10 06 2021 by Street Sense Media

VOL. 18 ISSUE 36

OCT. 6 - 12, 2021

Real Stories

Real People

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Real Change

“Black lives are going to hell!” Unhoused resident to mayor at Franklin Park reopening STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

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VENDORS Ivory Wilson, Jeffery McNeil, Jermale McKnight, Archie Thomas, Lawrence Autry, Mark Jones, Carlton J.M. Johnson, James Davis, Phillip Black, Joseph Walker, Franklin Sterling, Warren Stevens, Reginald Black, Sybil Taylor, Conrad Cheek, Evelyn Nnam, Daniel Ball, Charles Woods, Frederic John, Robert Warren, James Hughes, Beverly Sutton, Andre Brinson, Charles Armstrong, Marcus Green, Derian Hickman, Debora Brantley, Jacqueline Turner, Vennie Hill, John Littlejohn, Earl Parker, Patty Smith, Aida Peery, Morgan Jones, Eric Thompson-Bey, Shuhratjon Ahmadjonov, Jewel Lewis, Doris Robinson, Melody Byrd, Gerald Anderson, Michael Warner, Brianna Butler, Donald Brown, Levester Green, Ronald Smoot, Chon Gotti, Joseph Joe Jackson, Sasha Williams, Ron Dudley, Juliene Kengnie, Darlesha Joyner, Ricardo Meriedy, Collins Mukasa, Jemel Fleming, Floyd Carter, Larry Kelley, Latishia Wynn, Curtis Clark, David Snyder, Abel Putu, Chad Jackson, Reginald C. Denny, Jacquelyn Portee, Kunle Henderson, Marcellus Phillips, Rita Sauls, Laticia Brock, Fredrick Jewell, Anthony Carney, Jet Flegette, Patricia Donaldson, George Gray, Wendell Williams, Reggie Jones, Marcus McCall, Henry Johnson, Ayub Abdul, Queenie Featherstone, Corey Sanders, Mary Sellman, Jenkins Dalton, Kym Parker, Don Gardner, Pierre Johnson, Julius Donte’ Turner, Rochelle Walker, Jeffrey Carter, Abraham Aly, Michele Rochon, Anthony Pratt, Carlos Carolina, Morris Graham, Malcolm Scott Jr, Andrew Anderson, James Fuller, Amia Walker, Tychelle Daniel, Julius Murphy, Dannitta Jenkins BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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Mary Coller Albert, Blake Androff, Jeremy Bratt, David Cloe, Clare Krupin, Jennifer Park, Michael Phillips, Dan Schwartz, John Senn, Aaron Stetter, Daniel Webber, Shari Wilson, Corrine Yu

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

VENDOR CODE OF CONDUCT

Brian Carome

As self-employed contractors, our vendors follow a code of conduct. 1. 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. 2. I will only purchase the paper from Street Sense Media staff and volunteers and will not sell papers to other vendors. 3. 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. 4. I agree not to distribute copies of Street Sense on metro trains and buses or on private property. 5. 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.

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT

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DIRECTOR OF VENDOR PROGRAMS CASE MANAGER DIRECTOR OF VENDOR EMPLOYMENT VENDOR PROGRAM ASSOCIATES Aida Peery, Clifford Samuels

VENDOR PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS

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

Gordon Chaffin

The Cover

Will Schick

A housed resident speaks with Chandra Brown, a homless woman that interrupted Mayor Bowser’s Franklin Park press conference. PHOTO BY

GORDON CHAFFIN Deputy Editor

streetsensemedia.org

info@streetsensemedia.org

The Street Sense Media Story, #MoreThanANewspaper 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.

STAFF REPORTER WRITERS GROUP ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE

Willie Schatz

OPINION EDITORS (VOLUNTEER)

Claire Harvey, Rebecca Koenig, Emily Kopp, Lydia DePillis

INTERNS

Spencer Donovan, Jamaica Kalika, Michelle Levine, Maydeen Merino, Irene Si

EDITORIAL VOLUNTEERS

Ryan Bacic, Katie Bemb, Megan Boyanton, Lilah Burke, Lenika Cruz, Kelsey Falquero, Roberta Haber, Allison Hageman, Alison Henry, Priya Rhoehit, Nick Shedd, Andrew Siddons, Jenny-lin Smith, Rebecca Stekol

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EVENTS

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NEWS IN BRIEF HEALTHCARE

New Medical Center opens in Ward 8

For the sixth year in a row, 15+ local media outlets will pool their resources and audiences to investigate the many complex factors that keep more than half a million Americans and at least 5,111 Washingtonians living in a state of emergency. Got questions about local poverty? Let us find the answers. Share needs, tips, and suggestions through the form on our project website. Let’s hold each other accountable for the failures of our community safety net, and increase focus on what’s working. Journalism is a public service. On Oct. 7, links and descriptions to the full body of work will be added to the project website throughout the day. You can review past years’ collections on there now. Please contribute to a citywide conversation by using the hashtag.

www.DCHomelessCrisis.press #DCHomelessCrisis MONDAY, OCT. 11

UPDATES ONLINE AT ICH.DC.GOV

Housing Justice Committee to ANC 4B (Brightwood/Takoma) 5:30 p.m. Virtual Meeting DANC 4B’s Housing Justice Committee will meet for its October 2021 meeting to discuss proposed development. Info: anc4b.com/committees/ housing-justice-committee/

D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness Meetings Executive Committee October 12, 1:30 pm // Webex Housing Solutions Committee October 18, 2:00 pm // Virtual Strategic Planning Committee October 26, 2:30 pm // Virtual ***For call-in information, as well as meeting info for unlisted working groups, contact: ich.dmhhs@dc.gov

TUESDAY, OCT. 12

D.C. Council hearing on saftety of students near their school 9 a.m. Virtual Hearing A Public Hearing on: Bill 24-66, the Safe Passage to School Expansion Act of 2021. The bill creates an Office of Safe Passage, coordinating safe passage efforts across agencies developing city-wide and wardspecific strategies for student safety. More info at dccouncil.us/events

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

AUDIENCE EXCHANGE Spencer Donovan @sdonovan5

Spencer Donovan @sdonovan5

.@MayorBowser said she and the D.C. Council did their part by investing $400 million in the HPTF. “Now it’s time for the development community to put forth big ideas.”

