08 21 2019

VOL. 16 ISSUE 21

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AUG. 21 - SEPT. 3, 2019

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LOCAL NEWS BLITZ F

or the fourth consecutive year, at least seven local newsrooms are joining us in a collaborative effort to investigate what is working and what is not working to reduce and prevent homelessness in our communities across the District.

The crux of this project is that the partnering media outlets are pooling resources and sharing audiences as we assess this persistent crisis and disseminate those findings as widely as possible. We coordinate coverage to avoid duplication of efforts and, through our combined body of work, hope to provide a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the forces that perpetuate poverty.

Street Sense’s bi-weekly printing schedule gives you a first look at some of our stories for this initiative, but throughout the day on Aug. 29 all of the D.C. Homeless Crisis Reporting Project’s content will be released online and in some cases broadcast. There will be a directory of those stories for you to browse on the homepage of www.DCHomelessCrisis.press,

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where all past stories from 2016-2018 are already available Journalism is a public service. And more than ever, it is important for you to tell us how best we can serve you. What information do you most need us to gather, investigate, or break down? As of the first day this edition was published, you may join the #DCHomelessCrisis Facebook group, where we hope officials, experts, journalists and advocates will gather to tackle these topics together and keep the conversation moving year-round. On the day of our “news blitz” on homelessness, you may also use the #DCHomelessCrisis hashtag to join conversations on Twitter. And you may always reach the Street Sense Media newsroom at editor@streetsensemedia.org or

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share your views for publication to opinion@streetsensemedia. org. Thank you for reading. Thank you for supporting the 130 vendors who work to bring you this publication, many of whom also share stories and expertise you won’t find anywhere else.

And thank you for sharing whatever mattered most to you from our collaborative reporting with your councilmember when they return from summer recess on Sept. 16.

The many complex factors that keep over 500,000 Americans and nearly 6,500 Washingtonians living in a state of emergency demand rigorous, objective and consistent reporting from our newsrooms.

—Eric Falquero, Editor-in-Chief

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Ken Martin’s answer to how we end homelessness?

Community education shared between house and unhoused people. Visit DCHomelessCrisis.press for reporting on the subject.

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.

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EVENTS

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NEWS IN BRIEF District task force to develop a plan for new correctional facilities

BY BRIANNA BILTER Editorial Intern

A daylong celebration of all things homegrown Sunday, September 8, 2019 // 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Gateway DC at St. Elizabeths East // 2700 Martin Luther King Junior Ave. SE The 10th D.C. State Fair is at Gateway DC, a short walk from the Congress Heights Metro station with free Circulator shuttles to and from the event. Admission is FREE. There will be local entertainment and food, educational workshops, children’s activities, a beer garden, and more! MORE INFO: dcstatefair.org ENDS SATURDAY, AUG. 31

UPDATES ONLINE AT ICH.DC.GOV

SATURDAY, AUG. 24

Nominate “heroes who make a difference” to receive heating and cooling equipment at no cost

D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness Meetings

Northwest Really Really Free Market

Youth Committee Aug. 22, 10 am // 441 4th Street NW Room 1117 Strategic Planning Committee Aug. 27, 2:30 pm // Location TBD *likely 441 4th Street NW Shelter Operations Committee Aug 28, 1 pm // Location TBD *likely 441 4th Street NW

3 p.m. // St. Stephen & the Incarnation Episcopal Church 1525 Newton St. NW

Deadline: Aug. 31 FeelTheLove.com Lennox International, a heating and cooling equipment company, will select recipients based on a variety of criteria, including physical, mental, or social disabilities; financial challenges; job loss; military service; and community service.

***List features only committee meetings. For issue-focused working group, contact ich.info@dc.gov.

“Table your stuff away at the free market, get to know your community and create community bonds! Books, furniture, a shirt or two? What about a haircut? Mutual aid is the voluntary exchange of resources and services. This practice has existed for thousands of years in many societies.”

MORE INFO: tinyurl.com/1525-free

Submit your event for publication by e-mailing editor@streetsensemedia.org

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#thingsiloverightnow my friendly neighborhood @streetsensedc vendor Jeffrey McNeil and his gift of gab & writings in this crazy & cookie city!

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All of us can help #EndHomelessnessDC. One way to grow is to read and buy @streetsensedc, a nonprofit paper focusing on homelessness and poverty in DC, which is produced and sold by people experiencing [it].

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Earlier this year, the D.C. Auditor released a report detailing decrepit conditions at the D.C. Jail and recommending the construction of a new facility.

The District Task Force on Jails and Justice has been asked to articulate a vision for a new correctional plan, to make recommendations for who should be held in local facilities, and communicate the priorities of the community.

It held two workshops in early August to solicit community input. Funded by the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants, the task force is a partnership between the Council for Court Excellence, the Vera Institute of Justice, and the National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens.

In addition to the dilapidated infrastructure, the task force has been addressing racial disparities in the local criminal justice system and D.C.’s lack of a prison system. Prisoners from the District are processed by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and sent to serve their sentences around the country.

The District is the only jurisdiction in which offenders are supervised by the federal government rather than local authorities. D.C. residents at the workshops recommended that the District establish local control over criminal justice affairs managed by federal agencies, such as the U.S. Parole Commission.

Participants were largely in favor of releasing offenders from D.C. Jail who were still there only due to parole or probation violations. According to D.C. Department of Corrections data analyzed by the Vera Institute, a violation of parole, probation, or supervised release was the most serious charge faced by 20 percent of people in DOC custody in 2018. Many workshop participants also advocated for “disimprisoning” people charged with drug use, sex work offenses, and cases involving mental illness.

For crimes that do not pose any direct threat to the community, the consensus was that minimizing reliance on the criminal justice system should be a priority.

“It’s a question of how we can divert more people, not a matter of whether we should or shouldn’t,” said Cameron Okeke, a research associate at the Urban Institute, at the first workshop. “The criminal justice system is designed to manage and contain social inequities that are far beyond it.”

Another popular topic was increased investment in social services, with an emphasis on youth and education.

As for the jail facility itself, a proposal for a “campus environment” with open spaces and improved educational programming, including opportunities to build creative skills, received extensive support in the second workshop.

Though diversion programs were considered preferable, a number of participants wanted a prison built in the city — or at the very least, a requirement for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to only relocate people within a limited radius — so that people serving time are less isolated from their families and support networks. ““There’s not a lot of best practices when it comes to jails and justice. We’ve got to look at up-and-coming practices,” said one participant. Another said, “Best practices would be having people close to home.”

The Task Force has announced a Town Hall Forum on August 21 and will submit its “phase one blueprint” at the end of September. Phase two will extend into 2020 to allow the team to develop a more precise strategy for reform.

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NEWS

For more than a year, DC has experimented with giving rental subsidy recipients control over their spending. It’s working.

BY MAIA BROWN Editorial Intern

H

ousing instability is a continuously growing problem in the United States, and the District of Columbia is no exception.

As of 2018, more than 40,000 families in the Washington Metropolitan area, which includes small parts of Maryland and Virginia, were on the waitlist for federal Housing Choice Vouchers, the Urban Institute reported.

When John Briscoe Jr. and his wife applied for and were denied a housing voucher in 2016, they struggled to make ends meet for their three sons. Briscoe, who had re-entered the workforce after 21 years in prison, was experiencing difficulty finding full-time employment.

So when he received an email in 2017 inviting him to participate in D.C. Flex, a new flexible rent subsidy program, he accepted immediately.

“Once we got approved, it only took a few weeks for the payments to start up,” Briscoe recalled. “They walked us through every step of the process and reassured us that our rent would be paid. It’s a beautiful program.”

The Briscoe family was one of 125 families recruited for the pilot program. Launched in September of 2017, D.C. Flex was developed by the D.C. Department of Human Services and Capital Area Asset Builders as an individualized housing assistance strategy. The program provides families living in apartments in the District with a subsidy that can be used to assist with rental payments or other household needs.

