTESY OF WENDELL WILLIAMS

Random Act, my friend (who is in my opinion a travel savant) hooked us up with a great room with a view of the lake and city in this old restored building built like a fortress. It now doubles as an entertainment complex with restaurants, a deli, rooftop bar, office space, condos and two floors of hotel rooms. What vision the planners must have had. In D.C., the wrecking ball would have just knocked down this grand example of a gone era of craftsmanship to put up some boring glass and steel box. But I could see from my window that all over downtown there were many more architectural gems like it, which made my friend excited because she works in historic preservation. So we were able to combine our two passions into this trip: me seeing how homeless people are faring and my friend seeing how old buildings are preserved and used in the modern era.

After unpacking, a shower, and change of clothes, we were ready to explore the city. But our minds were on the wonders just 25 minutes north of downtown. And like two little kids on Christmas Eve, we couldn’t settle down or wait until the morning. So we turned right around and headed back out to see what we came for, the Falls.

They weren’t hard to find either. Once we got within a few miles of them you could hear that powerful roar, faint at first then louder, as we crossed that last bridge into the city of Niagara Falls. We had no idea it was it’s own living city. We made a few wrong turns against the advice of our GPS. At my age, I still can’t completely surrender to apps like Waze and Google Maps. Just following the sounds, we got closer and closer as we weaved through the city. Until there it was in all of it’s majesty.

We parked and started walking because you can only drive so close before continuing on foot. I still stutter thinking about my first look at the Falls. I was silenced by it’s awesome power and the moment for me was very spiritual as I stood there wondering about the Power that created it. To say that I was stopped in my tracks would be an understatement, the same held for my friend as we stood there gazing at the power of nature. It was even more interesting to see the faces of all the different people who were experiencing the same special moment. Almost no one was talking above a whisper out of respect for one another’s emotional take on their encounter with Mother Nature.

Then we had dinner there and headed back to rest up for the

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The “Homeless Jesus” statue and sign located at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral. PHOTO BY WENDELL WILLIAMS

big first day in Buffalo. The next morning we woke up early and ready to explore.

We were just going to wing it when my companion insisted she find the best breakfast in Buffalo, which put us at odds. I confess that I am a Denny’s guy who isn’t looking for ambience or atmosphere with his eggs and pancakes, but she insisted.

After a lot of driving around, even stopping twice to ask construction workers, my friend thought they knew the best places to eat. We attempted a bipartisan compromise to not ruin the start of the day and settled on breakfasts in separate locations, which turned out to be a Random Act of Kindness toward each other.

Both restaurants turned out to be on Delaware Avenue, a long, wide, tree-lined thoroughfare stretching from downtown Buffalo all the way out to the suburbs in the other direction.

So after dropping my friend off, I headed off on a 25-minute drive through Buffalo’s neighborhoods. I couldn’t wait to get back and scoop my friend up to show her what I discovered just getting out for breakfast. So we drove around getting lost and continued to find more treasures.

My friend and travel savant. PHOTO COUTESY OF WENDELL WILLIAMS

We spent the entire morning “oohing” and “aahing” about this building or that one. I got so caught up in her pursuit I momentarily forgot about my interest in reporting on the conditions facing the homeless community. It was then I noticed: “Wait a minute, where are they?” I thought maybe I was in the wrong part of town because I wasn’t seeing anyone.

But upon further review where I felt I should be finding people, I started to recognize a single homeless person here and there and occasionally a cluster and then more as I headed in one direction towards a church that had spiked my curiosity architecturally the night before. I had stumbled on a trail that led to ground zero for homeless services in downtown Buffalo.

When I saw it, I couldn’t believe I had almost missed this chance. We had driven by it multiple times as we explored the

area. And there they were, my brothers and sisters, in that park to miss after coming this far. in small groups of two or three people.