A big question: How will the $400 million HPTF investment help the people most in need? In fiscal year 20, less than a fifth (18%) of funds from the HPTF went toward projects that would house extremely low-income families.

11:16 AM · SEPT. 30, 2021

12:48 PM · SEPT. 30, 2021

Bread for the City’s new Ward 8 medical center. COURTESY OF BREAD FOR THE CITY

After years of having to pay for transportation to cross the Anacostia River to receive health care, residents of Wards 7 and 8, largely disconnected by the Anacostia River from D.C.’s high-quality health facilities, have a new option. The Michelle Obama Southeast Center of Bread for the City, located at 1700 Good Hope Road SE, opened its doors Monday. The facility offers primary care, dental services, vision services and behavioral services, as well as examinations, medications and lab tests. The Obama Center is a federally-qualified community health center, which means that federal funding supports the center, providing low-barrier healthcare to all residents. All patients will be seen, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, Bread for the City spokesperson Kenrick Thomas said. Opening the medical center east of the Anacostia River was done strategically, according to Bread for the City’s press release. Access to quality healthcare has been a major obstacle for clients in the Southeast, a region of the District that has been fighting poverty for years. That poverty, geographically connected to lowerquality environmental conditions, means the need for medical care is higher in this area, based on research by the D.C. Policy Center. That organization has also shown reduced access to pharmacies and common medication in Southeast D.C. Providing a medical center in the backyards of clients reduces the need for transportation, which is especially hard to find for low-income residents. A northwest Bread for the City is in Ward 2 at 1525 7th Street NW. Both facilities provide medical services, free groceries, and clothing and toiletry packs. Donations and volunteers make possible distribution of food and personal items, at no charge. ~ Michelle Levine, michelle.levine@streetsensemedia.org

Follow more headlines at StreetSenseMedia.org/news

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NEWS

“Black lives are going to hell,” says unhoused resident to Mayor Bowser at Franklin Park opening This article is part of our 2021 contribution to the D.C. Homeless Crisis Reporting Project in collaboration with other local newsrooms. The collective works will be published throughout the day at DCHomelessCrisis.press. To discuss further, You can also join the public Facebook group, “#DCHomelessCrisis Solutions” or follow #DCHomelessCrisis on Twitter. BY GORDON CHAFFIN gordon@streetsensemedia.org

ere hours after workers finished laying sod on the last Friday of September, elected officials, government staff, and D.C. residents attended a reopening ceremony for Franklin Park. The five-acre downtown park was remade from the ground up to improve stormwater infrastructure, revitalize tree health, and provide facilities that better serve an “urban park.” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, and DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) president Neil Albert spoke. Around the park, people were using the outdoor seating to eat lunch on a warm day. The renovation is notable for many reasons. The National Park Service property will now be managed cooperatively by the BID, D.C. government agencies, and NPS. The new park governance model required Congressional legislation, a decade of design review from local and federal government, and $21 million invested from the District budget. Albert from the BID announced at the opening that Amazon signed on as Franklin Park’s “greenery and beautification” sponsor. Albert said the company, through the DowntownDC Foundation, will support groundskeeping and “additional community programming.” But some D.C. residents are not happy with the renovation. Bowser’s remarks were interrupted by Chandra Brown, an unhoused woman, who sat in the front row next to the VIP guests. While the mayor was speaking, Brown’s demeanor changed and she began to yell. The interjection did not appear to be a reaction to any specific comment. “Black Lives Matter [is] going to Hell!” yelled Brown. She commented on her struggle to get help for housing, healthcare, and freedom from police harassment, but after a few sentences, she was whisked out of her seat by a woman who identified herself as a fellow D.C. resident. Brown, who told Street Sense Media she is a mother of three and a participant in restorative justice workshops, said she is homeless and was recently released from jail. The two women

sat together at a nearby fountain, where Brown expressed frustration at Bowser and D.C. government agencies. With composed urgency, she criticized the mayor’s $11 million special funding request for more police officers. “That money was supposed to go to us,” Brown said. (A smaller version of the mayor’s request was approved by the D.C. Council the in August.) “Do you want to get a room or not? Do you want clothes or not?” the housed resident talking with Brown said. The tone was stern, like a parent addressing their tantrumthrowing child: do you want to be constructive or make a mess? “I need everything...Put a cellphone in my hand,” said Brown, who didn’t have one to use and was worried service providers couldn’t reach her. “Then, let’s get some business taken care of,” the housed resident said, after which several D.C. government staff came over. They walked Brown to a shaded area on the far edge of the park, away from the ceremony where speeches continued. For at least half an hour, Saudia Jenkins, D.C.’s community outreach liaison for Ward 7, led Brown through what appeared to be an intake form. Jenkins asked Brown, who goes by “Mango,” basic identity information, questions about what services she needed and whether she was willing to commit to addiction and mental health treatment. Brown said she had done mental and behavioral health therapy, sharing from memory the names, addresses, and phone numbers of several D.C. organizations where she had accessed services and treatment. She spent the conversation distressed when recounting her past traumas but collected herself to answer