DHS did not respond to a June 18 request for comment, or any subsequent follow-ups. It is important to us to give organizations and agencies ample time to comment when we write about their work.

The goal of this type of program is to provide families a sense of self-sufficiency, and allow them to adapt their assistance to their specific needs. While short-term emergency assistance programs are able to stabilize families quickly, they aren’t structured to provide security in the long-term. On the other hand, programs with a longer subsidy period often have fixed payments regardless of whether a family’s needs change.

“This program is special because we’re really giving authority to the families,” said Leitmann-Santa Cruz.

“They get to decide how to use the program in the way that is best for them.”

The concept of flexible subsidy assistance is not a new one. It was recommended by the National Alliance to End Homelessness as early as 2016. However, the idea has been gaining recent prominence in the political arena with 2020 presidential candidates like Andrew Yang and Bernie Sanders discussing the idea of universal basic income. Similar programs exist in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago, but most have a much smaller participant pool. D.C. Flex is the only program of its kind that caters specifically to families.

The target participant pool for the District’s program is very specific: families that are on the cusp of housing

stability, whose income may fluctuate from month to month. In order to qualify, a family must have a valid lease in a registered apartment within D.C., have previously applied for or received emergency housing or homelessness assistance, be employed, and earn at least 30 percent of the D.C. median income.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, only 25 percent of families eligible for federal assistance make that amount of money. But as is implied by these requirements, D.C. Flex is not meant to fulfill the needs of those in severe poverty. It’s primarily a safety net, and a small amount of money to help make ends meet.

“This is a program meant to help families who have skin in the game,” said Joseph Leitmann-Santa Cruz, the executive director of Capital Area Asset Builders “They’re working, they’re trying to maintain the rent, but from time to time, they may come short.”

When a family qualifies for D.C. Flex they receive $7,200 a year via a program-specific bank account. That annual assistance remains available for four years. On a monthly basis, families can withdraw any amount of money less than or equal to the full amount of their rent. This allows them to save money in times where they don’t need as much, as well as providing a full month’s rent in times of financial strain.

“With the little amount of money I have leftover, my wife and I can use that to buy our children needed clothes and accessories and help with the upkeep of the house,” Briscoe said.

At the end of each year, families can withdraw up to $500 of leftover funds for household expenses.

They then receive all remaining savings after their four years in the program is up.

D.C. Flex provides a muchneeded fallback in case of emergency, said Briscoe.

“Our first year in the program, our [earned income] tax credit was garnished from us,” he said. “We took a major hit because I needed to pay for repairs on my car and we needed to keep up with the rent. I don’t know where we would be if the Flex program hadn’t kept the rent going for us.”

In addition to the subsidy, D.C. Flex holds financial training sessions through Capital Area Asset Builders.

Following an initial mandatory orientation, families can voluntarily arrange to review their finances with CAAB employees at any point during their four years. LeitmannSanta Cruz said these sessions are a way to continue saving money and are important for “empowering the

“One participant stated that the first year of Flex Rent has allowed her to catch-up on her bills, increase her credit score and provide financial stability for her family,” said CAAB Senior Program Manager Martin Booker during a March 1 Joint Performance Oversight Hearing, Committee on Human Services and Committee on Housing & Neighborhood Revitalization. SCREENSHOT COUTESY OF DCCOUNCIL.US

families.” A primary goal is helping the families open a bank account.

“Being able to have a bank account here in D.C. saves a family an estimate of $800 on an annual basis,” Leitmann-Santa Cruz said. “Just by being in the program, they’re saving more money outside of the full $7,200.”

Briscoe appreciates that the sessions aim to help lower-income families that may not know much about financial upkeep.

“They’re really helping poor people and walking them through,” he said. “And they’re really open about scheduling meetings to talk about whatever, making sure you have what you need.”

The greatest benefit of all, Briscoe says, is being able to check his credit score.

“It’s very important. It’s how I keep up with what bills need to be paid,” he said. “They teach me what to pay off when to make my score go up, so I might be able to move into a better place someday.”

While Briscoe values the help D.C. Flex has provided him, he feels there’s still room for improvement, particularly in the form of job assistance.

He currently works part-time at the University of Maryland making $12 an hour, but would like to find a better employment opportunity.

“Anytime they ask me, ‘What can we do better?’ I say ‘Help me get a job,’” he said. “It means a lot having my rent paid for but I want to work hard and be able to do it myself. I don’t want to be dependent on the program if I don’t have to be.”

D.C. Flex is still in its early stage and there is a strong possibility the program will be modified as the Department of Human Services and Capital Area Asset Builders work to expand it. The initial cohort will not complete the program until May of 2022. Leitmann-Santa Cruz hopes that in the time leading up to this point, the program will continue to improve.

“This is a pilot program, so we’re still learning how to make things work best for these hardworking families,” he said. “I would hope that as we all learn and grow, there are additional components added to expand the program to better help not only these families, but other D.C. residents as well.”

On a monthly basis, families can withdraw any amount of money less than or equal to the full amount of their rent. This allows them to save money in times where they don’t need as much, as well as providing a full month’s rent in times of financial strain.

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DC residents launch a city-wide tenant union

BY MEENA MORAR Editorial Intern

L

oud chants in Amharic, Spanish, and English filled the All Souls Unitarian church gymnasium on a Saturday afternoon in July.

“Slumlords, you can’t hide! We can see your greedy side!” reverberated throughout the room, sustained by hundreds of renters from across D.C. In the main room, tenants customized a giant hand-drawn map of the District that filled the wall. It represented the difference in perspective and experience in the room. Down the hallway, volunteers lined up to create an interactive history corridor documenting the local history of tenant organizing.

The event was organized by the Latino Economic Development Center, a nonprofit that aims to promote financial stability for small business owners and renters by providing small business loans and credit building, as well as preserving housing affordability through tenant organizing. The organization hosts a town hall every year, but re-organized the event this year to focus more on community building, according to tenant organizer Victoria Goncalves.

“In previous years, it’s been about garnering tenants to come together and provide resources [to them],” Goncalves said in an interview with Street Sense Media. “This year, we really want to focus on building power and building solidarity across different tenant associations.”

The tenant union was divided into three chapters by location, including Uptown (Wards 1, 4, 5), Mid-city (Wards 5, 6, 2), and East of the River (Wards 7, 8). An interim board of 15 members was elected by the tenants, with five members representing each of the three chapters.

The interim board plans to last three to six months, and will have a chapter meeting in the next month, according to Goncalves.

“People call D.C. a tenant friendly city, and that didn’t just happen out of nowhere,” Goncalves said. “A lot of the laws that exist in D.C. that make it a tenant friendly city

What’s next for the city’s plan to end homelessness?

BY BRIANNA BILTER // Editorial Intern

The five years of work encompassed by the “Homeward D.C.” strategic plan Mayor Bowser commissioned to make homelessness in the District “rare, brief and non-recurring” in the District are coming to a close. The D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness is now working to develop a second phase of the plan.

“I think the city is making tremendous progress,” said ICH Director Kristy Greenwalt in an interview with Street Sense Media, noting that D.C. has seen significant reductions in family homelessness and that the latest annual census of the local homeless community found the number of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness was the lowest it has been in 15 years. However,

happened because there was a lot of organizing to put it in place.”

In the 1950s, the Southwest part of D.C. underwent huge gentrification that forced 23,000 people to be relocated into public housing east of the Anacostia River, said University of the Town hall attendees contributed to a community map. PHOTO BY MEENA MORAR District of Columbia history professor Amanda Huron at a June 25 seminar about the history of D.C. tenant organizing.

The legacy of this displacement persists today. According to the D.C. Policy Center, almost 80 percent of D.C.-born adults live in Wards 7 and 8.

In 1964, D.C. marked its first documented rent strike at 1414 Gerard St. NW. when resident Karen Shuler refused to pay rent because of unsuitable living conditions. However, it took years for similar actions to influence city policy. Shuler lost the Gerard St. case and was forcibly evicted. It was not until 1968 that a group of local tenants were able to beat eviction through a rent strike, according to Huron.