So we spent the afternoon looking at the early twentieth“Why aren’t there more people out?” I wondered. It seems the century commercial and government buildings and churches in city of Buffalo may have sanitized its homeless people’s presence the core of Buffalo’s downtown. At times we tied up traffic as downtown. I never saw any heavy-handed police action towards we put the flashers on, jumped out and took pictures. It seemed them but I noticed that they were always in motion. You’d have like people knew we were tourists and just tolerated us. I knew to have lived this life to better understand my observations. But that “d*** tourists” look because we do the same here in D.C. trust me, I could feel the cat-and-mouse game homeless people But it was worth it because we got some great photos before have to play was afoot in this seemingly nice clean city. taking the slow route back to the Falls.

In downtown Buffalo, most of the historic buildings have This time we walked to the other end of the American side of been given a new life and purpose by institutions, corporations, the Falls. Where we were standing directly over one of the falls nonprofits, and tenants. Buffalo also appears to have housing at the day before, now we were in position to see all four of them. diverse prices, allowing people to remain in the city. Churches My brother had warned me to make sure we wore jackets but seemed to be anchored in many of those neighborhoods, providing because the weather was so nice, we forgot and paid dearly for outreach to families, homeless citizens, and schoolchildren. it. Although the Maid of the Mist boats and the walk over the This was the mission of the old church I was approaching, Falls was closed due to COVID-19, it was still wet and now St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, stretching a city block with a cold. Not pouring down raining wet but more like a constant separate restored historical building housing its community mist. As the sun slipped behind the horizon over Canada, the ministry focusing on helping those on the streets and in the temperature really dropped quickly — but we were here to go beautiful tree-filled park next to it. the distance. We hung in there until our resolve was renewed I wasn’t sure who actually “owned” said park. I was still by seeing the lights warming up in the gorge below. thinking “Where is everyone?” when I saw the huge green It started slowly. “This is what I am freezing for?” I said, not sign with the park rules displayed in a manner I know lends realizing it wasn’t dark enough yet for the colors’ effect to fully to using trespassing as a tactic to keep homeless people from take place. When it happened, the colors got stronger and darker congregating in a nice peaceful place. The sign was just a few until I felt the magic of the word of mouth advertising. It was a feet from the “Homeless Jesus” statue of Christ laying on a wonderful sight that made us momentarily forget the cold. We bench covered up sleeping. I had missed it the night before just couldn’t leave now. At about 9:30 p.m., it was not pitch thinking someone was actually sleeping outside. The irony dark yet but the colors were bright enough. Then, after a halfwas that in today’s Buffalo, He would’ve been subject to hour of amazement, we took a quick vote and it was 2-0 to get arrest. In a lot of cities, there are ordinances that criminalize the h*** out of there. As we shivered our way back to the car, homelessness by banning sleeping outside. I’ve run afoul of we could only wonder what the Falls would look like later that them myself. Some other compassionate cities and churches night at the suggested peak viewing time of, surprisingly, 2 a.m. around the country have started to commission and display As we got in the car, cranked up the heat, unfroze, and started this statue — including D.C., outside of to drive away, we reviewed our day and Catholic Charities at 10th and G Streets the time we had. As we hit the highway NW — to bring more attention to the we instinctively started our planning for problem of increasing homelessness. the trip home the next day. We again Now this is decades after the “problem” used the strategy of leaving before rush was featured in nationwide fundraising hour and were on pace for a record return efforts like HBO’S “Comic Relief,” which home. But somewhere close to Erie I got raised millions of dollars to eradicate another bright idea. I would use the GPS homelessness with the help of Whoopi and for some ungodly reason had to stop Goldberg, Billy Crystal, the late Robin at every single Walmart along the route in Williams, and other big-time celebrities in search of my White Whale: certain flavors the 80s. Well, it’s 2021 and the movement of a generic sugar-free drink sold there. is still a day late and dollar short in bringing Now, I am not sure how much time an end to homelessness. And where are the this madness caused us. After five or six Hollywood types now? They moved on stops, I never found those elusive drinks. to the latest cause du jour. But you and I But in a Random Act of Kindness, my know for certain that a lot of those same friend got into my scavenger hunt, too. celebs would move heaven and earth with I felt blessed to have someone who their money and influence if someone was allowed me to pursue my sometimes abusing puppies on a similar scale. wacky impulses without complaint. After Our original plan was not to return to the dinner in Frederick, Maryland, we were Falls that second evening. But in a “Random home and I was able to cross another Act of Kindness,” someone told us about The Mckinley Monument in Niagara place off my bucket list thanks to a little Square, just outside of Buffalo’s City Hall. how seeing them lit up at night was a totally Construction began on this city hall building help from my friends. different experience and that we didn’t want from 1929 - 1931. PHOTO BY WENDELL WILLIAMS

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OPINION

What’s the big problem with voter IDs?

