DC Kids Are Sleeping on the Streets While Shelter and Housing Go Unused!

Email Mayor Gray, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Otero, Department of Human Services Director Berns, and DC Housing Authority Director Todman TODAY!

Children are sleeping in bus stations, abandoned buildings, parks, laundromats, and emergency rooms because their parents cannot find affordable housing or shelter. The Gray Administration is refusing to serve any of these newly homeless families with housing or shelter, despite the fact that there are OVER 100 EMPTY SHELTER UNITS at DC General Emergency Family Shelter. In addition, 65 fully-funded Local Rent Supplement Vouchers slated for homeless families have been held back by the DC Housing Authority.

It’s time to take action!

Tell Mayor Gray, Deputy Mayor Otero, and DHS Director Berns:

à House or shelter families with no safe place to stay TODAY! Don’t make families wait any longer for the help they so desperately need.

à DON’T let shelter units sit empty while kids sleep outside! Housing is better than shelter, but shelter is better than the street!

Tell DCHA Director Todman:

à IMMEDIATELY release the 65 Local Rent Supplement Vouchers to the homeless families that the vouchers were meant to serve!

Everyone deserves safe housing, but that won't happen without your help.

Send a powerful message to the Administration and the Housing Authority:

Subject:

Your Letter:

Dear Mayor Gray, Deputy Mayor Otero, Director Berns, and Director Todman:

I understand that more than 100 family shelter units are sitting empty at DC General Family Shelter.  Meanwhile, there are many DC families—including long-term District residents and working folks – who have no safe place to sleep TONIGHT. It’s very hard for me to understand the choices your administration is making. What can be more important than ensuring a child has a safe roof over his or her head or that a mom does not have to return to her abuser?

I also understand that there are about 65 fully-funded housing vouchers (from the Local Rent Supplement Program) sitting unused at the DC Housing Authority and that these vouchers are supposed to be given to homeless families. Please distribute these vouchers IMMEDIATELY to the next 65 homeless families on the waiting list.

Don’t wait any longer to serve families in crisis. I’m asking you to find housing or shelter for every family with no safe place to stay TODAY. No kid should sleep in an unsafe setting on your watch.

Sincerely,

Beatriz Otero

Adrianne Todman

DC Housing Authority

David Berns

Department of Human Services

Mayor Vincent Gray

DC Mayor (primary email)

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