each of the questions Jenkins posed. Brown said that one personal crisis after another had landed her in one of the many encampments the Bowser administration has been trying to remove. She had been living in D.C. General family shelter several years ago but her children were taken away from her. No longer considered a family by D.C. government, she moved into her car, which was eventually stolen. So, she moved into an encampment where she was vulnerable to assault. She tried sex work for income but was arrested despite the Bowser’s administration’s stated preference to not criminalize sex workers. Brown said she was just released from D.C. Jail this week. Some residents and businesses near homeless encampments have urged the removal of tents and other belongings. “They threw away my tent. They threw away my tent in Dupont Circle,” Brown said, referring to MPD’s actions during her arrest.“I’ve been homeless for two years because [Bowser] made that Black Lives Matter bullshit up.” “I have three kids. At the end of the day, we need a 6-bedroom house,” Brown said. “Since they took them away, I have not been OK. We’ve been working on reunification for 10 f***ing years.” “I know. I understand that,” the housed resident who got Brown from her seat at the press conference said. “You’re our sister now,” the resident said. Jenkins, the government staffer, interrupted the housed resident and asked her to allow the intake form to get filled out. Jenkins said that all the necessary help is only possible via that form. Brown went on to say she had lost her EBT

Homeless D.C. resident Chandra Brown (center) explaining her service needs to Ward 7 liaison Saudia Jenkins (right). PHOTO BY GORDON CHAFFIN

food assistance card with $500 of benefits loaded, or that someone had stolen it. “Shoot cameras, not guns. Make B.S. get off the street,” Brown said to me as I was taking photos. She asked me to stay with them when I said I was a reporter from Street Sense Media. She said the slogan came from a mentorship effort she organized and runs today to teach at-risk youth media production skills “as a coping mechanism to survive in the District.” When Brown saw my audio recorder, she asked me to capture the following rap: I want to help the Earth, wish up with a stutter burst; It’s not too late; So everybody over 8, help the community; And show a little unity; Of being kind; Using joy, love, peace of mind; Cleaning up; Is one of the things we need to do; If you see trash, pick up one or two; And that’s one solved problem; Young birds, you have to start using condoms; Look out for using, and no child abusing Jenkins’s team at the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services did not respond to follow-up questions about where Chandra Brown ended up staying that night and whether she is getting new connections to benefits. The D.C. Housing Authority did not respond to requests to confirm Brown’s claim that she has a federal housing voucher. Leaving Franklin Park, with crowds from the ceremony nearly gone, a park hospitality employee said that the DowntownDC BID is “gonna keep the drama out” of the new Franklin Park, emphasizing that three hospitality staff and two maintenance staff will be on-site during the park’s open hours. Franklin Park is open from dawn to dusk, with overnight security, according to the BID. Those employees are supposed to refer homeless residents to the nearby Downtown Day Services Center. Approximately 20 people experiencing homelessness were forced to move out of the park when it was closed for redevelopment and groups that used the park as a place to distribute resources and donation for the homeless community were forced to move around the corner to a block of Vermont Ave, Street Sense Media previously reported. Tents will not be tolerated in the reopened park. “You kick us out of this park and you’re going to disperse us to where?” asked George Rivera, who said he’d been homeless for roughly 40 years, when the park was closed. “At least here, there’s a certain amount of safety.”

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AT A GLANCE BIRTHDAYS Anthony Carney Oct. 6 ARTIST/VENDOR

Donte Turner Oct. 8 ARTIST/VENDOR

Anthony Pratt Oct. 11 ARTIST/VENDOR

Abel Putu Oct. 12 D.C. resident Peter Krupa assembles DIY air filter. PHOTO BY

MICHELLE LEVINE

As classes start, air conditioning and filters fail in DC public schools BY MICHELLE LEVINE michelle.levine@streetsensemedia.org

Students and teachers across the District are facing challenges with the return to classrooms. Of them, stakeholders have raised high alarm about heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units breaking down. To combat the 80 degree classrooms, parents are volunteering in a variety of ways. After watching a few YouTube videos, one parent learned how to construct a cheap air filter. The device forms a cube with four everyday air filters, a window fan, duct tape, and some cardboard. The structure mirrors the function of a highefficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) filter, with the purpose of sucking air in and filtering it before sending it back out. Peter Krupa has raised over $5,600 in the past month through GoFundMe (tinyurl.com/DIY-air-filter) to build and deliver 47 filters across DCPS. The filters cost about $100 to make, and volunteers have helped deliver them to schools across all Wards. Krupa said he relies on Twitter to reach volunteers and spread awareness. Krupa can provide this service because he works as a freelance translator, which gives him a flexible schedule, he said. Parents who don’t have the ability to volunteer their time must rely on the Department of General Services (DGS) to supply air filters for learning spaces. This creates a large inequity across DCPS, D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson’s spokesperson Amanda Farnan said. “It [money] shouldn’t affect a school’s education; however, now we’re just seeing it more,” Farnan said. Seeing how different schools are able to fund solutions to creating an environment that prevents the spread of COVID-19 brings light to the disparity among access to resources, she said. Krupa said he and other volunteers make it a priority to deliver filters to schools in all eight wards, but the demand is too high for him to keep up with. After about five weeks of making filters, Krupa has decided to stop operations. Aside from HEPA filters, multiple schools have tried creating outdoor spaces for students to eat their lunch. The CDC says the best way to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 is spending