Attendees at the LEDC town hall shared their modernday experiences organizing in their own buildings – from exercising their TOPA rights to conducting rent strikes.

In March, a group of six tenants organized a rent strike in their apartment complex on 1454 Irving St with the help of LEDC to dispute long-neglected repairs. Eloiza Charmorra and Rosalina Ticas, two of the residents, encouraged the audience to not be afraid to exercise their rights – no matter what the management threatens them with.

For Venus Little, the president of the Tyler House tenant association in Ward 6, joining the city-wide union was a clear next step in debunking any fear other residents have about organizing.

“Being a part of this union and stepping up and advocating for the people who do not have a voice – that’s why I stepped in,” Little said in an interview with Street Sense Media. “A

she said they still have a long way to go.

At last month’s ICH Strategic Planning Committee meeting, one working group advocated for a broader understanding of trauma among service providers. For example, care that is tailored to survivors of domestic violence may not cater to members of the LGBTQ community or re-entry populations who have experienced trauma in different forms.

Trauma is incredibly common among people experiencing homelessness. A 2010 study of 292 families found trauma to be one of two predictors of enduring housing instability after 30 months.

Trauma-informed care necessitates not only an understanding of trauma among employees of social providers, but an emphasis on choice and control for clients throughout the system.

Another working group discussed the need to expand the dialogue on racial equity, which was not explicitly considered in the initial Homeward D.C. plan. Along with training, education, and public awareness, the group called for a policyoriented initiatives to combat NIMBYism and laws that have adverse impacts on communities

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lot of people are scared and it’s hard for them to stand and speak up. This is what the union is all about.”

Little prioritizes community outreach within her organizing by hosting monthly meetings with her own tenant association, as well as regularly checking in with her Advisory Neighborhood Commission.

Tenants also broke off into small groups within their chapters to discuss strengths and weaknesses within their communities.

“I see ancestors who came from something,” one resident from the East of the River chapter said. “I see people who have been in chains, I see descendants of Martin Luther King. I see descendants who changed something. The reason that we live in D.C. and can pay rent is because of where we came from. When I hear your story, I hear strength — I hear resilience.”

In the Mid-town chapter, residents said they felt in danger of being pushed out by rising costs and not enough affordable housing associated with new developments. They thought that zoning laws and other legislation incentivizes developers more than it protects tenants. Within the new developments, however, the community also saw an opportunity for growth through more young residents.

The Uptown chapter also raised concerns over redevelopment, rent prices, and the fear of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The community saw the need to engage all residents – despite a high turnover of residents in many rental units — and unite under a common struggle.

The East of the River chapter shared similar concerns and also expressed feeling disregarded and forgotten by organizing groups.

“Communication doesn’t travel across the river,” one resident said. “If you’re not already connected, you don’t hear about things.”

This tenant union is an opportunity to involve grassroots organizing on a much broader level, according to Ward 4 resident Juanita Haynes.

“Tenants need to be educated, mobilized, and exercise their rights,” Haynes said in an interview with Street Sense Media.

“We had a union many, many years ago, but it did not involve grassroots. I’m looking for the community to come together and recognize how much power the tenants of D.C. have.”

of color and low-income residents.

Greenwalt said that though the city has made “tremendous strides” toward improving its crisis response system, inflow — people newly experiencing homelessness— remains a sizable challenge. Especially under this presidential administration, she added, gaps in the social safety net at the national level are felt at the local level as well.

“There are so many people that continue to live on the edge and one shock to their household could result in a housing loss,” Greenwalt said.

The working group on inflow broadly advocated for increased capacity in prevention, diversion, and rapid resolution programs, as well as regional collaboration. But in a rapidly gentrifying city like D.C., a discussion about inflow is also a discussion about affordability.

The minimum wage recently increased to $14 per hour on July 1 and will increase again to $15 next year, but “the minimum wage is not a living wage for here in D.C.,” said Robert Warren, a member of a third working group at the meeting focused on “consumer engagement.” “If folks

had universal housing rights... I think you would begin to raise people out of poverty.”

Warren thinks people should be able to qualify for housing just as they qualify for food stamps. His main focus, however, has been the health and wellness needs of people experiencing homelessness, which ties back in with trauma-informed care. The constant stress of housing insecurity takes a toll, and Warren still sees people in shelters that were there when he was homeless years ago.

“Some folks just break under the pressure of homelessness,” Warren said. “Sometimes when you see deterioration in folks, as far as their mental state, just their health, it’s kind of hard to witness a lot of times.”

Though capacity limits how quickly the ICH can progress on these issues, Greenwalt said she has seen an increase in regional collaboration with neighboring counties. The Strategic Planning Committee meets again on Aug. 27 at 2:30 p.m., with the location still to be determined. The ICH meeting calendar is kept up to date at ich.dc.gov.

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NEWS

Finding gainful employment remains a large hurdle for homeless DC residents. A new Georgetown cafe aims to help overcome it.

BY MAIA BROWN Editorial Intern

I

nspired by the Latin word for “hope,” Spero Ministries, a new employment initiative in Georgetown, aims to provide temporary employment and training for D.C. residents that may struggle with job stability or require a supportive work environment. This includes people with a history of homelessness, trafficking, refugees, and people returning from prison.

Beginning Sept. 8, Spero will run a coffee shop during the week inside Georgetown’s Veritas City Church on K Street NW between Wisconsin Avenue and Key Bridge.

Veritas is a fairly new church, having just celebrated its first anniversary in early July, and its brand-new waterfront property was a big inspiration for the program. “It already looked like a coffee shop,” said Veritas lead pastor Greg Gibson. “Once we moved in, it was a matter of figuring out how best to utilize the space all week instead of just on Sundays, and how to love our neighbors.”

Gibson partnered with Lissa Ramsepaul, a clinical social worker, to come up with the vision for Spero Ministries. “My faith and her belief in helping those who are down really collided to create this,” he recalled.

[Disclosure: Lissa Ramsepaul is a Street Sense Media staff member] The shop will hire around five workers to go through an employment program lasting 12 to 18 months, and will pay each worker $15 an hour for part time positions. Ramsepaul said part-time schedules will allow participants time to utilize other resources they need, such as shelter or medical care.

“There are places you can go to get job training or help

applying for jobs or doing a resume, but what I’ve found over the years is that there are a lot of people who know how to do all that and they just need a job...I’ve known a number of people who panhandle because there’s not a better option.”

Ramsepaul said 12-18 months is a “soft deadline” and Spero will work more on a case-by-case basis because they want to “make sure that what we’re doing contributes to stability, not creates more barriers.”

Ramsepaul hopes that this training will allow program participants to find work with other restaurants once their time with Spero is up.

“We’re not trying to be in competition with other restaurants,” she said. “We’re actually trying to help them by giving them more qualified workers.”

While the common stereotype is that homeless people are all unemployed and uninterested in working, the truth is quite the opposite. Research shows that up to 25 percent of the country’s homeless population is currently working, while 40 to 60 percent jump between part- and full-time jobs.

For those who are unemployed, the issue often lies within the host of requirements that make it difficult for them to stand out among other applicants — or even apply to jobs in the first place. Ramsepaul, who has been involved in social work for 23 years, has witnessed firsthand how difficult the job searching process can be for homeless people.

“Things that are crucial to the job search like transportation, or resumes, or even professional dress and appearance aren’t accessible to everyone,” Ramsepaul said. “When you can’t have any of those things, you’re automatically at more of a disadvantage in trying to get hired.”

That’s only the beginning. Many applications require addresses and phone numbers on applications, two major barriers that keep homeless people from even applying to jobs. Without a phone, it’s difficult to create an email address, another common application requirement. Even when homeless applicants are able to apply for jobs, harmful perceptions of homeless people can lead to hiring discrimination.

