06 26 2019 by Street Sense Media

VOL. 16 ISSUE 17

JUNE 24 - JULY 9, 2019

Real Stories

Real People

suggested donation goes directly to your vendor

Real Change

HUD Secretary Ben Carson to new DC homeowners:

“Homeownership is the principle mechanism of wealth accumulation in this country.”

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

@ STREETSENSEDC

2 // ST REET SENS E ME DI A / / JUNE 2 6 - JULY 9, 2019

BUSINESS MODEL

streetsensemedia.org

info@streetsensemedia.org VENDORS

How It Works

Street Sense Media publishes the newspaper

Each vendor functions as an independent contractor for Street Sense Media, managing their own business to earn an income and increase stability in their life.

$2.00 YOUR SUGGESTED

$.50 Vendors pay

DONATION

per newspaper copy

goes directly to your vendor, empowering them to overcome homelessness and poverty

NO CASH? NO PROBLEM.

Pay vendors with the Street Sense Media app!

S TREET S ENSE M EDIA . ORG /A PP

Shuhratjon Ahamadjonov, Wanda Alexander, Charles Armstrong, Katrina Arninge, Lawrence Autry, Charlton Battle, Reginald Black, Emily Bowe, Rashawn Bowser, Debora Brantley, Andre Brinson, Laticia Brock, Donald Brown, Elizabeth Bryant, Brianna Butler, Dwayne Butler, Melody Byrd, Anthony Carney, Alice Carter, Conrad Cheek, Curtis Clark, Anthony Crawford, Kwayera Dakari, Michael Daniels, Louise Davenport, James Davis, David Denny, Reginald Denny, Ricardo Dickerson, Patricia Donaldson, Nathaniel Donaldson, Courtney Dowe, Ron Dudley, Jet Flegette, Jemel Fleming, Johnnie Ford, Cornell Ford, James Gatrell, Kidest Girma, Chon Gotti, George Gray, Marcus Green, Levester Green, Barron Hall, Dwight Harris, Marion Harris, Richard Hart, Lorrie Hayes, Cheryl Hill, Ibn Hipps, James Hughes, Joseph Jackson, Chad Jackson, Henry Johnson, Mark Jones, Morgan Jones, Reggie Jones, Jewel Lewis, John Littlejohn, Scott Lovell, Michael Lyons, William Mack, Ken Martin, Marcus McCall, Jermale McKnight, Jennifer McLaughlin, Jeffery McNeil, Angela Meeks, Ricardo Meriedy, Kenneth Middleton, Amy Modica, Richard Mooney, L. Morrow, Collins Mukasa, Evelyn Nnam, Moyo Onibuje, Earl Parker, Aida Peery, Hubert Pegues, Jacquelyn Portee, Angela Pounds, Robert Reed, Henrieese Roberts, Chris Shaw, Patty Smith, Gwynette Smith, Ronald Smoot, David Snyder, Franklin Sterling, Warren Stevens, Beverly Sutton, Sybil Taylor, Archie Thomas, Eric Thompson-Bey, Jacqueline Turner, Ronald Turner, Michael Warner, Robert Warren, Vincent Watts, Sheila White, Angie Whitehurst, Wendell Williams, Sasha Williams, Susan Wilshusan, Ivory Wilson, Curtis Wright, Latishia Wynn

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AVAI LABL E

Mary Coller Albert, Jeremy Bratt, Brian Leonard, Jennifer Park, Dan Schwartz, John Senn, Aaron Stetter, Daniel Webber, Shari Wilson

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

VENDOR CODE OF CONDUCT

Brian Carome

As self-employed contractors, our vendors follow a code of conduct.

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Street Sense will be distributed for a voluntary donation of $2.00. I agree not to ask for more than $2.00 or solicit donations for Street Sense Media by any other means.

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

I will only purchase the paper from Street Sense Media staff and volunteers and will not sell papers to other vendors.

4. 5.

I agree to treat all others, including customers, staff, volunteers, and other vendors, respectfully at all times. I will refrain from threatening others, pressuring customers into making a donation, or in engaging in behavior that condones racism, sexism, classism, or other prejudices. I agree not to distribute copies of Street Sense on metro trains and buses or on private property. I agree to abide by the Street Sense Media vendor territorial policy at all times and will resolve any related disputes I have with other vendors in a professional manner.

Eric Falquero

I understand that I am not an employee of Street Sense Media, but an independent contractor.

I agree to sell no additional goods or products when distributing Street Sense.

Jeff Gray

I will not distribute Street Sense under the inﬂuence of drugs or alcohol.

Gladys Robert

I understand that my badge and (if applicable) vest are property of Street Sense Media, and will not deface them. I will present my badge when purchasing Street Sense. I will always display my badge when distributing Street Sense.

10. I agree to support Street Sense Media’s mission statement. In doing so I will work to support the Street Sense community and uphold its values of honesty, respect, support, and opportunity.

INTERESTED IN BEING A VENDOR? New vendor training: every Tuesday and Thursday // 2 p.m. // 1317 G St., NW

CO-VENDOR MANAGER CO-VENDOR MANAGER Nkechi Feaster

DIRECTOR OF MEDIA ARTS & ADMINISTRATION Leila Drici

CASE MANAGER Colleen Cosgriff

WRITERS GROUP ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Willie Schatz

OPINION EDITORS (VOLUNTEER)

Rachel Brody, Arthur Delaney, Sara Reardon

ADVISORY BOARD

The Cover

The Street Sense Media Story, #MoreThanANewspaper

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Originally founded as a street newspaper in 2003, Street Sense Media has evolved into a multimedia center using a range of creative platforms to spotlight solutions to homelessness and empower people in need. The men and women who work with us do much more than sell this paper: They use film, photography, theatre, illustration, and more to share their stories with our community. Our media channels elevate voices, our newspaper vendor and digital marketing programs provide economic independence. And our in-house case- management services move people forward along the path toward permanent supportive housing. At Street Sense Media, we define ourselves through our work, talents, and character, not through our housing situation.

New homeowner Kimberly Baxter, DCHA Director Tyrone Garrett, DCHA HCVP Commissioner Franselene St. Jean and HUD Secretary Ben Carson.

John McGlasson

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Brianna Bilter, Maia Brown, Meena Morar, Leah Potter, Will Schick, Gabrielle Wanneh

EDITORIAL VOLUNTEERS

Ryan Bacic, Jason Lee Bakke, Roberta Haber, Thomas Ratliff, Mark Rose, Andrew Siddons, Sarah Tascone, Jenny-lin Smith, Jackie Thompson, KJ Ward

OFFICE SALES VOLUNTEERS

Miya Abdul, Bill Butz, Jane Cave, Emma Cronenwethe, Pete Clark, Orion Donovan-Smith, Maria Esposito, Roberta Haber, Ann Herzog, Bill Magrath, Alec Merkle, Nick Nowlan, Sarah O’Connell, Leonie Peterkin, Eugene Versluysen, Natalia Warburton

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

EVENTS

// 3

NEWS IN BRIEF

New housing inspection policy expedites infractions and ﬁnes, attempting to clear backlog BY MEENA MORAR meena.morar@streetsensemedia.org

PARTIAL SCEHDULE FOR JUNE 29 COURTESY OF FESTIVAL.SI.EDU

Smithsonian Folklife Festival celebrates local DC music movements and communities Saturday, June 29 // 12 p.m. - 10 p.m. National Mall, Freer Plaza // 1050 Independence Ave. SW At the 2019 Festival on Saturday, June 29, the program will host the D.C. Music Preservation Pop-Up, located on the Freer Plaza. There will be music workshops, audio digitization demos, DJ sets, a bluegrass jam, performance, and more for all ages. It explores how music, social practice, and sense of place intersect atop the ever-shifting grounds of a city that is at once a hometown, the nation’s capital, a tourist destination, a sanctuary city, an international crossroads, and a Chocolate City whose once black majority is now a black plurality. D.C.’s punk and go-go scenes reﬂect the tensions and legacies of these contrasts. These homegrown DIY, youth-driven music communities embody histories of migration, displacement, segregation, and political activism in the city. Over the months leading up to and during the 2020 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, punk and go-go anchor presentations of a constellation of music making in the metro region. MORE INFO: https://festival.si.edu

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

UPDATES ONLINE:_ ICH.DC.GOV

UPDATES ONLINE: CAPITALFRINGE.ORG

BBQ for the Homeless!