BY JEFFREY MCNEIL

PHOTO COURTESY JEREMY DORROUGH // UNSPLASH

In a press conference that ranged from bizarre to cringeworthy, Joe Biden announced plans to use the full force of the government to go door to door to pressure the unvaccinated into getting a vaccine shot.

In a strange contradiction, the same people who want to defund police see nothing un-American about wanting the government to police people to wear masks and maintain social distancing.

And yet for some reason, in the warped world of this administration, requiring an ID to vote is shameful and “un-American.”

The claim by advocates against voter IDs is they disenfranchise marginalized communities, chiefly people of color. However, a poll by Rasmussen Reports found that 75 percent of likely voters believe photo identification should be presented before voting, including 69 percent of Black voters.

Democrats always claim to be the party of civil rights, particularly with African Americans. But they can’t see how patronizing and demeaning their arguments are when allegedly defending Black voters.

Advocates say voter ID requirements are racist because African Americans don’t have access to the internet. As an African American, I believe this is liberal condescension at its worst. Don’t you need an ID to cash a check, drive a car, or get on an airplane?

Then how is requiring ID to vote considered a return to “Jim Crow”?

You would think the one person in favor of voter ID requirements would be Joe Biden. When a third of Americans and 63 percent of Republicans believe Biden is illegitimate, according to a Monmouth University poll from June, that means they believe

The city has more than $352 million of federal rental assistance funds to help D.C. residents who struggled with rents due to COVID-19. Where does that leave the homeless? Where does that leave the people who’ve been staying in shelters that don’t pass health inspections?

Some people have been living on the streets for years, waiting for assistance.

Why aren’t government officials questioning where the money is going to help those who qualify for vouchers and housing?

In the District, case workers and managers keep making excuses as to why it always takes so long for us to get housing or housing vouchers. Mental health program case workers don’t call. Their favorite words are “they aren’t accepting new applications,” but I’ve been out here for two years now. They want to blame it on the pandemic, but it was like this before.

Why is the country so much in debt when the number of homeless people is growing as we speak? How have we spent trillions of dollars without making sure people have a place to live?

Why are we being overlooked? All I want to know is when will it will be homeless citizens’ turn for the government to help us out of poverty, especially when we qualify and have done everything that was asked of us?

Let us know. We’re waiting, because that’s all we have time to do -- as if we have any other choice.

elections are fraudulent and rigged. What makes America further divided is trying to silence, censor, and deplatform anyone who wants a full forensic audit to see if the ballots match the voter rolls.

It’s confusing to see why Joe Biden, his flunkies and corporate-controlled media oppose a policy that has bipartisan support, including from a large swath of the Black and Hispanic population that helped to elect Biden. Yet in his press conferences, Biden looks to the public and calls the voter ID requirement and other proposed measures to ensure voting integrity “the most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War.” For one time, I agree with Biden. This is one fight that no American can back down from! All legal votes must count and your ID must prove you’re a citizen and live in the district or community where you vote.

For a party that calls themselves Democrats, there’s nothing more democratic than making sure it’s one man, one vote. Voting should be done the way it’s always been done, through bipartisan hand counts. They fool no one with complicated schemes like superdelegates and ranked-choice elections that subvert the people’s will and ensure that the establishment puts in a guy they can control and who institutes policies that benefit them, not the people.

Voting is all we got. Ballot boxes stop bloodshed, and why Democrats want to have confusion and chaos baffles the mind. This shouldn’t be political: Both parties should be in support of voter IDs. Jeffery McNeil is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

Federal rental assistance for whom?