“The only prerequisite to be working should be wanting to work. We are trying to make that a reality.”

Lissa Ramsepaul According to the Chronic Homelessness Employment Technical Assistance Center, potential employees are “frequently challenged by pervasive negative stereotypes when approaching employers about hiring qualified homeless job seekers.” Doubts about homeless applicants’ work ethic, professionalism, and dependability can greatly affect their ability to get hired. In 2014, the National Coalition for the Homeless reported that 70.4% of homeless D.C. residents felt they’d been discriminated against due to their housing status.

Other Employment Programs Available to People Experienceing Homelessness in DC This list is inclusive but not exhaustive. RESEARCHED AND COMPILED BY LEAH STEIN

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

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CELEBRATING SUCCESS

The coffee counter at Spero Ministries during a July 13 fundraising event. PHOTO COURTESY OF SPERO MINISTRIES.

On top of the logistical barriers, discrimination in the job sector can take a mental and emotional toll on applicants experiencing homelessness.

“When you’re homeless, it’s hard to feel comfortable in an interview or a situation like that,” said Joseph Linch, a Spero Ministries volunteer and future program participant. “You can’t shower as often as you want or dress how you want. People look at you funny. Eventually, you brainwash yourself to think no one will hire you.”

Linch worked as a volunteer to help set up and clean up for two Spero fundraising events in July. For both events, some of the volunteers were potential participants testing to see if they fit into the program.

Spero, which claims to be the only program of its kind in the D.C. area, wants to help homeless people overcome these boundaries by providing them with intensive training and work experience. Spero will not require prior job training or experience, a background check, fingerprinting, drug testing, or for a participant to be housed.

“The only prerequisite to be working should be wanting to work,” said Ramsepaul. “We are trying to make that a reality.”

Though Spero’s mission may be unique to the D.C. area, this “supportive employment” model has been successful elsewhere. One example is the Lighthouse Bistro in Annapolis, MD, which is run as part of the Lighthouse Homelessness Prevention Support Center there. After coming up with the idea for Spero, Ramsepaul visited the center, which teaches culinary and customer service skills to those staying within the center’s housing, as well as referrals from other nearby assistance programs.

While Spero is still in its developing stage, the Lighthouse Bistro is an example of what it could grow to become. Founded in 2017, the bistro trains its employees in a 12-week intensive before hiring them to restaurant positions. Once hired, workers receive a living wage and have the potential to be promoted to higher positions.

“People have become managers or executive sous chefs in the past,” said Beth Rocca, Lighthouse Bistro’s general manager. “We’re happy to be helping people support themselves.”

Since the bistro’s creation, it has added a catering contract that has allowed them to create more restaurant positions. It has also become the sole caterer for Woodwind, a recreational event boating service in Annapolis.

“We grow every single day,” said Rocca. “We’re always thinking of something to do, and we’re always very aggressive about being able to do more.”

Similarly, in D.C. Ramsepaul hopes to add Spero Housing to the employment program, which will “offer housing in some way to folks from the same population facing housing instability due to their trauma history, with a focus on youth.”

The housing aspect of the program will not be limited to participants in the employment program.

Because the program is still in infancy, it will be a while until this dream becomes reality. “[The housing aspect] is all still emerging, but is definitely part of our plan,” Ramsepaul said.

Joseph Linch, as a future participant, is keeping optimistic about the program’s potential. “It’s gonna be like a chain reaction,” he said. “I’m going to get a job, and then tell my friends so that they can get jobs, and so on. I think a program like this could get a lot of people off the streets. I’m excited.”

Ramsepaul hopes that other organizations will follow Spero’s lead to limit barriers to employment.

“People need somewhere that they can get a second chance, or a third chance, or a fourth chance, whatever chance they’re on, to start their life over and get it on track,” Ramsepaul said.

“Everybody needs a purpose, everybody needs somewhere to belong to, and a lot of times we undervalue the impact that that alone can have.”

Leah Stein contributed reporting.

Former vendor Ken Martin shared his experience with homelessness at Ohev Sholom, The National Synagogue during the congregation’s Tisha B’Av fast and prayers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RABBI SHMUEL HERZFELD

Ken Martin launched www.martinendeavours.com to promote his public speaking and other work.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS Ivory Wilson Beginning to drive for Uber ARTIST/VENDOR

Ibn Hipps Receiving calls back for interviews after fielding job applications ARTIST/VENDOR

Joseph Linch (far right) was one of several future program participants to work a June 30 fundraiser for Spero Ministries.

Founder and Executive Director Lissa Ramsepaul (center) poses with them.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPERO MINISTRIES.

Our stories, straight to your inbox 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.

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8 // ST REET SENSE ME DI A / / A UG . 2 1 - S E P T. 3, 2019

NEWS

What is so complicated about homeless encampments in the District?

BY WILL SCHICK Editorial Intern

T

he underpasses at K, L, and M Streets in the NoMa area of Northeast D.C. give off an unpleasant odor. Put bluntly, they reek of urine.

And the rotting piles of garbage strewn up and down their sidewalks do little to mask the smell.

Tents, where people live, line each side of the underpasses here. Some are pitched atop discarded wooden crates so that they can be off the pavement and kept dry in case of rain.

“It’s not so much of an issue that it’s an eyesore. But there’s a lot of trash,” said Evan, a resident who has a home nearby. “I feel like if they kept it more clean, it would be no issue at all.”

Evan thinks the reason encampments persist in this area is more complicated than people not having places to call home.

“I think there’s a lot more that needs to happen. Maybe counseling, and finding jobs for these people,” he said.

A second housed resident who lives nearby described the NoMa encampments as “filthy” and said he was dissatisfied with how he felt the city government policed the areas. “The city didn’t clear, period, the last time they were here,” said the man, who gave his name as Floyd.

He added that he thought the District should issue citations to encampment residents or put them all up in hotels for 30 days if they agreed to vacate for good.

Most encampment residents interviewed for this article agreed about the sordid conditions of their sites. Many of them said the lack of access to public restrooms and the limited number of trash cans made it hard to keep their areas clean. One unsheltered resident said the pungent smell of urine everywhere was one of the worst things about living at this site.

Claudette Horton, a NoMa resident who grew up in the District, sometimes gives money to people she sees sleeping under the underpasses in her neighborhood.

“It hurts me to the heart to see people sleeping in the street because it could be you, it could be me, it could be anyone,” she said.

Horton concedes the money is probably not enough. “They need prayers. They need help,” she added.

But well-intentioned prayers have crashed, again and again, into the cold, dismal reality of life on the streets..

How some people lose their homes Until seven months ago, Chris H. had a home.

This was before he fell victim to a hit and run. The accident had left him on crutches, making it hard to get around. For whatever reason, his workers’ compensation did not cover the medical costs, even though it happened while he was on the job.

Chris is a civil engineer. Or at least he was. He used to spend half his time in the field, working on bridges. He spent the other half of his time working in the office, writing reports. But Chris said his injury made it impossibly difficult to continue this work. He ended up losing his job.

When that happened, Chris said he tried to find another job but did not have much luck because he “wasn’t really mobile.”

From there, everything spiraled out of control. “I lost my health insurance. And then my depression kicked in,” he said.

“And then [problems with] my mental health kicked in. And then I ended up living in a tent.”

Chris is no longer on crutches and is hopeful he will soon get off the streets. Without divulging any details, he said he found

a place with a bed. Since Chris is still seeking employment, he asked that his full name not be disclosed for this article.

Chris’s story resembles many others shared by unsheltered residents who live in D.C. “People look down on people who live in tents, but I’d like to see one of them go through an accident. [And] lose their job because they can’t work. And if they’re living paycheck to paycheck, and they don’t get a break on their housing,” Chris said, adding that many people could just as easily end up like him.

Encampments are not unique to DC Cities across the United States struggle with getting people out of encampments and into homes.

Strategies for responding to encampment sites vary from place to place. Often, a number of agencies are involved.