D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness Meetings

IPHIGENIA IN SPLOTT at Capital Fringe Festival 2019

Youth Committee June 27, 10 a.m. // TBD * Likely 441 4th Street NW

7/12 5:30 PM, 7/13 8:30 p.m. 7/20 12:30 p.m., 7/21 3 p.m. Arena Stage // 1101 Sixth St. SW

Housing Solutions Committee July 3, 1:30 p.m. // TBD * Most likely 1800 MLK Jr. Ave. SE

A one-woman show that delves into the harsh realities of living below the poverty line and an individual’s desperate longing to be “not-alone.” This show captivates audiences while addressing themes of poverty, social justice, ethics, and community. INFO: tinyurl.com/Iphigenia2019

1 p.m. - 7 p.m. Franklin Park // 1300 I St. NW Fourth Meal, Inc seeks volunteers and donations including bottled water, canned sodas, small plastic bags, utensils, bags of ice, aluminum foil, foam containers, baked beans, greens, mac ‘n’ cheese, coleslaw, and BBQ chicken (no pork, please) to make this weekend event a success. INFO: tinyurl.com/bbq-dc-2019

Executive Committee July 9, 1:30 p.m. // TBD * Likely 441 4th Street NW

Submit your event for publication by emailing editor@streetsensemedia.org

In an attempt to expedite the repair process, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs is no longer issuing a Notice of Violation as a first warning during housing inspections. Landlords will instead skip directly to receiving a Notice of Infraction and a fine, according to a press release from the DCRA and the mayor’s office. Previously, an infraction notice was only issued when necessary repairs were not corrected upon re-inspection, according to the DCRA website. Property owners have a period of seven days to repair violations outlined by an infraction notice. After the time period, DCRA may re-inspect the property to ensure the issue was fixed. An uncorrected violation may lead to additional fines or even result in criminal prosecution, according to the DCRA website. The policy change is an attempt to increase efficiency and expedite repairs. In the last two years, however, numerous housing violations have gone unrepaired throughout the District Of the housing inspections with violations in the 2017 2019 fiscal years, only 41 percent in Ward 7 and 38 percent in Ward 8 were repaired. So far in fiscal year 2019, which ends in September, only 142 of 517 violations reported in Ward 8 have been repaired. The discrepancies in response time and enforcement are due to D.C.’s rapid expansion, according to DCRA director Ernest Chrappah. “It is in part because the city is growing rapidly, and we have a workforce of 68 inspectors who are responsible for about 90,000 inspections,” Chrappah said in an interview with Street Sense Media. “That is just not scalable when the volume of inspections is expected to grow to 115,000.” Inspections are necessary to both ensure a repair is completed, as well as identify ongoing violations, according to Chrappah. It is difficult to accomplish both tasks while the District continues to grow at an increasing rate. “As D.C. continues to grow and thrive, we’re working to make D.C. agencies more efficient and user-friendly to meet that growing demand,” Mayor Bowser said in the press release. “Streamlining and digitizing our housing inspection process is one way we’re using technology to deliver the services that residents and businesses rely on.” Violations of D.C. Housing Code standards can include issues such as cleanliness, electricity, plumbing, security, and infrastructural integrity. Fines are established by the Office of Enforcement and Environmental Justice. Imminent health issues can result in fines from $2,000-$8,000 while nonharmful nuisances merit fines of $50-$400, according to the department’s website. Further changes to the inspection process included mobile tablets that allow inspectors to instantly see violation histories and submit reports remotely. DCRA also plans on creating a program in which residents can apply to become certified housing inspectors. In order to be eligible, applicants must be 18 or older, pass a background check, and preferably be a D.C. resident. The training program will consist of a few trainings for field inspections and an exam in order to certify community members as property maintenance inspectors, according to Chrappah.

Follow more headlines at StreetSenseMedia.org/news

4 // ST REET SENSE ME DI A / / JUNE 2 6 - JULY 9, 2019

NEWS

Back Row – HUD District of Columbia Field Ofﬁce Director Marvin Turner, HUD Regional Administrator (Region III for Mid-Atlantic) Joseph J. DeFelice, DCHA Homeownership Coordinator Trinita Tyler, DCHA Homeownership Coordinator Alice Revel, DCHA HCVP Commissioner Franselene St. Jean. Front Row, seated new homeowners – Carlton Eley and Tiffany Eley, Kimberley Baxter, Danyell Allen, and Latisha Thomas. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT / FLICKR

Thanks to this little-known federal program,

seven housing voucher recipients in DC just became homeowners BY JAKE MAHER // @jakemaher2

t a recent celebration, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson personally congratulated the most recent class of seven new homeowners for successfully completing the D.C. Housing Authority’s little-known Home Ownership Assistance Program. Emphasizing selfsufficiency, Carson praised this year’s class for their determination as well as the program itself for opening doors to homeownership for D.C.’s housing voucher holders. “All people in need have the ability to succeed if given the proper incentives and the opportunities,” Carson said, addressing the homeowners and others at the offices of the D.C. Housing Finance Agency in Northwest. “We can’t just wait for the opportunity to come along. If we’re a responsible society, we actually create the opportunities.” For more than 15 years, the D.C. initiative — an element of the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program that local jurisdictions can choose whether to implement — has let residents apply to use their vouchers to help pay for a mortgage. Recipients also receive assistance from DCHA on matters such as credit counselling and guidance on how to navigate the system of lenders and real estate agents. Kimberly Baxter, one of the seven graduates of this year’s program, described her journey in a speech at the June 7 event. In 2002, Baxter was homeless with a 2-year-old daughter and no high school diploma. That’s when she first received a housing choice voucher. Baxter used her voucher to rent an apartment and later a house before entering the homeownership program. Along the way, she got her credit score up, received a GED while working full time, and graduated with honors from an associate degree program at the University of the District of Columbia Community College on North Capitol Street NE. In May, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree from UDC’s main campus in Northwest. Baxter now works at D.C.’s Department of Human Services with a daughter in college and a son in high school. And in March of this year, she became a homeowner. “Every day, I gotta pinch myself when I wake up,” Baxter said in an interview. Her recollections of homelessness drove her to succeed

in the program. “It was very scary, because I didn’t want to experience any of the things I had experienced in my past,” she said. DCHA executive director Tyrone Garrett praised Baxter and the other homeowners. “What you saw today was an example of residents moving on with their lives — not only through homeownership, but through so many other things: education, work experience,” Garrett said in an interview. “Everything has grown for them through [participating in] our program, and that’s the real basis of things we try to do every day.” The homeownership program is open to anyone who holds a federally funded voucher through DCHA. Before formally applying, voucher holders must submit an inquiry form, attend a briefing, and complete a homebuyer education and counseling course through one of nine D.C. nonprofits vetted to provide training and housing counseling services to District residents. After that, they work with one of DCHA’s homeownership coordinators to secure a mortgage through a participating lender before starting on the search for a property to buy. There’s no set time for participants to complete the process. For those accepted into the DCHA homeownership program, vouchers operate the same way with mortgages as they do with rent. Voucher holders pay 30 percent of their income toward housing while HUD pays for the rest. They are allowed to use their voucher to pay for their mortgage for up to 15 years, but many become financially independent before then. Of the program’s 132 graduates since 2003, around 50 are now paying for their home without a subsidy, according to Alice Revel, a DCHA homeownership coordinator. Revel said this year’s class of seven homeowners was about average in size. Around 15 to 20 people attend the briefing sessions held for the program each year. Some people return years after attending a briefing once they have had the chance to improve their credit or secure a better-paying job, according to Revel. The program is so intense it can’t handle a larger class size per year, Garrett said. “It’s not a simple process of just putting people into a program and you shoot out homeowners,” he said. “It is very dedicated, the staff is dedicated, and they don’t

consider our customers to be numbers. They really get into it because they want them to be successful.” Personal connections among applicants and staff were evident at the celebration. Baxter thanked Revel by name in her speech and said Revel’s support was a key part of what kept her in the program. Due to its small size, though, the program generally receives little attention. Two housing affordability experts contacted for this article were not familiar at all with DCHA’s homeownership program. According to HUD’s website, public housing authorities nationwide are allowed to offer homeownership options to their voucher holders, but are not required to do so. DCHA’s homeownership initiative is funded through the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program rather than local appropriations, according to Garrett. Twenty percent of the approximately 3,300 housing authorities across the country operate similar homeownership programs; with an average of 17 participants each, more than 11,000 voucher holders become homeowners every year, according to HUD’s enrollment data. Voucher holders who enter the program say it is a life-changing experience. In his speech, Carson said homeownership is crucial to building intergenerational wealth and overcoming the racial wealth gap. “Homeownership is the principle mechanism of wealth accumulation in this country,” Carson said. “The average renter has a net worth of $5,000. The average homeowner has a net worth of $200,000.” Grateful for the help she received, Baxter said she hopes continued funding for resources like the Home Ownership Assistance Program will allow it to help the many voucher holders who have not had the chance to participate. “So many residents of the District of Columbia have [gone] through or are going through things that I have experienced,” Baxter said. “The more the District invests in these programs to help the residents of the District of Columbia, it will bring joy to some of these families who have spent countless years feeling down and not knowing where they’re going to end up.” Co-published with TheDCLine.org