time outdoors. This requires parents to volunteer as supervisors, which some schools are seeing. But for many parents, going to their childs’ school in the middle of the day is not an option as it disrupts their work day. If this idea had been proposed earlier in the summer, schools would have been able to prepare their outdoor spaces by finding volunteers and ordering outdoor furniture, which is now on backorder, Farnan said. The timing of preparing DCPS for students’ return to classes could have prevented many of the issues they are now facing, councilmember Robert White Jr. said. White said he feels frustrated with how things are being handled. “Our systems shouldn’t be failing in the first place,” he said of the broken HVAC units. “It creates an unsafe learning environment and it is not a new issue.” White said he has been “pressing DGS for years’’ on the quality of HVAC units. To track the work orders of HVAC units, HEPA filters and other issues, Jonah Goodman, an advisory neighborhood commissioner (ANC) for Ward 4, proposed creating a dashboard that will provide live updates. The proposal called on DGS to coordinate with DCPS to create a functional system for work orders to be logged and tracked. Goodman said he hopes that a dashboard will bring more awareness of what issues are in schools and hold DGS accountable. The resolution (tinyurl.com/ANC-Filter-Resolution) passed and is now waiting for action. Goodman is saying he hopes the production of the site will be worked into the fiscal year budget starting next October, since the deadline for FY 2022 has already passed. Goodman said he had heard about Krupa’s service and other parents stepping up to volunteer. While he said it’s inspiring to hear, Goodman said the reality of the situation is that the system has failed. “It’s not an air conditioner issue,” he said. “This is a holistic issue that’s failed our schools.”

ARTIST/VENDOR

VENDOR PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENTS • The Street Sense Media offices will be closed Monday, Oct 11, for Indigenous Peoples Day. • Private lunch and screening of the movie Street Reporter for Vendors on Tuesday, Oct 12, at 1pm, at the Street Sense offices. The movie features Sheila White and Reggie Black. The filmmakers will be there to record reactions to the movie. • Out of caution and concern for the health and wellbeing of our community, Street Sense Media will no longer be hosting an in-person Celebration event on Oct. 14. We are considering other options to showcase the artistic work of our vendor/artists and celebrate the work we are doing for a future • Moving forward, there will be a 2-day delay on all Vendor App payouts. • Vendors can bring in a complete CDC vaccination card for 15 papers.

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NEWS

Frequently asked questions: How to apply for housing in DC and what to expect This article is part of our 2021 contribution to the D.C. Homeless Crisis Reporting Project in collaboration with other local newsrooms. The collective works will be published throughout the day at DCHomelessCrisis. press. To discuss further, You can also join the public Facebook group, “#DCHomelessCrisis Solutions” or follow #DCHomelessCrisis on Twitter. BY WILL SCHICK will@streetsensemedia.org

ack in February 2019, Donté Turner asked himself a question that so many people experiencing homelessness have posed time and again: How does someone in my situation go about getting a place of their own? Turner, 36, has never had a place to call his own. Originally from Chicago, he spent much of the past two decades floating between jobs and staying with different friends in D.C. He worked at Shake Shack when it first opened in the city in 2011. Another year, he worked with a home-staging company. For a while, he worked with a temp agency. Turner, now a Street Sense Media artist and vendor, has also served jail time. He remembers applying for a housing voucher back in 2009 but says he never heard back from anyone about it. A decade later, the question — how to secure permanent housing — began to consume him. If only he could find a stable place to live, Turner reckoned, he could start to make a better life for himself. So, who was in charge of distributing housing vouchers? How did the process for receiving one work? Turner turned to homeless service providers throughout the District in search of an explanation. But instead of finding answers, he says he was immediately hit with a list of entirely different questions. “‘Do you need therapy? Do you need counseling? Do you need a psychiatrist or a doctor? Do you need SSI [supplemental security income]? What can we help you with?’” Turner recalled being asked on visits to at least five nonprofit organizations. Every time, Turner would respond by saying he was seeking help to secure stable permanent housing. And every time, someone would give him an impromptu lecture about something he felt was unrelated, telling him he needed help with things like personal responsibility or time management. Each encounter made him a little more annoyed and a little more disillusioned with the whole system. Turner still wonders why there was no straight answer. To find one, The DC Line and Street Sense Media talked to various homeless service providers and with homeless and formerly homeless people who have navigated this system. The resulting guide is specific to the resources available to single individuals. The resources available for families differ significantly.

I’ve just become homeless. How can I get a housing voucher? The first step for anyone who is experiencing homelessness is to seek out a homeless service provider and ask for help

PHOTO BY ERIC FALQUERO

with housing. (tinyurl.com/SSM-provider-map) All service providers in the District use a decentralized process called “coordinated entry” to match people to opportunities for housing (tinyurl.com/dc-coord-entry). There is no way for an individual to log themselves in this system — each person must connect with a service provider. There are a variety of housing programs a person may be matched with; they include permanent supportive housing (PSH) and rapid rehousing (RRH), among others. Instead of a waiting list or application for each program, everyone in need is added to this one, coordinated system. Information that service providers might request includes a person’s name, birthdate, and any other personally identifiable documentation that’s available (such as a Social Security card). Adam Rocap, the deputy director of Miriam’s Kitchen, a local homeless services provider based in Foggy Bottom, emphasized that people can ask about coordinated entry anywhere they might be receiving other assistance, whether that’s meals, showers, or help applying for benefits like food stamps. “Go try to find whatever service provider you’re engaging with already, and make sure you’re engaging with them, and ask them about coordinated entry and housing applications,” Rocap said.

I asked about coordinated entry, and now they want all this personal information. Do they really need it? Yes and no. There is an assessment form associated with coordinated entry — known as the Vulnerability Index-Service Prioritization Decision and Assessment Tool (VI-SPDAT) — that asks for a wide range of personal information in order to best determine what kinds of programs a person is eligible to obtain. People might qualify for different kinds of housing services depending on a number of factors such as age or whether they have a disability. But providing information to a service provider is optional. Completing the VI-SPDAT, however, does not guarantee a person that they will be matched with housing. “The assessment gives a recommendation of the intervention that can be helpful to ending homelessness,” said Sean Reed,

the chief program officer of community solutions at Friendship Place, another homeless services provider in D.C. In 2017, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) required all jurisdictions to adopt the coordinated entry system by the next year. Standardizing the process for seeking housing, the agency argued, makes the system more equitable. People are matched with housing services based on whether they are on the “by-name list,” a roster they are added to either through a coordinated entry assessment or after accessing services from the broader homeless services system within the last 30 days. Service providers prioritize giving permanent housing vouchers to people who have been homeless the longest and have the highest medical needs, Rocap said.