Police, social workers, non-profits, and neighborhood residents all have a role.

Together, they work to solve what can seem like an impossibly complex and delicate problem. Part of the challenge is addressing the unpredictable human element.

Elizabeth Bowen, a faculty expert on homelessness at the University of Buffalo School of Social Work, said that cities must be sensitive to the emotional needs of their unsheltered residents.

“Homeless people have often experienced a great deal of trauma in their lives,” Bowen said. “Often, they have had a lot of negative experiences and even traumatic experiences with police and other authority figures.”

Cities must be thoughtful in their approaches to encampments, Bowen said. This requires that they be “transparent” about their policies and take the time to build trust with the people living outdoors. Otherwise, Bowen argued, cities simply will not have much success.

If the unsheltered people who live in encampments lack trust in the government, they can feel like they are being criminalized or targeted. Many unsheltered residents interviewed for this article admitted to feeling this way.

Chris H. called D.C.’s encampment procedures a “joke.” In his view, the city’s goal is simply “to make people move and have them throw away some of their stuff.”

of Bowser’s “Homeward D.C.” five-year strategic plan to end homelessness. However, some advocates say it is not all good news, particularly for those who live on the city’s streets.

The District’s strategy for tackling encampments is outlined in its “encampment protocol.” The detailed document seems to offer unsheltered residents nothing but opportunities: the ability to link up with behavioral health specialists, the chance to meet with social workers, the opportunity to move into safe, temporary shelter, and even the chance to obtain support for permanent supportive housing.

It remains unclear, however, as to how effective these opportunities have been in helping unsheltered residents into homes. Every year, on a single night in January, The D.C. Department of Human Services conducts a count of people experiencing homelessness. A review of the data for the past nine years reveals little in the way of progress on reducing the city’s overall unsheltered population. In 2015, 544 people were counted as living unsheltered. In 2019, the number was 607.

The year before, it was 599. While the overall number of people experiencing homelessness has decreased in recent years, the number of people living on the streets has remained steady.

Part of the problem, critics argue, has to do with the way the city disposes of items at encampment sites. Disposition of trash is a major function of the protocol. But sometimes, trash is not all that is removed.

Anne Marie Staudenmaier, a lawyer for the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, said she the city has improperly handled the belongings of unsheltered residents.

“My concerns are that the city is throwing away items that are protected by this protocol that governs these clearings,” she said. According to Staudenmaier, the city has disposed of “tents and people’s IDs, photographs — and belongings and none of that stuff is supposed to be thrown away.”

The Unsheltered Population in DC

The local strategy In 2015, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser made a bold pledge to end chronic homelessness in the District. And according to HUD data, the overall number of people experiencing homelessness in the District has decreased year after year since the implementation

Data collected from the Department of Housing and Urban Development during its annual “point in time count” of the homeless population in D.C. INFOGRAPHIC BY WILL SCHICK

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

A garbage truck comes through to collect trash at a recent encampment engagement in NoMa. PHOTO BY WILL SCHICK

This complaint is the subject of a current lawsuit between the city and some unsheltered residents, supported by the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless.

Unsheltered residents interviewed at four separate encampment cleanups visited for this article have claimed to have had important documents thrown out or to have known someone who had.

The City’s intent is “to make sure that both the residents who are around these encampments and, specifically, the residents who are living in these encampments, are both safe and out of harm’s way,” according to Rayna Smith, the chief of staff for the Deputy Mayor for Health Human Services. DMHSS is tasked with coordinating all agencies involved in the city’s encampment engagements on behalf of the mayor.

According to Smith, the city workers take active measures to ensure they do not dispose of valuable personal items such as “documents, IDs, wallets.” But she acknowledged items like these have at times unintentionally been trashed. She said that sometimes the reason for this was because they were “hidden” inside of objects that would be otherwise deemed as “trash.”

In a previous article, Street Sense Media reported that a man claimed he had hidden several hundred dollars in a speaker that was compacted in a garbage truck during a July cleanup near Farragut Square.

“We want people to know that we don’t do this to only disrupt people who are living in conditions that are not ideal,” Smith explained. Even though DMHHS wants “to be very considerate to [unsheltered residents]” she said, they also need to “be considerate to the city as a whole.”

Christy Respress, the executive director for Pathways to Housing, an organization contracted by the District government to help people on the street find homes, also believes that the city’s encampment cleanups can be traumatic for those involved. According to her, the issue is very complicated since there are “very practical safety concerns for everybody — the person on the street and otherwise.”

Respress’s organization deploys teams of outreach workers that regularly visit the city’s encampment sites. Over fifteen years, Respress said, Pathways to Housing has been able to end homelessness for over 900 people.

Despite their successes, however, Respress said there are still some challenges. According to her, some of the District’s homeless residents are skeptical of their outreach teams since “they have been let down so many times before.”

Unlike other housing programs, Pathways to Housing takes unsheltered residents as they are. There are no underlying preconditions or requirements for individuals to be approved for a home. Their programs still offer services such as counseling and substance abuse treatment to those who need them — but emphasizes “housing first” over all else. The idea is that having a home allows a person to focus on other issues in their lives.

“It’s like it’s hard [for potential clients] to believe,” Respress explained. “They think, ‘no way, that can’t be true.’”

The biggest referral source for Pathways to Housing remains word of mouth.

Building trust Joyce, an unsheltered resident, has tried before to get connected with services that were meant to get her into housing. She remembers the day she walked into an office building to fill out a 10-page application form.

She thought most of the questions listed on the form seemed to have nothing to do with the services she was seeking. It did not seem like it was relevant, for instance, for someone to know where she went to school or what the first and last names of both her parents were. But the forms, Joyce said, had to be filled out before anyone would agree to meet with her. And Joyce needed a home. So, Joyce filled them out the best she could.

There was a question on the application that Joyce said she remembered. It asked if the applicant had any habits or addictions. Joyce said she tried to answer it truthfully.

“I said, well, I smoke weed and I drink beer occasionally.

So, I mean, I had written that on the paper,” she explained.

But then, Joyce alleged, the staff member who reviewed her application told her to change her answer. She said she was instructed to say she never did drugs and she never drank alcohol. Uncomfortable with lying, Joyce left and has not turned back since.

“If I got to lie to get help, I’m better off without it,” she said.

Recently, someone told Joyce they were ready to move her into a home if she wanted it. She lumps Pathways to Housing and Community Connections into the same category of “government places” and said the person was from one of the two.

Joyce said she was reluctant to receive the help offered to her. She is convinced that if she accepted, something would go wrong. In her experience, something always does.

“I don’t have a job, I don’t have an income,” Joyce explained.

“And I seen people who did get a place. They go from having one habit to then having more habits.”

She has been living on the streets in D.C. for close to seven years.

No place to call home

Marchell Thomas’s true passion is writing. She likes to write short stories and poetry. But because she is homeless, Thomas said, she spends most of her time thinking about how to survive.

She would like to have a job, but according to her, this is not as easy as it sounds.

“A lot of us don’t have clothes to look for your normal job, or we don’t have a phone for the employer to call us,” Thomas explained.

In an ideal world, Thomas imagines someone coming by her encampment site every day to offer work for day wages. It would not matter what the work was, so long as it paid them in cash. For many unsheltered residents, Thomas said, two weeks was far too long of a wait to be paid.

Alena Jackson, an unsheltered resident who lives alongside Thomas, said she would also like to work. She said the problem

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people have when applying for jobs is what to do about not having an address. Most application forms, Jackson said, require people to list one.

“We can give them a business address, but we don’t like to do that, because they don’t contact you when you do that,” she said.

When asked whether they thought unemployment was the reason they were homeless, both Jackson and Thomas responded with a resounding “no.” The reason why they were homeless they answered, was because they did not have places they could call home.

Not enough housing to go around James Fuller, an unsheltered resident who lives in NoMA, said he has been on a waitlist for housing assistance for 15 years.