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

// 5

The Douglass Community Land Trust is making its ﬁrst investment to support community control among new housing development in Ward 8 BY MEENA MORAR meena.morar@streetsensemedia.org

fter two years of independently led organizing, the residents of Savannah Apartments are finally able to secure permanent affordability for their homes. When their building was put on the market in 2017, Tiffany Jessup and her fellow residents worked together to independently purchase the building. “The apartments were coming up for sale,” Jessup said. “We see a lot of renovation in the area, and so we knew that it was just a matter of time. We, as the residents and tenants, wanted to band together to make sure that we were going to be afforded the best opportunities to stay in our places.” Located near the Congress Heights Metro station, the 65-unit complex is a perfect target for the private market to redevelop. New projects such as the Washington Mystics’ entertainment arena have appeared as a part of a $65 million plan to remake the former St. Elizabeth’s Hospital into new retail, residential, and office space, according to an article in the Washington Post. The impending renovations of the Savannah Apartments mark the first official purchase of the Douglass Community Land Trust. In anticipation of rising housing prices around the construction of the 11th Street Bridge Park, Ward 8-based nonprofit Building Bridges Across the River proposed the creation of a community land trust within their Equitable Development Plan. The 11th Street Bridge Park would be the District’s first elevated park, stretching across the Anacostia River to connect the Anacostia and Capitol Hill neighborhoods. The Douglass Community Land Trust exists under the umbrella of City First Homes, a community development finance provider, and partners with BBAR. The land trust aims to re-center power among residents during development, according to the land trust’s executive director, Ginger Rumph. “This is about community control and really trying to provide ways for folks to be in charge in directing the way their development occurs around them,” Rumph said. Beyond development, the land trust also seeks to create permanent affordability for rentals, housing, and local businesses. The Douglas Community Land Trust has committed $1.3 million dollars to the Savannah Apartments as a mixture of permanent and “bridge” funding, according to Rumph. Essentially, $700,000 is being given to the project permanently while the other $600,000 function as a loan without interest while additional permanent funding sources are sought. The funding provided by the land trust will help the tenants at the Savannah Apartments preserve long term affordability. It follows an $8.2 million dollar award granted from the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development. The Savannah residents plan to utilize the $8.2 million dollars to renovate the units, while funding from the land trust will be used to establish permanent affordability. Ensuring long-term preservation and renovation are a priority for the residents, as some have not been upgraded for 24 years, according to Jessup. “Keeping the rates down will allow us to continue to afford our homes for longevity,” Jessup said. “My family is the longest living residents on the property – we’ve been there 26 years. These apartments have not had any type of upkeep, upgrade, or anything done. My parents just got a new refrigerator two years ago.”

The Savannah Heights Apartments are located near the Congress Heights Metro station. The Douglass Community Land Trust is working with tenants to renovate the 65-unit complex. PHOTO BY MEENA MORAR

In 2017, the Savannah residents exercised their rights under the District’s Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), allowing them to purchase their buildings with the help of a developer of their choice. Under TOPA, landowners are required to give their tenants the opportunity to purchase the housing accommodation they reside in before vacating or demolishing it. The residents also gained $8.2 million from the Department of Housing and Community Development after applying for funding through a partnership with the nonprofit developer National Housing Trust (NHT). The Savannah residents chose NHT as the new owners of the property and they are now working together to plan renovations. Even through the residents of the Savannah Apartments had organized before the land trust had gotten involved, a community land trust can facilitate a relationship between residents and their rights in many other situations as well. Construction and redevelopment for thousands of new apartments has been either planned or initiated in Ward 8 over the past two years. In a climate of such rapid expansion, a community land trust provides an opportunity to manage gentrification, according to DCLT advisory board member Kymone Freeman. “Gentrification is cultural genocide,” Freeman said. “It’s an opportunity to put a leash on gentrification and remove displacement from the equation. Gentrification as we now know it is public policy without public interest. With the land trust, it’s public policy with public input.” Since 2000, low-income populations have been pushed out of communities all over D.C. and primarily moved into Wards 7 and 8, according to a Washington Post article. The Capitol Hill neighborhood displaced 75 percent of the low-income population, while the Shaw neighborhood displaced 57 percent. Meanwhile, the population of lower-income people has grown by 60 percent in neighborhoods like Good Hope. The Douglass Community Land Trust has integrated a strong community inﬂuence into every step of the process – from the

advisory board to community outreach. The advisory board is made up of 12 people, seven of which either live or have a business in Ward 8. However, community engagement will never be entirely perfect, according to DCLT Advisory Board Member Sheldon Clark. “It’s an ongoing battle,” said Clark, who lives in Ward 8. “I don’t think that a community based organization ever gets to the point where they should sit up and say, ‘Hey, we’ve completely solved this outreach and education component.’ We’ve ramped up and we’ve done more, and it’s just always going to be a challenge.” The land trust has primarily been in talks with other projects that are already in progress, similar to Savannah Apartments. However, the executive director hopes to broaden its scope through different forms of land reacquisition and stewardship. “As we are getting off the ground, our pathway to acquiring units has been to look at projects that are underway and see what kind of gap there might be that we could fill,” Rumph said. “Ultimately, we hope to have a variety of different ways that we could be of service to the community.” Although the land trust was envisioned to prevent displacement surrounding the 11th Street Bridge Park, the DCLT has begun its impact years before the park will be opened. The Bridge Park is estimated to begin construction in 2021 and ultimately open in 2023, according to a newsletter from BBAR. For Jessup and other community members, the land trust represents more than just a project - but rather a chance to be a part of history. “Being a native Washingtonian, and growing up seeing things the way that they are – I know that history repeats itself,” Jessup said. “Being on the advisory board allows me to see not just for my community, but just for the broader Washington, D.C. area, that building up of the east Anacostia river. It gives me a sense of knowing that things are looking up and headed in the right direction. There’s hope for the city.”

6 // ST REET SENSE ME DI A / / JUNE 2 6 - JULY 9, 2019

NEWS

Reframing the District’s shelter meals debate:

It’s not about the contract. It’s not about the food. It’s about the people. BY WILL SCHICK will.schick@streetsensemedia.org

here are 42 different listings for shelters on the D.C. Department of Human Services webpage. These listings are divided into four categories: family transitional housing, family year-round temporary shelters, single adult shelters, and transitional supportive housing. The District’s choice of shelter food is one that affects all 5,900 people that stay in them. When D.C. Central Kitchen lost the bulk of its contract to feed residents at shelters across the District to Henry’s Soul Café, the public wanted to know why. In an article published in March, The Washington City Paper, noted the higher cost of the new vendor’s meals: $3.20 for breakfast and $5.18 for dinner. In other words, Henry’s Soul Café, a private caterer that charges $1.83 more per person for a single day’s meals, somehow managed to outbid D.C. Central Kitchen, a local non-profit, for a contract worth much more. The results appeared to be devastating to D.C. Central Kitchen. The Washington Post reported that the nonprofit — well known for its work in training formerly incarcerated and jobless people to become chefs — had lost $800,000 in projected annual revenue. In a public statement posted to their website in April, D.C. Central Kitchen sought to play down concerns about their loss, writing “Even though this new contract is a significant blow to our current financial position, we are not going anywhere…” The nonprofit declined requests to be interviewed for this article. “We have said all we can really say on the shelter meals subject in previous media interviews,” a representative for the organization said in an email. Henry’s Soul Café also could not be reached. Multiple employees directed all press inquiries to the company’s lawyer, who did not comment for this article.