I applied for housing years ago. Why don’t I have a voucher yet? D.C. first adopted the coordinated entry system in February 2014, but a VI-SPDAT is valid for only 12 months and is supposed to be updated if there are any major changes in a person’s life such as getting married or having a child. Both Rocap and Reed advise anyone who is seeking to be connected with housing to stay active within the homeless services system. If a person seldom visits a homeless service provider in the District, the organization might assume the person has moved out of the city. Reed said that sometimes he sees clients fill out the assessment, move to another state for some time, and then return. What these clients may not realize, Reed said, is that doing so could mean they miss out on an opportunity for housing. Once a housing provider is informed that someone has matched with housing, the case manager has a limited amount of time — usually a matter of weeks — to reconnect with the person and let them know, even if the person began seeking housing a year earlier. “Come in, check in. This is really important. It helps us identify that you are still here in the District and that your situation has not changed,” Reed said. Rocap agreed with Reed’s advice. “Make sure to keep

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

staying in touch with whoever you’re engaging with to make sure you stay on the by-name list. And that way, if you ever do get matched, someone would be able to find you and let you know,” he said. Turner said he had no idea that it was important to stay continually connected with providers when he first started looking for housing. “It wasn’t until this year that I learned about the ‘checkpoints,’” he said.

How long is it going to take to get housing? There’s no simple, definitive answer. It is mostly dependent on two factors: individual circumstance (age, having a disability, having an exceptional medical condition, and so on) and housing availability. For many people, the process can take years. One former vendor and artist for Street Sense Media obtained housing in 2018 just two and a half days after connecting with Pathways to Housing, another contracted service provider in D.C. Before connecting with this organization, he had waited for years. Another vendor and artist spent close to 30 years struggling with chronic homelessness but wasn’t approved for a voucher until one day after he died. Yet another waited 10 years before she received a voucher. A spokesperson for the D.C. Department of Human Services (DHS) said the agency is excited to have additional housing resources in this year’s budget — including 1,924 PSH vouchers for individuals, an increase of more than 30% from the prior fiscal year thanks to a tax increase passed by the D.C. Council. The new budget, which took effect Oct. 1, also includes 395 permanent supportive housing vouchers for families and 307 targeted affordable housing vouchers for fiscal year 2022. But the spokesperson did not respond to a question about how many people experiencing homelessness are tracked through the coordinated entry system or what percentage of those people are matched to housing resources each year.

Are there common misconceptions about D.C.’s policies? If so, what are they? Rocap advises clients not to put all their hopes into the coordinated entry system. He encourages people to explore all their options for possible housing. One such option could be finding roommates to lessen the overall cost of rent, and another could be to reconnect with family, if possible. Turner, Rocap, Reed and Street Sense Media vendor Michelle Rochon all said the coordinated entry system doesn’t always work as hoped. People aren’t always immediately connected with a housing voucher even after filling out an assessment. “Let’s be creative. Let’s try to think if there is something else outside of [coordinated entry] where I can help you try to find employment and find affordable housing somewhere else,” Rocap said.

Does where I stay influence how soon I get help? Officially, no. Unofficially, maybe. In the fall of 2015, the Bowser administration began clearing homeless encampments and giving unsheltered residents housing vouchers. This worried housing advocates at the time, who accused the city of bypassing its process for giving the most medically vulnerable residents first access to housing. In years following that event,

the city considered the length of a person’s shelter stay as a “tie-breaking factor” when deciding how to prioritize housing to two equally vulnerable individuals, so as not to incentivize living outdoors. A new pilot program that promises to permanently close three of the city’s largest encampments and connect the people living there to expedited housing opportunities has once again called this policy into question, however. When asked, the DHS spokesperson wrote in an email that “living outside does not increase chances for obtaining a voucher sooner since the coordinated entry process utilizes community agreed upon prioritization metrics to guide housing placements.” During the past year, the agency prioritized people who were “chronically homeless” and had “exceptional medical vulnerabilities” to receive housing vouchers. HUD designates a person as being “chronically homeless” when they have been living without a home for at least 12 months, or have had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years. The District’s Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH) recently voted to change the criteria, according to Reginald Black, advocacy director for the People for Fairness Coalition and a constituent representative on the ICH. The new policy calls for the District to prioritize housing resources for people with “three or more years’ history of homelessness, exceptional medical vulnerabilities, and severe mental illness.”

What do critics say? As Turner continues his quest for housing, the main problem has been a scarcity of information coupled with a lack of follow-up. He said he had been working with a case manager for months but then stopped hearing from her in April. It wasn’t until September that he learned his previous case manager had switched jobs and someone new was supposed to be working with him. “That’s five months. Why does it take so long?” Turner said. “They never followed up to tell me, ‘Hey, you got a new caseworker.’” Rochon said she feels that D.C.’s heavy reliance on multiple service providers means that people often have varied experiences when seeking to be connected with help. And that’s just one of the complicating factors. “There is no continuity,” Rochon said of the difficulties encountered just by crossing state lines in the DC metropolitan area. Rochon, who has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Morgan State University and a master’s in organizational leadership from Nyack College, previously worked in the homeless services system in Maryland, where she says there was more consistency because they don’t rely as much on contract providers. After losing her job in August 2019, Rochon said, she stayed in Airbnbs and hotels until her savings ran out. Eventually, she began staying at a shelter in D.C. She said service providers ought to log notes about their interactions with their clients, which they should then share with colleagues to ensure consistent support. “But I don’t see that happening,” Rochon said. “You’re having to communicate to everybody you meet, what you’re doing. And it’s kind of unorganized.” When asked, DHS said that all of its service providers “have the same Human Care Agreement (HCA) with the same level of care and contacts built into the contract, so the minimum requirements are consistent.”