“And they keep saying just wait, wait, wait. I’m tired of waiting now.” If only he had a home, Fuller added, “everything would fall right into place.”

Fuller has a service dog, a labrador retriever mix named “Big Boy.” He cannot imagine ever parting with Big Boy. But having the dog means it is hard for Fuller to move into a shelter or to ask to stay with his friends.

Many people have spent years on housing waiting lists.

According to Respress, the wait for a home can be anywhere between one week and five years. At Pathways to Housing, Respress said, they try and find alternative ways to get people housed. She cited a program called Project Re-connect which aims to link people back with their families. They also refer some clients to recovery-based housing when they request it.

“We’re not just passively waiting for [The Department of Human Services] or a permanent supportive housing or a rapid rehousing subsidy, Respress explained. “But the reality is that the wait can be a long time just because of the scarcity of the resource.”

Aaron Howe, an anthropologist completing his Ph.D. at American University, has observed over 30 encampment cleanups this year. He said that while he believes the city’s encampment protocol looks good on paper, the reality is grim.

Howe said the District does not follow its protocol “Not everyone is here that is supposed to be here,” Howe pointed out during a recent encampment engagement in the NoMa neighborhood, alleging that the city does not follow its protocol.

“These cleanups don’t connect people to services. I’ve been out here so many times. I think maybe one time I saw DHS doing intakes.”

Interviews with unsheltered residents during various encampment engagements held throughout the District in July revealed mixed responses. Some people said they were frequently offered support from city government representatives. Other people said they were never offered any help at all.

In either case, Howe said he believed the District is hardpressed to find a solution to the city’s encampment problem. “I don’t think anyone can do a very good job without modifying housing or at least getting back control of our obviously, overcost housing stock.”

On a recent afternoon, Joyce said hello to a young couple walking their dog along the street in NoMa. They exchanged pleasantries while Joyce fed their dog an organic, non-GMO treat she pulled out from a plastic bag. Joyce gets the treats from a variety of neighbors who she said lived in nearby highrise condos. This is something Joyce has done for years because she feels sorry for the animals.

“Dogs,” Joyce said, “shouldn’t be in apartments. They should be allowed to run free outside.”

1 0 // S T REET SENSE ME DI A / / A UG . 2 1 - S E P T. 3, 2019

OPINION

If Donald Trump is a racist

BY JEFFERY MCNEIL

A giant blow-up rat with yellow hair and a long red tie, holding a wireless phone handset outside the federal courthouse where Michael Flynn was brought for sentencing in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 18, 2018. PHOTO COURTESY OF LORIE SHAULL // FLICKR

Who's got rats?

BY KEN MARTIN

I am a native Washingtonian. My mom was born in Anacostia, my dad in Maryland. I have mixed emotions about how President Donald Trump has been attacking Baltimore as a "disgusting" rodent-infested mess where nobody would want to live.

My father's family were tobacco plantation slaves turned sharecroppers turned farmers. Those that could escape North did so, settling in two cities, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and that's how I got here. The result of a Maryland-D.C. marriage with a bunch of relatives in Baltimore. We loved to visit Baltimore as kids and I took my very special ladies there on dates as an adult, because it was a boss town!

Now that's not to say it did not have rats. Baltimore and other cities have them in abundance. They thrive in areas with urban lifestyles.

But dear Mr. Dotard I must covfefe, Washington, D.C. beats Baltimore by a mile for rodent infestation! Lest we forget one of our most renowned citizens, Marion Barry, created the jobs program known as Pride Incorporated and led a war on rats in the 1960s.

There are many types of rats in Washington. The nation's capital is home to the country's largest rodent species -- the two-legged variety known as politicians and lobbyists.

The Rats of Rock Creek Park are revered for their ferocity and voracious appetites. I recall a time when folks would not leave their pet cats or even large dogs in the alleys of Park Road Northwest for fear the rats would devour them.

The Potomac River Rats that dwell right in your own backyard, Mr. President. While homeless I slept in parks to the left, right, front, and rear of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and each location was infested with rats far worse than any mentioned above.

And for the record, Mr. Benedict McDonald's, sir, your sonin-law may have over 200 housing code violations in Baltimore but it does not give him bragging rights. Washington, D.C. and particularly the space where you live win the Great Infestation Award, hands down!

The District wins… or do we?

Ken Martin is a former Street Sense Media vendor.

I wonder if the left realizes the strategy of calling President Donald Trump supporters white nationalists or deplorable is gaining them no converts.

While there may be a segment of the population who is put off by Trump’s language, they will never abandon him for a Democrat -especially not when you accuse them of being a white nationalist or a Nazi.

While the left throws out buzzwords such as “white privilege," many Trump supporters live in areas that resemble war-torn countries.

Factory closings, abandoned buildings, their kids strung out on opioids, hopelessness and despair -- and what do liberals offer? Drivers licenses for illegal immigrants.

It’s not just white Trump supporters -- many women and minorities are sick of the left’s labeling. I’m not a victim. I’m not suffering from the legacy of slavery. Nobody's stopping me from owning a home, starting a business or becoming a lawyer or doctor.

Maybe African-Americans have gotten this word "racism" wrong. All my life I have been hearing from the left that conservatives were evil and racist. In my experience, however, I get along better with conservatives than I do with liberals who want to silence and sanitize me. I can disagree with a conservative without ending a friendship, while liberals seem to base their friendships on sharing political ideology.

Facts never matter to leftists, even when the truth smacks them in the face. Trump may be the most transparent human in history. If he’s a racist then why did he repeatedly say Oprah Winfrey would make a good running mate? If Trump hated people of color why did he appoint Herschel Walker to a presidential council? He helped resuscitate George Foreman's boxing career and his company donated food and equipment to a soup kitchen in Atlantic City.

If the left wants to point out Trump’s past, then they should be consistent. While the president may have done unsavory things, former Vice President Joe Biden has spent a lifetime in the Senate devising policies that

negatively impacted Black people. I wonder if these millennials know Biden began his political career by actively working with segregationists to deny Black children a decent education. He was also the architect of the 1994 crime bill as well as an ardent supporter of the death penalty.

America had eight years of President Barack Obama and Biden, and Biden did nothing for the Black community. Trump may be the most pro-black president in history. He is trying to do something about our inner cities with Opportunity Zones, funding historically black colleges as well as keeping Black families together with criminal justice reform.

How can African-Americans support Senator Kamala Harris, who as a prosecutor fought to keep the wrongly convicted in prison? How can African-Americans get behind Senator Elizabeth Warren, who used resources designed for people of color to benefit herself?

Does telling the truth make you a racist?

I’m still trying to find out what Donald Trump said about "The Squad," Representative Elijah Cummings, inner cities or Third World countries that wasn’t true.

I don’t get it. African-Americans scream about racism and oppression yet they keep voting for people that keep them in their oppression. All our lives we've been told by white liberals that because of slavery and Jim Crow, we are victims and can’t survive without the nurturing of goodhearted white liberals.

Trump isn’t offering free stuff. He is offering you freedom. The left wants to label you while Trump wants you to keep what you earn and pursue your dreams.

Maybe African-Americans would be better off if we had a president who did absolutely nothing for us. When you have enemies and you are forced to compete, you'll look out for yourself instead of looking to liberals who feel sorry for you.

Jeffery McNeil is a Street Sense Media vendor and artist. He also regularly writes for the Washington Esxaminer..

President Donald Trump (right) meets With Senator Tim Scott, a republican from South Carolina (left), at the White House on Sept. 13, 2017. Scott led the development of bi-partisan legislation with Senator Cory Booker, a democrat from New Jersey, to identify “opportunity zones” — economically-distressed communities where new investmentsmay be eligible for preferential tax treatment. Scott and Booker introduced the bill in February 2017. It was wrapped into the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in November 2017.

OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO COURTESY OF SHEALAH CRAIGHEAD

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

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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.

EDITORIAL CARTOON BY HARRY D. SWANSON, JR. Freelance Artist and Illustrator

More resources for homeless youth, please!