Dinner catered by D.C. Central Kitchen Blair shelter, a transitional housing facility still served by D.C. Central Kitchen, is located inside a converted 19th century schoolhouse. Its exterior walls, once made of white brick, have long since faded to gray. Splotches of black grow along the seams of the building, and give off the general impression of neglect. Nestled behind the Whole Foods on H St, the shelter cannot be seen from the streetcar. A brown canvas privacy screen covers the chain link fence that runs around A rice dish prepared by D.C. Central Kitchen the property. To and served at 801 East on Aug. 30, 2017. PHOTO COURTESY OF AN ANONYMOUS SOURCE enter, residents have PRESENT AT THE SHELTER

to press a video buzzer before following instructions to first push and then pull on the handle to an aluminum-framed door. A paper sign hanging on it warns visitors that it sticks. Upon entering, residents are greeted by a security guard who pats them down before inspecting them for contraband. The shelter, despite being somewhat of an eyesore, is easily missed on a street replete with picturesque federalstyle townhomes. For many residents, the food can give off this same feeling of being both present and forgotten about, of being overlooked. During a recent visit on June 11, a local resident of the shelter named Joe Callaway alleged to have seen “spoiled boiled eggs with green on the inside” at breakfast before. Eager to corroborate Mr. Callaway’s claim, fellow residents nodded along as they stood in line to be served their evening meal from six tinfoil trays filled with turkey, mashed potatoes, and bread. Raymond Faxio, a worker serving the meals for the Coalition for the Homeless, the organization contracted to manage the shelter, said the food, while not great, was far from awful. “It’s not going to be like home cooking,” he said. “The food is meant to sustain you.” Before grabbing his single-serving paper plate, Callaway said he would “rather eat peanut butter and jelly” than this “stuff.” His statement was seconded by several others waiting in line for the dinner service. Of the approximately 80 guests who stay at Blair Shelter, just under half were present for this evening’s meal. Emerson Ledwell, another Blair resident, said “It would be nice to get a variety” as he explained how difficult it was for him as a vegetarian. “Every meal there’s meat,” he explained. Neither D.C. Central Kitchen nor Henry’s Soul Café offer individualized plates for people with special dietary needs at shelters. Everyone, regardless of background, is treated to the same meal. Ledwell skipped the turkey and ate his bread muffin by swiping it over the top of the mashed potatoes he had gathered into the middle of his plate. Some residents were quick to point out the lack of vegetables. According to Blair House program director Maxine Young, the June 11 dinner was “not typical [because] they usually send a starch, and a vegetable.” There are specific nutritional guidelines for shelter meals. “They’re supposed to get a vegetable, a starch, a fruit, a meat…” she said. As for the complaints, Young added, “They [residents at Blair House] have food stamps, and they can buy anything that is not on that menu, and they do have an area where they can cook.” Residents at Blair House have access to a commercial stove and multiple refrigerators in a shared kitchen. “If you were here in an hour or so you’ll see people making their own food,” said Jeff, a Blair resident who declined to share his last name. “The majority will eat, and the rest will buy their own food,” Young added.

Food stamps are not a viable option for many shelter residents The same opportunities for cooking do not exist for residents at other shelters across the District. Many shelters have no facilities for food preparation. And the process for applying for food stamps can take some time. “Not everyone that stays in a shelter will qualify for SNAP benefits [the federally regulated Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program commonly known as food stamps],” said Elizabeth Bowen, an assistant professor of social work at the State University of New York. “I would be very surprised if every single person in a shelter in fact has those benefits,” she added. The process for becoming a resident at Blair House, like the process for receiving SNAP, is one that requires an application and a scheduled meeting with a case worker. The shelter has intake on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Young said prospective residents who go through intake are usually allowed to start staying there within the same week or the next week. “It’s almost impossible for [people experiencing homelessness] to use their SNAP benefits,” said Beverley Wheeler, director for D.C. Hunger Solutions. Her organization is contracted with DHS to connect with community members and makes sure they know what SNAP benefits they are entitled to. The issue with with SNAP, according to Wheeler, has to do with the program’s restrictions, which exclude hot prepared foods. SNAP isn’t a substitute for a hot meal. “You can buy a salad. You can buy liquids. But if you’re homeless, you can only do that in really small proportions because you have no place to store it or save it,” Wheeler said. “If they could eat hot food, oh my god, what a difference that would make.”

The Healthy Shelters Act of 2019 Councilmember Mary Cheh wants to change the way the District handles shelter meals. In early April, partly in response to the Washington City paper article, she introduced The Healthy Shelters Act of 2019 to local legislators. The bill promises to bring many changes. It includes a provision “to establish nutrition standards and requirements for meals served in shelters,” and a provision to “expressly permit the use of donated and recovered food at shelters.” The bill also promises to bring greater transparency to the “contracts, reporting, and compliance” process by requiring The Department of Human Services be directly responsible for it all. In a statement posted to her website in early April, she said, “The District has long undervalued the quality and nutritional standards of the meals served to residents and families in our homeless shelter network. In recent years, the District has paid its vendors as little as $1.50 for an adult supper –this is simply inadequate… shelters should provide healthy, dignified environments that enable residents to transition into permanent housing, and access to high-quality and nutritious food should be a part of that process.”

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

Meatloaf with vegetables prepared by D.C. Central Kitchen and served at 801 East on Sept. 12, 2017. PHOTO COURTESY OF AN ANONYMOUS SOURCE PRESENT AT THE SHELTER

When asked what she thought about this legislation, Elizabeth Bowen, a faculty expert on homelessness at the University of Buffalo School of Social Work, said “Honestly, I don’t know if other cities have done anything like this. I think it sounds like a step in the right direction to push people to serve more healthy food at shelters.” There is not much research on the quality of food at shelters, according to Bowen. One of the only studies that can be found from recent years was conducted by a group of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in 2015. The study concluded that enacting the kind of change Councilmember Cheh is proposing can make a world of a difference in homeless populations dependent on shelters and soup kitchens for food. Doing so, the conclusion states, is not so much a matter of funding as it is a matter of making educated choices. In one example, a shelter in Massachusetts simply swapped “whole grain bread for white bread, 1 percent milk for whole milk and nuts for pastries.” The study also found that “shelters and soup kitchens provide a convenient location for nutrition education.” As it was introduced, The Healthy Shelters Act of 2019 would provide grants for nutritional education and cooking lessons. Beverley Wheeler, from D.C. Hunger Solutions, is also excited about the bill. Citing the changes to oversight the bill promises to bring, she said, “This new legislation will at least hold a government agency personally responsible for at least what’s happening with the food at the shelters.” The way contracts are managed now, there is no transparency and no one can tell if shelter residents are consistently being given nutritious meals, according to Wheeler. While there are nutrition guidelines put in place by DHS, the bill would create legal requirements and charge DHS with adhering to them. The Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness, the organization DHS pays more than $80 million annually to manage city-run shelters and that manages all subcontracts with other organizations for staffing, maintenance, security, and food service at shelters, did not respond to repeated requests for comment. It remains unclear what the nutritional standards are for shelter meals. It also remains unclear as to how the District enforces these standards.

Waiting in line for Henry’s Soul Café catered dinner It was a typical late summer afternoon in D.C. The humidity intensified the heat just enough for 85 degrees to feel more like 95 degrees. It was one of those days when the simple act

of being outside meant your shirt, dampened by sweat, would stick to your skin. It was a time when residents at shelters, like those at Adam’s Place, started to gather in line for dinner. At four o’clock in the afternoon, the line for the five o’clock dinner-service was already long. Adam’s Place is one of a cluster of nondescript red brick buildings located at the end of an industrial park in northeast D.C. On June 19, shelter residents sat on top of a short concrete wall while leaning against a chain-link fence topped with concertina wire. The fence, a barrier surrounding a private parking lot used to store some of the District’s school buses, became a kind of makeshift backrest for those waiting in line for dinner at Adam’s Place. Asked what he thought about the food, a man who asked to be identified by the name Rosco gave a familiar answer. “Half the time I don’t eat it. The quality of the food…well, half the time it ain’t done,” he said. Seated next to him, a man by the name of Elicio said, “It’s okay. They give us chicken, rice, string beans, potatoes…They bring us cold soda frequently, and it’s okay. They bring us bread.” However, for residents like Matthew Argentino, there’s a problem with portion sizes. “I understand they got to have some system to not give away too, too much. But I don’t think they bring enough. These are grown men, not grade school kids,” Argentino said. Another man named Stuart agreed. “They don’t put enough on our tray. They don’t give us a big enough portion,” he said. Many residents waiting in line were unaware of the change in vendors from D.C. Central Kitchen to Henry’s Soul Café. Many were unaware of who the new food vendor was. They also could not agree on whether the quality of the food had improved. One man who didn’t want to be named for the article simply said, “It got better for me, ya’ll.” While another who asked not to be named said that the food has improved. “How are you going to say things got better? They serve the same s**t three times a week, man,” another guest retorted, drawing a mixed reaction from the other people waiting in line. Some agreed with him. Some did not. The problem, from the view of one guest, has more to do with the cold way hot meals are served. Referring broadly to the utilitarian manner with which shelters tend to treat their guests. “Humans that are homeless, we are not a sub-class of people. Look at this environment, it’s almost like a boot camp,” he said. This guest, like many others interviewed at Adam’s place, asked to remain anonymous out of fear of reprisal. Adam’s Place has no kitchen for common use like Blair shelter. Guests here, however, contend with a similar security check. They must pass through a metal detector and be searched before entering.