BY DONTÉ TURNER

Donté Turner is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

IMAGE COURTESY FREE CLIPARTS // PINTEREST

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PHOTO COURTESY PHILIPP BERNDT // UNSPLASH.COM

An update to my customers

BY GERALD ANDERSON Artist/Vendor

H

ey, to all my customers.

Last time I spoke with y’all, I told y’all to keep me in y’all prayers. And thank y’all for keeping me in y’all prayers.

Y’all’s prayers are being answered, because today I’m walking way better than what I was walking a few months ago. It’s not too long before I’ll be back at Street Sense. I’m out on the weekend, me and Thomas traveling around. I’m walking a helluva helluva lot The pain is not too much on me.

I got a lot of new things to share with y’all when I do get back. A lot of things y’all gonna see different with me. I’m still proud to be back. I really miss workin’. I really miss seeing y’all. Beautiful summer. Hope everyone be safe and hope to be back out pretty soon.

Other than that, I leave y’all with this — Whatever happens, I’m always standing. And I want y’all to stand too. And hoping that soon y’all can be seeing me downtown, any day now.

So be looking for me! Take care, and everyone be safe.

New me

BY MARCUS MCCALL // Artist/Vendor

I want people to understand that my past life was wild. This new me here is something great. The lifestyle I used to live was crazy. Now I’m selling papers, not drugs. Believe it or not, I can’t get fifty dollars, not even twenty sometimes. Earning Just five or two dollars for being positive seems too “hard,” like selling coke is “easy.” Getting people to buy Street Sense is very hard. Some people look at me like Mr. Get The Damn Paper Out of My Face; I don’t want it!

It’s still for real

BY QUEENIE FEATHERSTONE // Artist/Vendor

Covid 19 is still real Covid 19 still kills Death rates may be down I will still frown This virus is just that real Masks are still on our faces Many of us have not gotten sick Of course can I say we have beat Covid 19 with a big stick Let’s however not get a big kick out of this.

Please stay on guard.

However, it’s still really hard.

God will keep my mask on, they will keep their mask on.

Covid be gone.

Reopening

BY AIDA PEERY // Artist/Vendor

On July 14, on my way to work, I saw some downtown workers returning to their workplaces. As a vendor, that put a smile on my face.

Channel 9 news said yesterday that most of the museums will reopen on July 20, throughout the week. I’ve been seeing some tourists recently and wondered what they were doing in sightseeing. I saw a reporter ask some tourists what they were going to see, since none of the museums were open.

They said they visited the White House and saw some statues, and everyone said they were very disappointed that everything else was closed to walk-ins. I felt kind of bad for the tourists because when Mayor Bowser halfway opened up the city, she should have focused on residents only —

still discouraging visitors — and opened the District up for tourists once the museums had opened back up. The way we did it wasted people’s time and money.

Overall, I am very happy that we are starting to regain some normalcy back into the city. I live in permanent supportive housing for women, and I wish that N Street Village would reopen the doors at Erna’s House so we can have our friends, family, and grandchildren visit us again, instead of us having to go see them all the time during this reopening in the city. People I know and my family are vaccinated. It’s unfair to me and other residents who are vaccinated to keep closed because other women aren’t or don’t want to get vaccinated. It’s unfair to keep that policy intact while everything else has reopened.

1 2 // S T R E E T S E N S E M E D I A / / J U LY 2 8 , 2 0 2 1 - A U G . 3, 2021

ART

I Call Your Name

BY ROCHELLE WALKER Artist/Vendor

I call your name You call my name You walk with me You talk with me You know my name O how good you been I call your name How you been by my side You been by my side Oh Ii called your name How sweet it is you call my name You know my name You are my friend You die for me You cry for us Oh how wonderful it is to honor you I call your name You gave us a second chance You call my name You watch over my soul.

You teach me to love and meditate on your word You walk with me through side by side You are my friend I am going to learn more about you!

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven:” Matthew 5:43-45 There was a time in my life as a young boy coming up where I was dating a lady friend. Somebody else liked her too and wanted to date her. He didn’t like me because I was dating his friend. So he was jealous of me, and he picked a fight with me and hit me in my jaw. I turned the other cheek and said, ‘I love you brother, may Peace and Blessing be with you.’