BY JENNIFER MCLAUGHLIN Artist/Vendor

I lived in Baltimore City and when I was 18, I was independently living, until I turned 21. I aged out of foster care and I ended up homeless. I stayed with my friends. I received money from the state, where I couldn’t afford to pay my rent. This is why I ended up homeless. It was because I no longer had the assistance I needed. They tried to send me to an employment program, but I needed more than employment.

Communities should put together more resources for youth who end up homeless and on the street. They also should encourage young people to seek higher education. Instead of encouraging them toward a dead-end job, they should help them develop the skills needed to find employment that covers the high cost of living. You need to make about $29.00 an hour to afford an apartment in D.C. and Virginia. We should do something to help youth when they age out of foster case and may end up homeless.

Jennifer McLauglin is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

Come enjoy a FREE meal and conversation with our volunteers!

The first 40 guests will be served.

UPCOMING DINNERS: Wednesday, September 4th, 2019 Friday, September 13th, 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 / / A UG . 2 1 - S E P T. 3, 2019

ART

Growing up in DC

BY CHON GOTTI Artist/Vendor

H

Chon Gotti (right) visit’s his mother’s grave with his family.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHON GOTTI

ey, I remember most of my peers growing up on 22nd street Parkland Projects when ALL parents were THEIR parents. When they went outside to play, they got dirty. We ate bologna (cold or fried), peanut butter & jelly, grilled cheese sandwiches, pork-n-beans & hot dogs, pots of pinto beans and homemade cornbread, black eyed peas, collards, mustard & turnip greens, and all we drank was KoolAid. Hamburgers on Wonder Bread! We had home cooked dinners almost every night.

We screamed our parents’ names from our room to come and turn the channel on the TV or bring us a glass of ice water, LOL! We listened to 92.3, 95.5, 102.3 FM, along with WOL 1450 with Conan.

You took your school clothes off as soon as you got home and put on your play clothes. They had recess every day. They walked to and from school, rain or shine. Mr. Marion Barry didn’t close schools for nothing. There were NO snow days. TV was black and white, and all stations went off at midnight after playing the national anthem, when people went to bed until about 5 or 6 a.m.

There was no microwave. We ate penny candy. Yes, I said, “penny.” That’s how much it cost then. Mike & Ike’s, Alexander the Grapes, Lemonheads, Peanut Chews, Chico Sticks, Boston Baked Beans, etc. They played Freeze Tag, Red Light Green Light, 4 Corners, Hopscotch, Hide & Seek, Truth or Dare, roller skated, and rode bikes all over the neighborhood.

The cause of homelessness is no money

BY ANGIE WHITEHURST Artist/Vendor

The reason for houselessness is no money A paycheck is paperless promissory note, is no money A credit card is a voucher, still to be paid; it is no money An I.O.U., is air, words and paper, with no collateral. Definitely, ain’t, no money A pre paid gift card the end user/receiver, until billed and processed, gets no money Buying, selling Wall Street trading is no money.

But, they broke the country and made a bunch of human beings and families homeless.

So, who got the money! Where did it go?

The IRS gets it’s money Uncle Sam prints the money.

So logic says: IF: we are of the people by the people, for the people… and money is the solution, as well as the problem: why don’t we just print more than enough?

After all housing is a right! Right?

Mula, moola, cash, stocks, bonds, paper, cards and notes…it’s all paper.

Share it and give it compassionately, to humans for life Hhousing with food, healthcare and social services.

Then everyone will be healthy, able productive and wise.

Mint it, print it, send it out, after , all what is a treasure for!

Share the booty, share the loot; and do some good.

End homelessness for all, worldwide.

“Congress, help your tired and your poor!”

ILLUSTRATION BY DWIGHT HARRIS, ARTIST/VENDOR

The boys collected baseball cards, marbles, skelly tops, plastic army men (brown/green ones) and comic books, and read them, not put them in plastic. Girls spent hours playing double Dutch, paper dolls, Chinese jump rope, jacks, piggy and softball and football with the boys. The kids wore sneakers that were called fish heads. They played “strike out.” Staying in the house was a punishment, and the only thing they knew about “bored”, were board games. There was no bottled water.

We drank from the tap, the water hose, and fire hydrants.

They watched cartoons especially on Saturday morning, we also cleaned house on Saturday morning, while listening to music from all the greats (real music, real lyrics). We went to Sunday school and then Sunday church service. Your neighborhood was a city within the city. Someone had a fight, that’s what it was, and we were friends again the next day if not sooner. The streetlights were their curfew. School was mandatory, no Truant Officers back then, teachers and police were people you could TRUST. They watched their MOUTHS around their elders because ALL of your NEIGHBORS were your parents, and you didn’t want them telling your parents if you misbehaved. Yes, everyone RESPECTED elders!

Applaud if you’re proud that you came from a close-knit community and will never forget where you came from!

These were the good ole days. Kids today will never know how it feels to be a real kid. I loved growing up when we did. It was a great time!!!

Let’s Spread Peace... these kids these days will never understand how we grew up if we don’t let them know.

Be Blessed! Be sure to continue reading our articles, we love all of our dedicated customers, let’s continue our journey of helping the homeless.

Solution to Homelessness

BY ANTHONY CARNEY Artist/Vendor

Money and more money Become the “you are your brother’s keeper” brother I am my brother’s keeper.

It’s easy to solve the homelessness situation Treat your brother as yourself, More money and more money.

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

// 13

My Street Sense Customers

BY ANDRE BRINSON // Artist/Vendor

I love my Street Sense Customers (family). My little one, my little girl is 10 years old and loves her daddy. She doesn’t know that her daddy is going through a homeless situation. I give her a little at a time about being homeless. When we are together and encounter a homeless person or someone in need, I give a dollar to them and I let her know about street people (that’s what I call them). Some people ask for money for whatever reason; it’s not for me to judge anyone. You don’t have to have a college degree, PhD or be a brain surgeon to recognize someone in need.

Ask yourself this question: If you were drowning would it really matter who saves you or helps you? Just to let you know, I have helped at lease 5 people in my life, including my niece last summer. And I damn-nearly drowned myself! I just bought a new phone and jumped in with it in my pocket, but I didn’t care. The phone didn’t cross my mind. I just saw her big pretty eyes looking at me and instantly dove in and got her. Thank God I can swim (sort of). So, I am teaching my 10-year-old to swim too. She loves it and I tell her “Even though you know how to swim, there is still a degree of danger, so always be aware of that.”

Let’s drop back. Just in friendship, I helped 3 people that have gotten stuck on escalators. I used my pocketknife to cut the dress or shoes and at the same time the police will harass me or lock me up for having a pocketknife. Wow! Here are some pictures of my little one. Her name is A’nyah.

Hopefully, I will have a place of my own so she can come see her daddy and be comfortable.

One Love, One God. Keep your spirits up and Joy in your heart.

When we are weary

BY REV. JOHN LITTLEJOHN Artist/Vendor

What is Weary? Well, one definition is to be out of strength (physical). Others are to be out of energy or feel weakness.

The “Bible” talks about weary in the “Book of Galatians 6-9” and it says that “Let us not become weary in doing good.”

And this “Good” is helping tackle the “Hard” stuff – such as the Homeless “Soul.”

I myself “Think” weak means to rest and thereby stay alert and not be Weary. Once again, when it comes to donations given as receiving a donation and “Helping” bring “Homelessness” to an end.

The “Bible” talks about “Best” in the Book of Exodus, which is the fourth one and it says, “That we must remember the Sabbath Day and keep it as Holy and Best” and this approach will avoid “Weariness.”

“I know the road seems long, but I encourage you all to hold on.” Once again, when it comes down to giving or receiving

donations, it is helping bring Homelessness to an end. Amen.