// 7

AT A GLANCE

IMAGE COURTESY OF CHON GOTTI, ARTIST/VENDOR

Artist/Vendor and Entrepreneur Chon began marketing his travel business.

BIRTHDAYS Jet Flegette June 12 ARTIST/VENDOR

Reggie Jones June 14 ARTIST/VENDOR

ACCOMPLISHMENTS Ken Martin

39 years of sobriety ARTIST/VENDOR

Our stories, straight to your inbox

A DC Central Kitchen delivery van in front of Adams Place lowbarrier shelter in June of 2017. Shelter residents can be seen where they used to line up in front of the building. The line has since been moved behind the building, where fencing is visible to the left in this photo. PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE STREET VIEW

Blair House Shelter, near the H Street Corridor in Northeast D.C.

PHOTO BY WILL SCHICK

Street Sense Media provides a vehicle through which all of us can learn about homelessness from those who have experienced it. Sign up for our newsletter to get our vendors' stories in your inbox.

www.StreetSenseMedia.org/newsletter

8 // ST REET SENSE ME DI A / / JUNE 2 6 - JULY 9, 2019

NEWS

A former library space (left) was transformed into a learning lab for Ketcham Elementary students. Principal Riddlesprigger, hand in the air (right), celebrates along with her students and the volunteers. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ABBVIE INC.

New STEM lab showcases a dedication to improving the lives of disadvantaged students at Ketcham Elementary BY GABRIELLE WANNEH gabrielle.wanneh@streetsensemedia.org

etcham Elementary School in Ward 8’s historic Anacostia neighborhood just turned a cluttered old library room into a bright new STEM lab, replete with new iPads, robots and 3D printers — all thanks to a partnership with two regional organizations that organized a one-day volunteer blitz. The school has traditionally served many children dealing with adversity. As of the 2018-19 school year, 19 percent of the student population was homeless, 90 percent were considered at risk, and all students were eligible for free and reduced-price meals. While the number of homeless students is still an unfortunate figure, it’s down significantly from the 2014-15 year, when an NPR article reported that nearly a third of the 300-plus student population was experiencing homelessness. At the time the city’s largest family shelter, D.C. General, was still in operation and many Ketcham students lived there. The facility closed last October. The challenges of serving so many children in need has not swayed the school’s faculty and staff from working to offer their students a quality educational experience — in part by forging community partnerships. Ketcham’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics lab was enhanced in a single day this month, but that’s only the latest example of projects and gifts that have helped the school provide students with the resources and opportunities necessary to help them succeed no matter their circumstances. “A lot of times in schools with high poverty, people want kids to just ‘do, do, do,’ but we’re not teaching them how to think,” said Principal Maisha Riddlesprigger, who has been at Ketcham for six years and was recently named D.C. Public Schools Principal of the Year for 2019. “We have a real commitment to teaching kids how to think about learning, so that they not only develop a joy for learning but … are also engaged in the process.” In an op-ed Riddlesprigger wrote last year, she explained that the high proportion of Ketcham students who have had adverse childhood experiences makes her role as an educator more complex. She and her team have nevertheless made significant progress in catering to students who could be considered the “furthest from opportunity,” she wrote. Quality teaching is a major emphasis for Riddlesprigger. Another aspect of her vision for improving children’s education is the cultivation of quality learning environments and pathways. In February, Ketcham opened a new child care center that provides a 10-year pathway of instruction at the school, including child care and pre-kindergarten; Mayor Muriel Bowser and new Chancellor Lewis D. Ferebee attended a ceremony that marked its debut. The school year ended on another high note, with the Heart of America Foundation and regional employees of the biopharmaceutical company AbbVie joining together with Ketcham’s staff on June 13 to clean out,

expand and restore the former library room. Although the lab equipment is geared toward helping More than 50 volunteers from AbbVie, many of whom students engage with math and science, Ketcham also aims are D.C. residents, spent the morning painting, building to use spaces like this to support the overall well-being of and moving furniture; deep-cleaning fixtures and windows; all students, particularly those who experience instability arranging artwork; and assembling technology. They also took outside the classroom. part in campuswide beautification projects such as painting Homelessness can adversely affect a young child’s murals, and they assembled tote bags filled with books and academic achievement, physical health, and development. supplies for students to take home. Many students experiencing homelessness suffer from It was the company’s annual “Week of Possibilities,” during frequent absenteeism or the inability to concentrate or which around 9,000 employees in the U.S. and abroad give properly emote their thoughts and feelings. back to their local communities. Several of their projects over According to data from the Office of the State Superintendent the years have taken place at low-income schools. of Education, approximately 3,713 DCPS students overall “It’s great to see the transformative effect you can have in experienced homelessness during the 2016-17 school year. just a few hours of work,” said Courtney Piron, Vice President Under U.S. Department of Education guidelines, the number of Federal Government Affairs for AbbVie. She volunteered includes families who are “doubled up” — meaning that they alongside several of her colleagues from the company’s District live with relatives or friends out of economic necessity. office in Northwest. Shayne Wells, the press secretary for DCPS, stressed the The Heart of America Foundation, located in Landover, importance of city agencies and nonprofit partners meeting the Maryland, has partnered with AbbVie to help facilitate the needs that students have while they are at school. Projects like this company’s volunteer week for many years. The nonprofit one create a better chance for students to focus on their studies and specializes in transforming spaces at underresouced schools not have to worry as much about their external situations, he said. into modern, more inviting environments. At Ketcham, Riddlesprigger and her John Flynn, Heart of America’s team have witnessed many ways in vice president for innovation, said the which homelessness affects the way their organization’s mission is to “create inspiring students learn and behave. learning environments that provide access “When you’re a student facing to tools that kids in the communities we homelessness, you get an anxiety,” she said. serve don’t typically have.” “It’s an anxiety not knowing where you’re Flynn said the end goal of projects such going to sleep, not knowing what might as this is to “level the playing field” when happen the next day, not knowing where it comes to providing all students with the your next meal is going to come from.” proper resources to fit their needs. Jamilla Coleman, the librarian and Speaking to the volunteers before they media specialist at Ketcham, has been got to work, Ward 8 D.C. Councilmember at the school for four years and said she Maisha Riddlesprigger Trayon White Sr. was enthusiastic the two was not initially aware of the sizable organizations chose to take up this project. He thanked them population of homeless students there. When she did find out, for creating an environment that will inspire students to explore it became easier to pick up on patterns in behavior. new careers and opportunities. Coleman said that she is grateful to be working at a school “Technology allows individuals to explore things around the like Ketcham, where the issue of homelessness is handled world,” White said. “While we are confined in a physical space, with sensitivity, support and awareness. She said the new the development of this new STEM lab will allow access for STEM lab will empower the school’s students and better these students to gain more insight on careers in engineering, prepare them for adulthood. science, technology, math, and find some non-typical careers “These are the tools that our kids need in order to compete right here from the lab.” with their peers in other areas,” Coleman said, “so I feel that When the volunteers had finished up after about four and a giving them these skills and at least encouraging or planting half hours of work, a group of curious students walked through that curiosity in them is something that we’re doing to better a high-fiving human tunnel of volunteers and into the new equip them and empower later on in their lives.” space. The space itself is two to three times larger than it was Riddlesprigger believes the creation of spaces such as this in previously, giving students a better opportunity to incorporate particular helps homeless students because it provides stability, reading alongside the usual STEM-related areas of focus. comfort and safety that might not be available to them when “This is going to be your new space to make things happen.” it’s time to go home. Riddlesprigger told the students. “All of this, and all of these “It really makes us excited to be able to have a space that’s people that are here, are for you.” as nice and new as this,” she said. “Especially for a population Riddlesprigger went on to ask the students how they felt of students where ‘new’ might not even be an option.” about their new lab and the effort that went into making it. This article was co-published with TheDCLine.org. Among the answers: “Happy.” “Supported.” “Special.” “Good.”

“This is going to be your new space to make things happen. All of this, and all of these people that are here, are for you.”