Loving Your Enemies

BY JEFFREY CARTER // Artist/Vendor

Real Love

BY CARLOS CAROLINA Artist/Vendor

Real love, I just gotta talk about it, Because when you come around me My heart just floats around you, Pick it up and find it Might be astounded Beating like it’s bouncing Love is around it Peaceful in its sounding Sweet when you smell it, My heart in your hands, When it beats can you feel it?

Love all around us We got love all around us “It’s Real Love”

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEB DOWD UNSPLASH.COM

Jewel

BY JEWEL LEWIS

Artist/Vendor

My name is Jewel. After coming to work for Street Sense, I look at life in a different way. I help homeless people get housing. I always say, everybody loves Jesus but they don’t want to take Him home. I take Him home because, when I was homeless, somebody took me home. So I take them home and feed them, clothe them, and love them until they can love themself and that’s the jewel in me.

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

Joy (cont’d)

Beach fun

BY ANTHONY CARNEY // Artist/Vendor In the July 14 edition, I wrote about my top 2-7 joys in life. Number one is in His own category:

BY BRIANNA BUTLER Artist/Vendor

The sun glistened on skin while searching for a wave. The waves are a refreshing, soft massage through the body. People surf them without falling.

They were lasting a long time before coming off their boards. Families of all ages coming to hit a big white ball through and over the long red net. Some people were falling before the ball got to them. One lady hit the ball so hard that her hand was ringing in pain. When the game was over everybody ran to go get some drinks because everyone was so thirsty.

People are socializing, making jokes and telling family stories. Each family had brought out the cookware. They started grilling and bringing out kebab steaks, brugers, hot dogs, gyros, and even some delicious Impossible and Beyond burgers. Another family that owns some huts brought some fresh caught fish with some mangos and coconuts. They made this incredible dish.

It was tasty! Their relatives brought salads and pineapples and fruit to make some of the finest, coolest drinks you ever drank.

Lastly they all danced and laid under the cool umbrella or went into a relaxing hut to read and sleep. When the moon and the stars came, everyone looked so amazed. Then they left to go, but not before exchanging phone numbers to communicate with each other the next time on the beach.

Juneteeth holiday

BY PATTY SMITH Artist/Vendor

People have their own opinion about this holiday. I was watching the sitcom Bernie Mac It was about family. The show resembled my home life. Every Juneteenth, at my home we have a picnic. We are adults, but sometimes we can act like kids!

Joy means the emotion evoked by well-being, success on good fortune, or by the prospect of possessing what one desires. Delight, the number one on the list of joy is God. If you have God in your life, you have the greatest joy of all. Without God there is no joy to be had.

This is the writer’s opinion.

Spread love.

Frozen Rope

BY FREDERIC JOHN Artist/Vendor

Dedicated to my Nats...

Don’t be a dope: Swing for the Frozen Rope!

And should you, batter, Fail in your dream— Try the eponymous Ballpark treat of Silky, milky Refreshing Ice cream!

PHOTO COURTESY KALEB TAPP, UNSPLASH.COM

// 1 3

OnlineCrosswords.net

Find the solution at https://onlinecrosswords.net/8941

1 4 // S T R E E T S E N S E M E D I A / / J U LY 2 8 , 2 0 21 - A U G . 3, 2021 This is the Daily Crossword Puzzle #1 for Jul 27, 2021

FUN &#2 Sudoku 2 4 1 GAMES 6 5 9

Novice Sudoku by KrazyDad, Volume 2, Book 1

Across Across

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Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each Sudoku #6 all of the digits 1 thru 9.

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This crossword puzzle’s answers: tinyurl.com/SSMcross-07-28-2021

<< LAST EDITION’S PUZZLE SOLUTION

"When you have to kill a man it costs nothing to be polite."