The “Bible” talks about weariness again, in the “Book of Matthew 11:28-30” and this passage says “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden with ‘sin’ and I will give you rest; Take my yoke upon you and lean on me, for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls; for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Please, in the name of “Jesus Christ” pay attention and stay alert when weariness comes up you, so when you and I receive or give a donation, large or small, you know to use it to “Bring homelessness to an end.”

Sometimes trying to do the right thing can be exhausting. Such as when you have a goal of trying to bring homelessness to an end.

We may wonder, does my well-intentioned word and action make any difference at all? I wondered this recently when I sent a prayerful

thought out and an email to a friend, meant to encourage him and then it was met with an angry response. My immediate reaction was a mixture of hurt and anger. How could I be so misunderstood?

So, before I responded in anger, I remembered that responding in kind would not produce the response I wanted to elicit from him, I needed to see the results I needed so I could respond on a positive ‘note’. This is especially true when we are telling someone about how Jesus wishes us to respond to anger and how He loves them.

When we do good things for others, hoping to draw others to Him, they may spurn us because they do not understand our approach.

Our gentle efforts to prompt someone to ‘right’ action may be ignored or worse, responded to in anger or some other negative way.

“Galatians” is a “Good” place to turn when we are discouraged by someone’s response to our sincere efforts. Here the Apostle Paul encourages us to consider our motives in making the effort in the first place, to test our action for what we say and do.

When we have done this, Paul further encourages us to persevere. Let us not become weary by the other persons response, because we tried to do good. For at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do no give up.

Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people.

God wants us to continue for Him, which includes praying for and telling others about Him doing good. He will see to the results.

Dear God, thank you for the encouragement we receive from Your Word. Help us to persevere in doing good.

We can leave the results of our lives in God’s hands.

What goes “Up” must come “Down.” For when praise goes up, blessings must come down from Heaven.

As I close, once again, “Nowadays everybody wants to be in control, wants to be a leader, but merely follows. There is no direction to follow and way too much pride. All they have to do is ‘Bow Down’ and ask the Lord to be their guide. In ‘Proverbs 3:5-6,’ God said trust in the ‘Lord’ with all thine heart and lean not unto thin own understanding. In all thy way acknowledge Him and He shall direct they path.”

“Nowadays” everyone is talking about going “Hard” but no one is talking about “God”!

As I close, the Bible says once again, in Galatians 6:9: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Amen! Be blessed.

1 4 // ST REET SEN S E ME DI A / / A UG . 2 1 - S E PT. 3, 2019

FUN & 7 GAMES 5

Sudoku #7 1

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

7

9 62

4 6 1

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5 1 9

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8 7 5 2

Sudoku #2 8 2 9 1 3 6 5 7 4 1 7 5 8 9 4 2 6 3 6 3 4 5 2 7 8 1 9 Tough Sudoku by KrazyDad, Volume 1, Book 1 5 9 1 3 7 8 6 4 2 2 6 3 4 5 1 7 9 8 4 8 7 2 6 9 1 3 5 3 5 6 9 1 2 4 8 7 9 1 8 7 4 5 3 2 6 7 4 2 6 8 3 9 5 1

5 1

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

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© 2013 KrazyDad.com scratch area

8 7 2 1 5 9 4 5 1 4

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

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9 5

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

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

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A good neighbor is one who will watch your vacation slides all evening without telling you that he has been there.

1 2 6 4 1 8 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

Tough Sudoku by KrazyDad, Volume 1, Book 1

If I weren't homeless, I would...

BY ROBERT REED Artist/Vendor

Shower when I want, not when someone or something allows me Cook food when and how I want Stay warm all the time Clean my own place Wash and dry my clothes Wear those clean clothes Go outside when I feel like it Go shopping Visit my mom because I can travel to her house Pay bills because I can Help others overcome homelessness by making sure they get their apartments on time od Love You All God

Homeless, or am I Home-Less?

BY QUEENIE FEATHERSTON Artist/Vendor

Having a roof over my head Knowing I can sleep on a full-size bed Being at peace instead Reality proves 9 to 5, That daily events, daily errands, must happen instead Therefore, this still makes me home less.

Thanking my God I’m not homeless.

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

HELP! WE’RE LOOKING FOR

volunteers Become a Street Sense Media volunteer and help further our mission to empower people experiencing homelessness.

Get to know the vendors and make a difference in their lives and yours!

You’ll support hard-working newspaper vendors by volunteering your time, four hours a week, distributing newspapers at the Street Sense Media office.

If interested, please contact Gladys Robert gladys@streetsensemedia.org 202-347-2006 (x10)

Obituary: Michael Irby

of Washington, DC

BY WILL SCHICK Editorial Intern

Michael Irby of Washington, D.C., passed away in the early morning of July 26. He was 65 years old. He was preceded in death by his wife, Joyce Irby, who passed away on August 5, 2018.

Michael is survived by his brother Shawn Irby and his sister Celeste Irby, as well as his daughter Mikka Irby of North Carolina.

A memorial service will be held for Michael at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 9 at All Nations Baptist Church on 2001 N Capitol St NE. Michael was a well-respected and active member of his community. A long-time member of All Nations Baptist Church, he frequently attended Bible study, afternoon services, and church service on Sundays.

A talented musician, Michael also sang and played drums for his church’s choir. Those who knew him said he had an inspiring voice. He sang a beautiful tenor. And from time to time, he would dazzle congregants when he sat-in to play the drums.

It was in this church that Michael married his wife Joyce many years ago. He had often said she was the love of his life. Joyce’s death weighed heavy on Michael’s heart over the past year. He frequently thought of her and spoke to others about the love he had felt for her.

Michael was the kind of person who welcomed everyone in his life into his family. Younger people who knew him called him “Uncle Mike” and liked to listen to him tell jokes. Others who knew him said they liked to refer to him as “Brother Mike.”

Darrel Hines, a fellow musician and church member was one of Michael’s closest friends. Together, they volunteered at church events, where they would serve those less fortunate than themselves. They had plans to move into a house together in Baltimore, Maryland, next month before Michael passed away.

Church was not the only place where Michael touched the lives of others. He was also part of another community in NoMa. For some time, Michael slept in a tent on a sidewalk alongside other neighborhood residents who did not have homes. He was similarly well known there for his charity. He had a reputation for being a trustworthy neighbor and loyal friend.

Michael would frequently help others find shelter when there was not any to be found. He helped secure and put together tents for those who could not do so for themselves. He often offered to look after others’ things when they were not around. And many people said they relied on him because he was so dependable.

Michael never let on that he needed anybody’s help, because he simply did not believe he was in need of any help himself. Instead, Michael wanted to give to others. And so, he did.

While Michael had slept in a tent on a sidewalk for the last year of his life, that was not where he lived.

Michael continues to impact the lives of those he had come across, even after his death. Many of them strive to live by his example.

Rest in Heaven, Daddy Mike

Top-left: Michael Irby between two of his fellow church members at All Nations Baptist Church. Top-Right and Below: Michael Irby with his loved ones. ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF A FAMILY FRIEND.

BY LATICIA BROCK A.K.A. “PWEZZY VILLAGE” Artist/Vendor

Well, well, well, Daddy Mike I guess you earned your wings Because the Creator called it that way.

But oh, how I’ll miss huggin’ you and Granddaddy trumpet And “Daughter,” you say.

You was quite a lover, lover I must say so, myself I kept a new mother Daddy Mike, you was a mess.

Rest in Heaven, Daddy Mike, Tent City will miss you You took a trip so that I may live, But I will really miss you.

The world would never know The late-night talks And the things that we been through.

But the fact that you called me Daughter That’s what made you so special.

You took the time to claim a child And never really had to.

I know that God got a space for you In that fly-guy paradise Now you can join my other God-daddies And reminisce on life But just know that I walk in your grace.

Rest in Heaven, Daddy Mike.

P.S. — From K-money, your tent grandson: “Rest in peace, and may God let your soul rest in peace.”

Thank you for reading Street Sense!

From your vendor AUG. 21 - SEPT. 3, 2019 | VOLUME 16 ISSUE 21

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