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

// 9

ART

Beauty is Real

Beauty

BY EVELYN NNAM // Artist/Vendor

Beauty is real, real as can be The way it moves and the way it goes Makes me ﬁll with awe and wonder. How pure and natural it is With no artiﬁcial colors, no unreal add-ons Makes it true to what it is. Beauty is beautiful, no matter what Happens, It remains that authentic vision That I love to see. Beauty is the real deal, and it is beauty That brings love into that atmosphere. Beauty is the one thing I can trust Because no matter how it presents itself, It steals my heart Because it can never lie to me. Beauty is real, real as can be.

BY RONALD SMOOT Artist/Vendor

That word can mean many things. You could say a ﬂower is beautiful or a person is beautiful or a car is beautiful or a house is beautiful. Then there are all the beautiful places, like Paris or Miami. And every beach is beautiful, right? My girlfriend is beautiful. Her dark skin, pretty eyes, and beautiful body define “beauty” for me. Beauty also can be a place you’ve never been, like the ocean. Beauty can also mean a person’s mind and spirit. That’s hard to describe, but you just know someone is a beautiful person because of the way you feel about them.

QUEENIE HEATHERSTONE ARTIST/VENDOR

TION BY LEVESTER ILLUSTRA GREE PARK N/

AI N

ILL

AT IO

IN SO N

Beauty

BY PAT DONALDSON // Artist/Vendor

A pleasing quality associated with harmony Sometimes in appearance, sometimes in spirit Or color, excellence of craftsmanship, Truthfulness, or originality The feeling comes from inside your heart and leaves you contemplative Both helping others and achieving for yourself Arouses such delight, excellence, and grace

The beauty of the venture is our love along the way Know who you are And don’t let no one else tell you what you’re not Because you can do anything you want If you put your mind to it And that’s beautiful ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF MEG ROGERS MEGROGERS.MYPORTFOLIO.COM

1 0 // S T REET SENSE ME DI A / / JUNE 2 6 - JULY 9, 2019

OPINION

Keep the DC Circulator bus service free! BY COLLY DENNIS

It’s embarrassing that the D.C. Council decided to shoot down a great proposal from the mayor’s office for a permanent free bus service in the District of Columbia. The D.C. Circulator accommodates many people from different wards all around the District. No one has ever complained about it and there wasn’t any public outcry to shut it down, so why the city council -- especially Ward 3 member Mary Cheh, who sits on the transportation committee -- is so eager to end such a useful service is beyond my mind. It simply doesn’t make sense for someone whose job is to make public transportation more accessible to shut it down. The Circulator free ride program has been running smoothly during its pilot phase since February without any issues at all. If the bus had had some kind of major incident or failed to run on time then I am pretty sure we could all agree on the city council’s decision. It seems more of a decision that was made just to save money. Ending the free rides is going to have a heavy economic impact. Many businesses, especially restaurants along the route, depend on the Circulator’s passengers. The pilot program has been so great especially for people who live on a limited budget. A lot of people applying for jobs in downtown D.C. depend on the Circulator to

get there. The cost of taking the Metro bus back and forth for all their appointments can take a heavy toll on their wallets. Cutting this service could be more of a loss to the city than a benefit. Losing the free bus rides could hinder someone’s access to essential things needed to survive as a normal human being. Some vulnerable people such as the homeless, children and the elderly don’t have the resources to pay for back-andforth trips for medical appointments. When worse comes to worse, some will take the ambulance instead. Another nice thing about the Circulator is that the drivers and operators don’t have to worry about unruly customers who curse them out because they don’t have enough fare. Free rides save the city money on chasing fare evaders, and it also saves the bus operators the headaches of handling unpaying customers. Many tourists arriving at Union Station have a hard time figuring out how to use the Metro payment system, another advantage of the Circulator. The D.C. Council should reconsider its decision to end the free Circulator rides. Colly Dennis is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

Our right to healthy food BY REGINALD BLACK

When discussing nutrition, we need to emphasize quality over quantity. When D.C. Central Kitchen, a non-profit organization that trains unemployed people in cooking skills, was serving the city’s food bank, we were eating whatever the food bank gave us. I fought long and hard with different agencies to convince D.C. Central Kitchen [ok?]employees that the quality of the food had to be checked to prevent diseases.I felt the standards of nutrition for people experiencing homeless were being ignored. In 2016, Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration listened and implemented a quality control system for food served in shelters. We deserve nutritious, healthy food. We shouldn’t be forced to deal with “what is there.” The people who frequent food banks are in transition. Some are in recovery.

I feel that a restaurant such as Henry’s Soul Food would make a better caterer and purveyor than a training facility such as D.C. Central Kitchen. Nevertheless, I hope Henry’s and Central Kitchen will work together to help those in our community facing housing instability. Unfortunately, even after these improvements, we still are not getting fullcourse meals. The quality is higher, but the city needs to do more. Full-course meals served in shelters would help raise the selfesteem of people in poverty, help them obtain housing and promote a healthier, safer way of life. Reginald Black is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media. He also serves as a consumer representative on the D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness.

Protest at mayor’s housing expo reveals tensions and frustrations BY REGINALD BLACK

Housing is a frequent conversation topic around the city, and many residents feel that Washington, D.C., has become unaffordable to the average person. With rents soaring to an average of $1100 a month, it’s no wonder that a group of protesters took it upon themselves to disrupt the mayor’s comments at the DC 11th Annual Housing Expo on June 15, where D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser spoke about her administration’s comprehensive plan to address the city’s affordable housing crisis. “If you are here today, the number one issue on the mind of D.C. residents is affordability and affordability in housing,” Bowser said, over loud protests from the crowd.. She stopped her comments for a second to acknowledge the protesters. “One thing I won’t allow anyone to do or to say is that Muriel Bowser is a liar,” she said. “You know and we know that we are very focused--more than any administration in the history of the District of Columbia--on building more affordable housing units.” Bowser’s administration says that it is pouring millions of dollars into housing in order to drive down market prices. “We have delivered more than 7,200 units in the last four years,” Bowser told the Expo crowd. The protesters continued to heckle until Bowser’s security team and metropolitan police removed them from the area.

Many D.C. residents feel that the administration isn’t doing enough for people in the lowest income brackets. In a 2019 census, the District of Columbia has found about 6,500 people experiencing homelessness in a single night--a 22% overall decrease since 2016. Single people still make up most of this population, with the number decreasing by only 5% since last year. Efforts all over the city seem to be failing to make a dent in poverty. People are disgusted and rightfully so. This particular group of protesters embodied the frustration across the District. Residents, think tanks, housing advocates and many others came out to voice their opinions. But without policies and priorities, how can we say that we are an inclusive city? The struggle to find affordable housing has created a war of sorts between residents, and the issue is becoming more volatile: this is not the first time that protesters have interrupted Bowser and other officials. As long as poverty continues, housing will continue to remain an intractable issue that allows people to die without the dignity of a home. Reginald Black is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media. He also serves as a consumer representative on the D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness.

Join the conversation, share your views - Have an opinion about how homelessness is being addressed in our community? - Want to share firsthand experience? - Interested in responding to what someone else has written? Street Sense Media has maintained an open submission policy since our founding. We aim to elevate voices from across the housing spectrum and foster healthy debate.

Please send submissions to opinion@streetsensemedia.org.