-- Winston Curchill, On formal declarations of war

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8 9 1 7 5 3 2 1 7 9 7 5 3 4 6 5 6 4 1 8 9 4 3 2 6 2 8

4 2 8 9 5 6 2 8 9 1 3 7 6

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Author Gene Weingarten is a college dropout and a nationally syndicated humor columnist for The Washington Post. Author Dan Weingarten is a former college dropout and a current college student majoring in information technology. Many thanks to Gene Weingarten and The Washington Post Writers Group for allowing Street Sense to run Barney & Clyde.

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All services listed are referral-free Academy of Hope Public Charter School 202-269-6623 // 2315 18th Place NE aohdc.org

Bread for the City - 1525 7th St., NW // 202-265-2400 - 1640 Good Hope Rd., SE // 202-561-8587 breadforthecity.org

Calvary Women’s Services // 202-678-2341 1217 Good Hope Rd., SE calvaryservices.org

Catholic Charities // 202-772-4300 catholiccharitiesdc.org/gethelp

Central Union Mission // 202-745-7118 65 Massachusetts Ave., NW missiondc.org

Charlie’s Place // 202-232-3066 1830 Connecticut Ave., NW charliesplacedc.org

Christ House // 202-328-1100 1717 Columbia Rd., NW christhouse.org

Church of the Pilgrims // 202-387-6612 2201 P St., NW food (1-1:30 on Sundays only) churchofthepilgrims.org/outreach

Community Family Life Services 202-347-0511 // 305 E St., NW cflsdc.org

Community of Hope // 202-232-7356 communityofhopedc.org

Covenant House Washington 202-610-9600 // 2001 Mississippi Ave., SE covenanthousedc.org

D.C. Coalition for the Homeless 202-347-8870 // 1234 Massachusetts Ave., NW dccfh.org

cancer, etc) 219 Riggs Rd., NE foodandfriends.org

Foundry Methodist Church // 202-332-4010 1500 16th St., NW ID (Friday 9am–12pm only) foundryumc.org/ministry-opportunities

Friendship Place // 202-364-1419 4713 Wisconsin Ave., NW friendshipplace.org

Georgetown Ministry Center // 202-338-8301 1041 Wisconsin Ave., NW georgetownministrycenter.org

Jobs Have Priority // 202-544-9128 425 2nd St., NW jobshavepriority.org

Loaves & Fishes // 202-232-0900 1525 Newton St., NW loavesandfishesdc.org

Martha’s Table // 202-328-6608 marthastable.org 2375 Elvans Road SE 2204 Martin Luther King Ave. SE

Miriam’s Kitchen // 202-452-8926 2401 Virginia Ave., NW miriamskitchen.org

My Sister’s Place // 202-529-5991 (24-hr hotline) mysistersplacedc.org

N Street Village // 202-939-2060 1333 N St., NW nstreetvillage.org

New York Avenue Shelter // 202-832-2359 1355-57 New York Ave., NE

// 1 5

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOTLINE Línea de salud del comportamiento

1-888-793-4357

Laundry Lavandería

samaritanministry.org

JOB BOARD Sales Associate 7-Eleven // 1233 Brentwood Rd. NE

Sasha Bruce Youthwork // 202-675-9340 741 8th St., SE sashabruce.org

So Others Might Eat (SOME) // 202-797-8806 71 O St., NW some.org

St. Luke’s Mission Center // 202-333-4949 3655 Calvert St., NW stlukesmissioncenter.org

Full-time Sales associates work in customer service, ring up customer sales, help clean the store, and order and stock merchandise.

REQUIRED: High school degree or equivalent, ability to lift 20-50 lbs APPLY: tinyurl.com/7-eleven-sales-associate-job

Dishwasher Palm Restaurant Group // 1225 19th St. NW Full-time and Part-time // $14/hour

Thrive DC // 202-737-9311 1525 Newton St., NW thrivedc.org

Dishwashers are responsible for using and maintaining the dish machine and keeping a clean and adequate supply of silverware and utensils for the kitchen.

