Can a $52 million plan to close the D.C. General emergency shelter rely on the generosity of landlords in providing houses for the homeless?
Washington D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray last week announced a plan to close the beleaguered homeless shelter at the former D.C. General Hospital—"a plan that depends on persuading landlords and other property owners to free up units and buildings to shelter the homeless," reports Robert Samuels.
"The plan envisions the city leasing about 300 units between a half-dozen buildings sprinkled throughout the city" by convincing "charitable landlords" to accept rapid rehousing vouchers. According to the article by Samuels, that critical consideration has raised concerns about the tenability of the plan.
"In the past six months, the city has found more than 800 units for which landlords have been willing to accept rapid rehousing vouchers. Still, according to an Urban Institute study [pdf], the city is more than 22,000 units short of the number needed to house those who make less than 30 percent of the region’s median income, which is nearly $105,000."
FULL STORY: Landlords face crisis of their own in D.C.’s push to house the homeless
The 'Latino Homeless Paradox'
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'Housing Insights' Mapping Tool Designed to Preserve Subsidized Housing in D.C.
The Housing Insights team of volunteer civic hackers hopes you'll use their software in other cities, too.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
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Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
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Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness
A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.
USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.
Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
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