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

/ / 11

ART

Not exactly repeal and replace, but Trump’s new rules are a terriﬁc start

Invisible Man BY REGGIE JONES Artist/Vendor

BY JEFFERY MCNEIL

While on the campaign trail, thencandidate Donald Trump promised to “build a wall and “lock up” his opponent Hillary Clinton. He also promised he would “repeal and replace” Obamacare with “something terrific.” After only 20 months, it would be unfair to blame the failure to repeal Obamacare solely on Trump. He has been determined to keep his promise. However, many members in the Republican Party failed him by refusing to do what got them elected, which was to repeal and replace Obamacare. Many from the Never Trump faction still harbor resentments from Trump’s scorched-earth campaign and would rather see this president fail than our nation succeed. No one will ever forget former Sen. John Mcain in his last despicable act to stick it to Trump: by giving a thumbs down vote that ensured Obamacare wouldn’t be repealed by this Congress anytime soon. Despite Congress’s inaction, President Trump decided to bypass their incompetence by using executive action to give Americans “something amazing.” Trump has set in motion new regulations to promote “health care choice and competition across the United States.” These new rules will provide an estimated 800,000 businesses a better way of offering coverage to millions of workers through the expansion of Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs). Brian Blase, the special assistant to the president at the National Economic Council focused on health care policy, explained HRAs as employer-funded accounts that employees can use for medical expenses. Under Obamacare, HRAs couldn’t be used to pay for individual coverage. This impeded employers from shopping around for better coverage, which also limited employees’ choices. Under Trump’s new rule, both businesses and workers will have more freedom, instead of being forced to choose plans under Obamacare. Starting on the first day of 2020, employers will be able to offer their workers health reimbursement arrangements to buy coverage for them and their families. These new guidelines will reduce Obama-era restrictions on short-term health plans that don’t meet standards under Obamacare. These new regulations will allow small businesses to join with other employers to buy lightly regulated coverage called association health plans. The

rule, issued on June 13, will give employers, particularly small businesses, more flexibility to steer tax-exempt dollars to employees for health care. While this in no way repeals or replaces Obamacare with “something fabulous,” these new rules will allow individuals that rely on their health insurance when they get sick to spread the cost more effectively. Hopefully, these new guidelines will give healthier people the flexibility to buy coverage they need rather then forcing them to buy expensive coverage regardless if they need it or not. I have personally had to shop around for health care because I did not like the restrictions Obamacare placed on my employer-sponsored health care. These new rules attempt to loosen some Obamacare restrictions for individuals and business owners, which is something I can get behind. But the only way to truly repeal Obamacare and replace it with something terrific is for Congress to pass legislation. One of the reasons Trump was elected was because former President Barack Obama tried to end-run Congress by using executive orders. It would be preferable if both parties put aside their disagreements and found solutions to health care that d o n ’t b r e a k t h e bank, while at the same time provided affordable health care to all Americans. As a Republican, I get irritated by liberals when they accuse conservatives of not caring about the sick. The truth is liberals want feelgood, one-size-fits-all solutions that don’t address the complexity of health care such as “Medicaid for All,” which can be translated to “Inadequate Health Care for All.” While these new rules won’t exactly repeal and replace Obamacare, which has been a disaster for business owners and thus negatively affects employees, Trump’s new rules are a small step toward a freer health insurance system. Some Conservatives will probably rail against this initiative as an expansion of Obamacare. But I believe taking small incremental steps to fix a broken system is better than holding out for the perfect solution.

Who am I? The Invisible Man! Sometimes I wish I had a better plan. I don’t have nothing else to do. But to say, “Hello, Street Sense!” until I turn blue. You act like you don’t see me. Am I an invisible, man? I see me. Can you? If I touched you, Would you know it? Why should we have to go through these tests? When I’m giving you my best. So, come on, give Street Sense Media some love, Even if it’s just some dap or some hugs. Now, am I a visible man? When you see me next time, Please let me know, So I can catch you later. Now it’s time to go. Street Sense artists, Man or woman, stay on the go.

As a Republican, I get irritated by liberals when they accuse conservatives of not caring about the sick

Jeffery McNeil is a Street Sense Media artist and vendor who also contributes to the Washington Examiner.

Come enjoy a FREE meal and conversation with our volunteers! The first 40 guests will be served.

UPCOMING DINNERS: Wednesday, June 26th, 2019 Wednesday, July 3rd, 2019 Tuesday, July 9th, 2019 Wednesday, July 10th, 2019 Doors open at 6:00pm. Dinner is served at 6:30pm. 1317 G Street - Church of the Epiphany Questions about our dinners or interested in group volunteer opportunities? Call 202-347-2525, or, check us out at ysop.org.

1 2 // S T REET SENSE ME DI A / / JUNE 2 6 - JULY 9, 2019

ART

Notre Dame, Mon Notre Dame BY FREDERIC JOHN Artist/Vendor

Colors of the Days BY JERMALE MCKNIGHT Artist/Vendor

(inspired from Allelullia” by Leonard Cohen) Notre dame, no-tru dame, Bless the pillow I lay on, Notre dame, no-tru dame, May your blessings Call thy name When thy chimes Sound the time Let our love forever climb. May no evil bring thee down

We shall ever gather round Let us now gratefully claim our Notre Dame! (solo) Notre Dame, Notre Dame Bless the pillow we lay on, You art gifted From the ﬂame— Our Notre Dame, Notre Dame A-men!!! Photo courtesy of Manh Hai / Flickr

We start the week with Sunday, which is orange, the color of energy. (Also the preferable American fruit, in my opinion!) Sunday is a day of pleasure and redirected atonement from pleasure to joy. It’s a true fun day where you activate yourself fully and should pay a great deal of honor to the uniqueness of the fresh new best or better you for the week. Then comes Monday, which is blue, a day to enforce loving. Tuesday, is red, a time to stop, assess, and revise life with friends or associates. Wednesday is yellow. Be careful. Stay out of the way, but help others do that too where you can. Thursday is purple, a time to be reverent and respectful of the resources you have. Try to be the light in someone’s day. Friday is green, so live as green as you can. Finish strong. Live life as if there is indeed a tomorrow, one in which something helpful is waiting for you best. After evening, be careful, Fridays are important for three major religions. Saturday is indigo, the beautiful blue. Don’t parade your beauty before life or your strength before others. Be cool, nonchalant and collective, for this day you should try to be your best self. It may take all your energy, but don’t worry, Sunday comes tomorrow.

A Student and Her Shelter BY SHEILA WHITE // Artist/Vendor

Most students don’t start their day with “WAKE UP!” at 6 a.m. I’m not most students. My “dorm” is a shelter. My “library” is any place where it’s quiet. My “study hall” has people who don’t care about books or tests or essays. I’m out the door at 7 a.m. Takes me a while to reach the University of the District of Columbia, and I don’t want to be late for either my Introduction to Algebra or my Algebra 101 classes. So I push myself, because missing a lecture means falling behind. And math is hard enough even when you stay with the syllabus. It’s extremely difficult trying to study in the shelter. The day room is always occupied by other residents. I can’t study in my “room” because 10 other people share it. So I have to go outside to a park or a museum. But sometimes I’m afraid to do that because I might get robbed

for my laptop or my other belongings. “LIGHTS OUT!” happens at 11 p.m. Now I can finally study. But suddenly it’s midnight, and I have to get to sleep so I’m not that tired in the morning. Living in the shelter is very challenging. If I’m late for check-in, which can be as early as 4 p.m., I’ll lose my bed. That means sleeping on the streets again, which also means doing homework on the streets, which means my laptop and my books get wet. But even getting my bed isn’t always so great. Someone stole all my clothes. That was upsetting enough, but I’m most pissed about the person taking my UDC hat and shirt. Those two meant a lot to me. I was proud to wear them. I’m even prouder I earned a C in Introduction to Algebra and a B in Algebra 101. Pretty, pretty, pretty good for someone

who hates math! And, on July 1, I start my third semester with...Biology. People often ask “why do you go to school while you’re homeless”? “Why not?” I say. “I’ve always wanted to learn new things. And though I’m homeless, I’m not helpless.” Thanks to my Street Sense Media colleagues Ken and Angie, who always encourage me to write, write, WRITE! And to Willie, my writing instructor, who is always in my face about “show, don’t tell” and helps me write more effectively. So, despite the conditions I live in, I’m on my way to a degree in photojournalism. My dream of being a journalist is coming true. When I receive that diploma I want to work behind the camera, I want to help people’s stories come to life. Photo by Ken Martin

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

Budget Busters

Never Give Up BY REV. JOHN LITTLEJOHN Artist/Vendor

Many winners have reached success by climbing a special ladder called “never give up.” However, there are also many who have lost an opportunity to achieve success because they gave up. This can happen in every area of life: family, education, friends, work, service and even homelessness. Perseverance is the key to victory. The apostle Paul persevered despite persecution and afﬂictions. He viewed life with realism, recognizing that as followers of Christ we will suffer persecution and afﬂiction, but he instructed Timothy to place his faith in God and the encouragement of the Scriptures. Doing this and with hope, would help him face discouragement. At the end of his life, Paul said, “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” We too can allow the scriptures to strengthen us to press on in the race marked out for us. For our God will reward those who faithfully finish the race. Heavenly Father give me strength and perseverance to serve you better. Help me not get discouraged when things get tough but to

// 13

BY ANGIE WHITEHURST Artist/Vendor

rely on You to see me through. For when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Faith connects our weaknesses to God’s strength. The Bible says in the New Testament that through the strength of Christ Jesus, we can do all things. Corruption must put on incorruption, and inhuman conditions must put on human conditions and the immoral must put on the moral. As I close, once again the Bible says in 2nd trinity, 4:7; further it says, ‘I have fought the good fight and finished the race, I have kept the faith’. Once again, I never give up! When it came down to ‘giving or receiving’ a donation or help being homeless to an end. BIBLE METHOD B – stands for Believer I – stands for Instruction B – stands for Before L – stands for Leaving E – stands for Earth John 3:16 - “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son that whosoever believe in Him, should not perish in “Hell” but have everlasting life in heaven.”