APPLY: tinyurl.com/dishwasher-palm-restaurant

Unity Health Care 3020 14th St., NW // unityhealthcare.org - Healthcare for the Homeless Health Center: 202-508-0500 - Community Health Centers: 202-469-4699 1500 Galen Street SE, 1500 Galen Street SE, 1251-B Saratoga Ave NE, 1660 Columbia Road NW, 4414 Benning Road NE, 3924 Minnesota Avenue NE, 765 Kenilworth Terrace NE, 555 L Street SE, 3240 Stanton Road SE, 3020 14th Street NW, 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, 1717 Columbia Road NW, 1313 New York Avenue, NW BSMT Suite, 425 2nd Street NW, 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 2100 New York Avenue NE, 2100 New York Avenue NE, 1333 N Street NW, 1355 New York Avenue NE, 828 Evarts Place, NE, 810 5th Street NW

Door Host DC Improv Comedy Club // 1140 Conn. Ave. NW Full-time and Part-time // $15/hour Seating guests, helping setting up the showroom, and facilitating the line.

APPLY: tinyurl.com/door-host-dc-comedy-club

Team Member Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless 1200 U St., NW // 202-328-5500 legalclinic.org

The Welcome Table // 202-347-2635 1317 G St., NW. epiphanydc.org/thewelcometable

Whitman-Walker Health 1701 14th St., NW // 202-745-7000 2301 MLK Jr. Ave., SE // 202-797-3567 whitman-walker.org

Patricia Handy Place for Women 202-733-5378 // 810 5th St., NW

Turning Natural // 2025 MLK Ave. SE Full-time and Part-time Team members greet guests, take food orders, handle transactions, and prepare and serve food to guests.

APPLY: tinyurl.com/team-member-turning-natural

Medical Records Scanner Silver Spring Pediatrics // Silver Spring, MD Full-time and Part-time $15/hour // Monday-Friday Scan older charts to transfer in an electronic medical records system. Temporary position until all charts are scanned.

REQUIRED: High school degree or equivalent, basic computer knowledge APPLY: tinyurl.com/medical-records-scanner

Father McKenna Center // 202-842-1112 19 Eye St., NW fathermckennacenter.org Food and Friends // 202-269-2277 (home delivery for those suffering from HIV,

Samaritan Inns // 202-667-8831 2523 14th St., NW samaritaninns.org Samaritan Ministry 202-722-2280 // 1516 Hamilton St., NW 202-889-7702 // 1345 U St., SE

For further information and listings, visit our online service guide at StreetSenseMedia.org/service-guide

Hiring? Send your job postings to editor@StreetSenseMedia.org

Extra food assistance for the pandemic ends in September. DC’s budget may not cover the difference

BY JOHN WOOLLEY john.woolley@streetsensemedia.org

T

he D.C. Council unanimously approved an increase in spending on local food accessibility programs during a budget vote held virtually July 20. Even with greater market access and expanded options, however, advocates say lawmakers didn’t address low-income residents’ greatest barrier to nutrition: having the grocery money to spend.

Prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic impact on D.C.’s poorest residents, the council’s new spending plan for 2022 would allocate federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan toward a range of nutrition programs. Totaling $941,000, the money will fund free pop-up markets, cooking lessons, meal delivery for ill residents, and subsidized produce for corner stores in low-income neighborhoods. Though supportive of these investments, representatives from multiple nonprofits are frustrated that their central policy recommendation to the city — increasing benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance CHART COURTESY OF D.C. HUNGER SOLUTIONS Program (SNAP) — was left out.

“The reality is the amount of funding ... does not allow for a grocery store — can be found east of the Anacostia River in nutritious diet for citizens in the District of Columbia,” Winnie Wards 7 and 8. Whereas other wards in D.C. have anywhere Huston, food policy strategist for nonprofit D.C. Greens, told between nine and 16 grocery stores to serve an average of Street Sense Media. “People are running out of money, out of 91,555 people each, Wards 7 and 8 have a combined total of food by the end of the month. They’re having to make choices three grocery stores to service over 160,000 residents. about food over rent, or transportation or other issues. People In order to address this grocery gap, the D.C. Council are going hungry, kids are suffering, families are suffering.” also included over $57 million in targeted tax incentives for After a 15% increase in December in response to COVIDsupermarkets and sit-down restaurants in Wards 7 and 8.