I received a voucher, now what? Once someone receives a voucher, they begin the process of finding a place to rent. While D.C. landlords are not legally allowed to discriminate against renters that use vouchers, it happens. Therefore, it’s important for people with vouchers

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to understand their legal rights. The D.C. Office of the Tenant Advocate at 202-719-6560 has resources to help tenants who are experiencing discrimination. Other organizations that can help include the Office of Human Rights at 202-727-4559, the D.C. Office of the Attorney General (OAG) at 202-727-3400, Housing Counseling Services at 202-442-7200, and the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs at 202-319-1000. Last year, the OAG filed multiple lawsuits against half a dozen real estate companies that allegedly discriminated against residents on the basis of race, disability, or source of income. A landlord cannot reject a renter because their source of income for rent is a voucher. In cases of discrimination, the Office of the Tenant Advocate can assist tenants in finding legal representation. It’s not against the law for landlords to impose hefty, non-refundable application fees of all prospective renters, but housing advocates criticize the practice as a legal form of discrimination.

What about public housing? The waiting list for D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA) units has been closed for years with a backlog of thousands of families, in part due to challenges in repairing vacant, dilapidated units so they are available for use. In a statement to The DC Line and Street Sense Media, the agency said there are approximately 43,000 people on the waiting list for public housing. “DCHA also is working to quickly turn vacant traditional public housing units to assist individuals and families, while also moving them off the waitlist,” the agency said in an email. The federal government is no longer investing in new public housing or sufficient maintenance of existing public housing, which means there’s a limited supply amid significant demand. Since 2000, the federal government has underfunded public housing for all but three years, according to the research nonprofit Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

What about families? Both Rocap and Reed said that D.C.’s homeless service providers are generally able to connect families to housing resources more quickly than they can do for individuals. As with individuals, families who are seeking to connect with permanent housing resources should connect with service providers in the city, so case managers can help guide them with the process for obtaining a housing voucher.

Can I speed up the process? There’s not much a person can do individually to speed up the process other than staying in regular contact with a service provider. In the statement provided to The DC Line and Street Sense Media, DHS said it is working to develop revised protocols to expedite the process of connecting people to resources. In hopes of increasing the availability of units across the city, the agency said it plans to partner with the District’s Department of Housing and Community Development to “engage large property owners and small landlords to ensure that all residents are being treated fairly and provided an equal opportunity for housing.” The agency also said that the city will be asking landlords to “relax income and credit requirements since the District is paying all of the total rent.” This article was co-published with The DC Line.

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NEWS

DC government removes tents, injures one resident, houses others, and deploys concrete barriers to enforce a ‘pedestrian passageway’ BY SPENCER DONOVAN AND MAYDEEN MERINO spencer.donovan@streetsensemedia.org, maydeen.merino@streetsensemedia.org

he eviction of tent encampment residents from the underpasses on L and M Streets NE near Union Station was suspended for less than 24 hours, after a city worker used a small front loader Monday to lift a tent with an individual still inside, pushing the person over a guardrail and into the street. The individual was taken from the underpass in an ambulance after receiving medical attention on site. They were conscious but appeared to not be able to put weight on one leg while they were being led to the ambulance. The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services (DMHHS) did not respond to an inquiry about the person’s health the next day. Residents told Marissa Lang from the Washington Post that the individual returned Monday night and seemed OK. Approximately 12 tents remained at the L Street underpass Monday afternoon, and the M Street underpass had four tents remaining. Some encampment residents moved ahead of the cleanup date. According to a statement Monday evening, DMHHS had “facilitated housing leases for up 22 participants.” Others found new areas to pitch their tents. Deputy Mayor Wayne Turnage said in the statement Monday evening that outreach staff had conducted “multiple checks” on the tent but that “unbeknown to us, a resident was still inside.” According to his office’s encampment protocol, the Department of Human Services is responsible for making “reasonable efforts” to identify and store property of “apparent value” before an encampment area is cleaned up — including personal identification, personal photos, documents “of obvious importance,” and medications — even if they are unattended. “Due to that incident, we decided to suspend further activity for the day,” Turnage said in the statement. After the incident, mutual aid workers began to yell at police, which led officers to move them out of the underpass. Some continued to yell at police about the incident and one officer shoved two mutual aid workers. A mutual aid

volunteer who refused to leave was dragged out of the underpass. Once the person in the tent was taken away in the ambulance, police and city workers dispersed. The front loader and garbage trucks left and most tents were roped off with caution tape and surrounded by orange traffic cones. Prior to the encampment evictions at NoMa, the area contained posted notices that said the sidewalks would become designated “pedestrian passageways” after the cleanups.

Some councilmembers expressed concerns about DMHHS’s handling of the cleanup, particularly over the person picked up and injured by construction equipment. “One of the reasons that we do not disassemble encampments is because there are risks involved. There are risks involved in asking people to move all of their belongings and risks involved in forcibly removing people from their home,” Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau tweeted. While only one other encampment location has been closed permanently by the District

Several dozen residents were living at the NoMA encampments when cleared by the District government. PHOTO BY SPENCER WILSON

When all was said and done, both the sidewalks in the M Street NE and L Street NE underpasses were “ to not have any form of obstructions or belongings or encampment or anything that may force pedestrians to have to walk out in the street,” DMHHS’s encampment coordinator, Jamal Weldon, said during a Sept. 22 community meeting about the new policy. However, D.C. workers replaced the orange cones with concrete barriers Monday night. They also placed a “Sidewalk Closed” sign along the north side of the M Street underpass sometime Tuesday.