No house No home No place to go Dismayed Dislocated Mis laid Mis placed Mis located And all gone Eradicating poverty the politicians’ way. Join the real world. Work the need. Win the day. When the

organized elected CEO trustee, the Mayor, and the board of trustees, a/k/a AKA, the City Council butt heads and stomp the ﬂoors of offices, we lose. So, do not forget To write, (to) vote, To holler and (to) shout The lousy Budget Busters OUT! Photo courtesy of Pixabay

Washington: Then and Now BY GWYNETTE SMITH Artist/Vendor

When I was small, my mother worked here and we lived with my grandparents who had retired to Washington. My grandmother had finished normal school, which is a teacher training program, and taught out- of-town and came here on the weekends since the family was now here. My father was away in school and I went to kindergarten at Morgan School. Later after my parents, a new little sister, and I moved back to the South, we would come here in the summertime. As I became a teenager, I thought that this place was exciting and very attractive. There was a streetcar that went passed the Woolworth, not far from where we went to church. On U Street there were the Booker T and the Lincoln theatres, and people, lots at times, walked up and down

the street. The houses were kind of large and some had porches upstairs on the back of them. I had never seen that. There were outings to Haynes Point and you could sit on a blanket and eat food. I went to a baseball game and a friend of my aunt showed me how to fill out the baseball card. Connecticut Avenue seemed very glamorous. I walked past a place with my mother and people were playing jazz in the window and customers inside with them were looking at them and looked like they were really enjoying themselves. I came back here after college. There were more black people. There was no longer a Commissioner system. The first black elected mayor, Walter Washington, replaced

Commissioner Duncan. This city was very political now.The assassinations of Dr. King and Senator Robert Kennedy brought a sadness and a militancy. There were riots in many areas. There was poverty and the crime rate was escalating. Many Black Americans had moved here to escape Jim Crow politics in the South. I had married here, was then divorced and decided to leave the sadness, destruction, and chaos that was here. When I returned many years later, almost at the beginning of a new millennium, I found a city that was rebuilding. Many neighborhood had new, modern buildings. There was a subway system. The city had a university that seemed to be doing well. It is a young city, with lots of people using cell phones and going about

on bikes and scooters. Incredible to me, it seems, and probably very dangerous! The outward appearance of a city can tell a lot. D.C., as it is often called, is now a city for White people, many who are young, but all can pay the rent needed to live in many of the luxurious, new apartment buildings. There are problems like synthetic drugs here. I think that there should be the number of computers that are needed in each public library, that are reserved for those seeking jobs. There should be an employee assigned to help those who may not be completely computer friendly. Many job vacancies only accept applications and attachments online. The city should repair its broken sidewalks and never close a YW or YM as it has done in the past.

1 4 // ST REET SEN S E ME DI A / / JUNE 2 6 - JULY 9, 2019

FUN & GAMES

Sudoku #3

Tough Sudoku by KrazyDad, Volume 1, Book 1

4 3 6

Food at the Shelters

8 4

BY RONALD SMOOT Artist/Vendor

Think harder.

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

scratch area

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

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

8 7 2 1 5 9 4 5 1 4

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

7 8 4

6 5 1 9 3

4 2 1 6 8 7

9 5

2 8 4 6 5 1 3 9

SUDOKU: Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3-by-3 block contain all of the digits 1-9.

LAST EDITION’S PUZZLE SOLUTION >>

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4 8

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

9 1 6 3

When I go to the shelter and don’t have money, but still want to eat, the food was terrible! It would be mixed like a soup, with beans, vegetables with something I could not recognize. The city needs a better food system for its shelters. Either new cooks or more efficient contractors, who really want to produce food that is edible. We must resolve this matter because now most people who cook for these shelters don’t care about the food. Most homeless people would be so hungry they would eat anything, because they have not eaten for some time. Some of them eat out of trash cans or dumpsters, because they must find food someplace. To have food that tastes good, looks good and is presented with care would be a delight to a homeless person.

In the name of God, gracious and merciful BY BARRON HALL Artist/Vendor

Readers of Street Sense, a newspaper by and about the poor and homeless, it’s time for America to elect another president. From what I see, Trump is the best one to lead us. We are a people who has lost its way. Until recently we were one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. We are a people who have lost our godly way. I believe God has turned away from us and our sinful ways like he did when he turned from the Jews when they were taken into captivity by Babylon. As a poor people of color, we have lost a whole generation of fathers and grandfathers, when against our will we were made to learn how to kill and murder another poor people in another country, just to keep them from gaining their freedom. We will reap what we sow. Now, we as a people, who have never been free in this country, must come out from amongst this sinful nation. God can do to it what he did to Sodom and Gomorrah.

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.

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

COMMUNITY SERVICES

SHELTER HOTLINE Línea directa de alojamiento

(202) 399-7093

YOUTH HOTLINE Línea de juventud

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE Línea directa de violencia doméstica

(202) 547-7777

Education Educación

Health Care Seguro

Clothing Ropa

Legal Assistance Assistencia Legal

Case Management Coordinación de Servicios

Food Comida

Employment Assistance Assitencia con Empleo

Transportation Transportación

Showers Duchas

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 202-265-2400 (NW) // 561-8587 (SE) 1525 7th St., NW // 1640 Good Hope Rd., SE 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

Father McKenna Center // 202-842-1112 19 Eye St., NW fathermckennacenter.org

Food and Friends // 202-269-2277 219 Riggs Rd., NE foodandfriends.org (home delivery for those suffering from HIV, cancer, etc)

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

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

Martha’s Table // 202-328-6608 2114 14th St., NW marthastable.org

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

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

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOTLINE Línea de salud del comportamiento

1-800-799-7233

Housing/Shelter Vivienda/alojamiento

1-888-793-4357 Laundry Lavandería

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

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 samaritanministry.org

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

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

Unity Health Care // 202-745-4300 3020 14th St., NW unityhealthcare.org

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

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

// 15

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

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

JOB HELP! BOARD

WE’RE LOOKING FOR

volunteers Paper Sales This position requires keeping our vendors supplied with the Street Sense Media newspaper in a timely and efficient manner. Paper sales volunteers work one 4-hour shift per week selling the paper to our vendors at a wholesale price, who then go out and sell the paper to the public. Each person runs their own sales business, which enables them to have an income. This position provides a great opportunity to get to know the vendors on a personal level as well as provide a much-needed service in our office. Volunteers must be available for at least one shift Monday through Friday, either 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. or 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Volunteers are needed as soon as possible for the following shifts: • Wednesdays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. • Thursdays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. • Fridays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. To get involved, contact our Sales Manager, Jeff Gray jeff@streetsensemedia.org (202) 347-2006 x 15

Dear Reader, I thought I was going be in my own place this summer. I really did. Back in January, I received a government voucher to help me pay for my own apartment. I was so excited the day I got it. But then, six weeks ago, I learned a mix-up in the system meant my voucher was taken from me. For the fourth year in a row, I’ll be spending the summer days outside in the scorching heat. I sleep at a shelter at night, but we have to be out of the building by 7 a.m. each morning and can’t get back inside until 4 p.m. each night. The long hours in between are sweltering. In previous summers, I could sometimes escape the heat by slipping into a public museum or sitting in the lobby of apartment buildings, pretending I was waiting on a friend. This summer, I’ll have Street Sense Media. The office provides a muchneeded escape from the heat, but I won’t just be there for the air

conditioning. I’ll be developing skills through multimedia workshops. I’ll be building community. I’ll be sharing my story and advocating for myself. I’ll also be working toward permanent housing. The social workers and lawyers I’ve met through Street Sense Media’s case management program are working to solve my voucher problem. I hope to be in my own place soon. Everyone knows that winter is a dangerous time for people to be living outside. Many don’t realize that summer is worse. Now more than ever, Street Sense Media needs your support to get people off the streets and into their own homes.

Thank you for reading Street Sense! From your vendor [DATES] | VOLUME ## ISSUE ##

WWW.INSP.NGO

Please donate today.

5.5 million READERS

Sheila White Street Sense Vendor-Artist

9,000 VENDORS

100+

STREET PAPERS

COUNTRIES

LANGUAGES