19, federal SNAP benefits (also historically known as food According to a 2020 report by D.C. Hunger Solutions, another stamps) are scheduled to be reduced back to pre-pandemic nonprofit advocating for equitable food access, two new fulllevels beginning Oct. 1. The change, which would impact service grocery stores are planned in Southeast D.C. already. approximately one in five D.C. residents, will decrease the Still, without the money to spend in those stores, nonprofit amount of money low-income households receive monthly leaders say the new investments won’t reduce food insecurity for their groceries by around $100. as comprehensively as lawmakers hope.

“People are suffering in the pandemic, “It is not enough for the District as everyone knows. But it’s had a Though Mayor Bowser’s to invest in brick-and-mortar stores disparate impact on people who are without simultaneously addressing initial budget proposal issues of poverty,” said Lauren already suffering,” Huston said. “What are people on the margin going to do?” the executive director for D.C. provided $1.94 million Biel, Though Washington already had Greens, during her testimony before a comparatively large population to the food bank, which the Committee on Health last month. of residents who lacked consistent “This budget is all about the supply side, services D.C. as well as without thinking through the demand access to enough food for a healthy lifestyle, the pandemic exacerbated side. This is a recipe that will set the surrounding areas in the issue significantly. According to new grocery stores up for failure.” a September 2020 report by the D.C. The council’s investments in nutrition Maryland and northern Food Policy Council, COVID-19 programming comes with another string increased the number of food-insecure Virginia — the council’s attached — the $941,000 of funding for residents by half, from 10.6% of the these programs was reallocated away District’s population in 2019 to more budget plan reduced that from cash originally slated to subsidize the than 16% just a year later.

Capital Area Food Bank. Though Mayor sum nearly by half.

These trends also showcase racial Bowser’s initial budget proposal provided disparities in food access across $1.94 million to the food bank, which Washington. Per the same report, services D.C. as well as surrounding areas between April and May of last year, in Maryland and northern Virginia — the 28% of Black households with children and 10% of Hispanic council’s budget plan reduced that sum nearly by half. households with children reported trouble securing enough According to Chief Operating Officer Jody Tick, the Capital food. That compares with only 1.5% of white households Area Food Bank doubled the number of meals it provided to under the same conditions. its clients in 2020 — stark evidence of COVID-19’s impact These nutritional disparities directly predict worse on residents’ ability to securely purchase their own food. In health outcomes for residents of color. African Americans their annual impact report, the food bank noted that half of its in the District especially are at an increased risk of nonprofit partners shuttered their doors last year, while retail diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and more, according to donations were only a quarter of their usual amount. a 2016 study by Georgetown University. Deaths from Ultimately, though, the council reduced their share of COVID-19 show the same trend. federal stimulus dollars. Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent The geographic distribution of Washington’s grocery stores Gray, who chairs the committee, explained the decision in contributes to this racial gap. Three-quarters of the city’s food his recommendation to the full council. “The Committee deserts — defined as having a high poverty rate, low car encourages more focus be put to programs that promote local access, and at least a half-mile of distance from the nearest spending and for clients to shop for their own foods,” he wrote.

Huston pushed back on the notion that lawmakers had to cut one in order to fund the other. “By taking money from one program to fund other programs, you’re in effect pitting programs and people against each other, when the reality is there’s enough money to fund all of the programs,” she said.

D.C. Greens, the Capital Area Food Bank, and a number of other District nonprofits are all members of Fair Food for All D.C. Coalition, a network designed to enable cooperation between food accessibility advocates in Washington. “It’s unfortunate that this particular approach was taken. That’s part of why we try and work as a coalition, to support each other in the budget asks,” Huston said.

The D.C. Council is expected to hold its final vote for the 2022 budget virtually on Aug. 3.

Thank you for reading Street Sense!

From your vendor, JULY 28 - AUG. 3, 2021 | VOLUME 18 ISSUE 27 NO CASH? NO PROBLEM. WE HAVE AN APP! SEARCH “STREET SENSE” IN THE APP STORE

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