(the nearby K Street underpass in January 2020), DMHHS has conducted at least 30 “full cleanups” this year, according to Street Sense Media’s monitoring of the DMHHS cleanup calendar. DMHHS did not respond to Street Sense Media’s inquiries about when it would resume the eviction, but Turnage told WTOP the city has changed how machines will be used during cleanups. “There will be a check to make sure there is absolutely nobody in that tent, and then a person will stand there while the Bobcat comes to make sure nobody comes in the tent after the check is made,” Turnage told WTOP.

Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George tweeted that no one should have been removed and that the closure should be “immediately paused until every resident is fully and permanently housed.” However, a front loader was back clearing tents on L Street late Tuesday morning to finish the job. Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen, who represents NoMa residents, told WTOP he would like to see workers check each tent and only use the machines at the end with large items and biohazards. “This is the mayor’s pilot program to help move people in[side],” Allen told WTOP. “And while it holds some potential, we’ve got to have accountability for every step of the process.” The encampment closure is part of an initiative the District said will house individuals and address public health concerns. However, encampment residents and advocates have raised concerns with the timeline of the program and questioned why the encampments must be closed for some people to be housed. . DMHHS officials have said that through the Coordinated Assistance and Resources for Encampments (CARE) pilot program, residents would be placed in housing for up to one year using unspecified “local funds.” They would then be given services to help connect them to other housing programs, such as Permanent Supportive Housing, Rapid Rehousing, or Targeted Affordable Housing. For this and previous Street Sense Media stories following the new initiative, DMHHS repeatedly ignored questions about the cleanup. The office did not respond to questions regarding the cost of a full cleanup, a time estimate for someone to acquire support through other housing programs, and the source of the funds for the one-year apartment leases. When asked if pilot program participants would be prioritized ahead of people already waiting for housing assistance, the Department of Human Services said in a statement “living outside does not increase chances for obtaining a voucher sooner” but that anyone who is chronically homeless, whether they are in shelters, PEP-V, or encampments, will be prioritized. The Way Home Campaign, a group

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

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While clearing NoMA encampments, workers moved a tent while a homeless resident was in it. The resident wasn’t injured and the District said they checked the tent beforehand. PHOTO BY MAYDEEN MERINO

A resident of the NoMA encampments used a megaphone to comment on the clearing as it happened.

of more than 100 organizations and 6,000 individuals looking to end chronic homelessness in D.C., called the program “part of D.C.’s crackdown on visible homelessness” in a statement Monday. [Disclosure: Street Sense Media, our publisher, is a member of the Way Home Campaign. The organization’s advocacy efforts do not influence our reporting or infringe on our editorial independence.] “While we are thrilled to see a whole-ofgovernment approach working to urgently end homelessness for encampment residents, we believe this approach must be applied to everybody, not just those living in politically inconvenient encampments,” The Way Home Campaign wrote. As of Monday, Turnage said there were eight more people in the process of moving into housing in addition to the 22 people he said had leases facilitated by DMHHS. “Participants who are eligible will be offered the Pandemic Emergency Program for Medically Vulnerable Adults (PEP-V) stays in the meantime,” Turnage said in the statement, although it’s unclear who specifically will receive a bed in a hotel room through the program, which was established as a “noncongregate” shelter option for unhoused people who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19. Charles Willie, who has lived at L and M Streets for 14 years, refused to move his M Street home Monday morning. Willie and a few other M Street residents were able to leave their belongings as of Monday afternoon. “I have my voucher. I’ve been in front of the judge. I’ve met my landlord. I’ve signed my lease,” Willie said. “Brand-new building has been erected. They had to get two inspections. One’s done, they’re waiting on the last inspection. I’ve just got a week left.” It’s unclear how many people in the NoMa

complained about the number of unhoused people living there and the lack of resources for them. A fire broke out at one of the tents Monday night, killing one person who was inside, according to D.C. Fire and EMS. In addition to the NoMa underpasses and the park at New Jersey and O, an encampment along E Street NW in Foggy Bottom is expected to undergo the same permanent closure coupled with the promise of housing for some. However, the Foggy Bottom encampment is under both D.C. and National Park Service jurisdiction, so DMHHS officials haven’t announced a closure date for that location yet. These encampments were chosen for the pilot because they are some of the largest in the city, according to DMHHS officials, which

encampments were on the “by-name list” DMHHS is using to guide housing for the pilot program, or how many had obtained housing before the cleanup. Encampment residents had to sign the list by Aug. 23 to be eligible for the program. DMHHS did not provide answers to these questions. Some residents who did not receive housing were recommended by Pathways to Housing to move to an encampment at a park at New Jersey Avenue and O Street NW so they could stay connected with outreach workers. That encampment is also targeted by the DMHHS pilot program, and it’s set to close by Nov. 4 for renovation. When Street Sense Media reported the eventual closure in June, before the pilot program had been announced, many housed residents in the area had

PHOTO BY MAYDEEN MERINO

D.C. placed concrete barriers on the sidewalk at the NoMA underpass locations to prevent those residents from returning. It’s not clear how long the barriers will stay. PHOTO BY GORDON CHAFFIN

the agency said makes them each a health and safety risk. “When you’re living in a public encampment, we can do the best we can to send trash pickups to pick up biohazards. But we can’t be there 24/7,” Turnage said during the Sept. 22 community meeting. “There’s no reason for people to live like that.” A major motivation for the pilot program was to ensure that at least 80 to 100 people could get housed before the hypothermia season, Jamal Weldon, the DMHHS encampment coordinator, said during a D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness Emergency Response and Shelter Operations committee held earlier on the same day as the community meeting. But advocates and people experiencing homelssness have questioned the closures in light of the pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends allowing people living in encampments to remain where they are to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. “Clearing encampments can cause people to disperse throughout the community and break connections with service providers. This increases the potential for infectious disease spread,” CDC guidance says. Willie, the long-time resident of M and L Street now waiting on housing, also said they aren’t supposed to move because of COVID19. He defended his presence, pointing out that he maintains the area around his tent. “It’s crazy. I’ve been out here 14 years, man. I’ve got another four days left, or a week left,” Willie said. “We’re not supposed to be moving anything because of COVID. They put ... mouse traps and poisons and stuff. We already pulling our trash out. It’s like there’s no reason for all this stuff going on. They’re trying to get people to move their tents so they can barricade it.”

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OPINION

Supporting Afghans, and supporting Black people BY RITA SAULS

A man holds a sign during an Aug. 28 demonstration supporting welcoming refugees into the US. PHOTO BY WILL SCHICK

The US made the right call on refugees BY AIDA PEERY

Even though Republicans did a pre-emptive strike against Iraq 20 years ago, leading to a long war in Afghanistan, a few weeks ago we gave the country back, forcing thousands of refugees to flee their homes. I as well as others in America know that once we do a preemptive strike against another country, we have to rebuild it, not bring in its refugees. They are not a fabric of our own nation. I am a D.C. resident, a taxpayer, and someone who became homeless due to the loss of my job. Not being able to find a job immediately after, I hustled with all of my courage and one-time emergency rental assistance. I had no choice but to go to a shelter or live in the streets. D.C. has a huge homeless population for a small city, even though some bigger cities have more homeless people overall. It would be an injustice to give refugees homes in Washington, D.C. when we have a homeless population that needs homes too. Those who have been waiting patiently for years are growing impatient. So, I think that the Biden Administration made a good call to spread refugees’ families into other states that don’t have as many people experiencing homelessness. Let’s not forget what happened in 2004 and 2005, when Katrina victims from New Orleans got shelter while those who had been homeless for years in D.C. got nothing. Everybody was salty about how the Mayor and Councilmembers treated the city homeless population that kept growing. The Biden Administration did the right thing by funding charities and recruiting volunteers to make refugees more comfortable in Virginia and Maryland, rather than D.C. where the needs are already so great. Aida Peery is an artist and vendor program associate with Street Sense Media.

The aftermath of the war in Afghanistan shows that the U.S. is a divided nation. I’ve never felt any support from any race or culture except my own culture, which is Black. No one has ever mobilized efforts on our account other than the Black church, as if America is not our home. That’s why America allows Black Americans to stay on the streets, while they put non-Americans in AirBnb properties. Is this going to end with a race war? It looks like everything is heading toward that. I’d personally rather fight for my respect, dignity, and freedom, than be a part of something I don’t support. What I do support is more love for the Black race continued through God’s grace, less hate, and a nation that God creates, not us. Rita Sauls is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

Nina Aziz’s father came to the US in the early 90s from Afghanistan. She said that while she doesn’t have any direct relatives still in the country, she knows of people who are threatened by the Taliban. PHOTO BY WILL SCHICK

Afghanistan is a tragedy, but people at home need help too BY COLLY DENNIS

As sad as it was when the U.S. Army pulled out of Afghanistan, it was just a reminder of a lost cause. No one won this conflict. No one deserved to lose their loved ones over a war that we can declare a loss. This was not a mission accomplished. This was a mission not abandoned or lost. Many people fleeing the country had no idea it was coming. Now they have to learn and adapt to a

whole new country and a whole new culture, music, traditions, and customs. But the main question remains: Where were all these churches and volunteers that have turned out to support refugees as people lived and died on the streets of the D.C. area for years? The federal government is already doing a great job helping everyone. But they should help their people at home, too. Colly Davis is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

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

“A job, a meal, clothes... The mandatory things I call basics in life.”

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“I would like DC to create a universal right to housing law.” Reginald Black Artist/Vendor

Daniel Ball Artist/Vendor

“Give us homes!” Patricia Donaldson Artist/Vendor

“Give us homes!” Joseph Walker Artist/Vendor

This survey is part of our 2021contribution to the D.C. Homeless Crisis Reporting Project in collaboration with other local newsrooms. The collective works will be published throughout the day at DCHomelessCrisis.press.

“We need an intensive case management approach.”

CURATED BY JAMAICA KALIKA AND DORIS WARRELL

Michele Rochon Artist/Vendor

PHOTO COURTESY OF MEL POOLE / UNSPLASH.COM

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ART

PHOTO BY WILL SCHICK

Afghan-I-Rant BY FREDERIC JOHN Artist/Vendor

Aughh-hh. Aughu-Ra. Ah, oh-No!! Uncle Joe, Say it ain’t So. Once, The over-lord Gave word As a “Khan!” But today, then, Must we Follow Talib, or Instead— Tal-I-Ban? Say no: Say Go! The soul of Afghanistan has been put on the blocks for no good reason. Neither the U.S. nor the U.N. cared enough to go to the aid of those people left behind as the Taliban took over.

Water thicker than blood

SooSayWho? BY LEVESTER GREEN

BY DARLESHA JOYNER Artist/Vendor

They say blood is thicker than water, now water is thicker than blood. The people I have met throughout my 30 years are excellent toward me and my son. People look out for me and have my back 100 percent. Me and my bestie go back to middle school. We have been friends since 7th grade in the neighborhood. We’ve been hanging out since we got our first apartment together.

Artist/Vendor

I think it stands 2 reason that if the U.S. turned tail, that they would do it the same here on their own turf but where else would it be 2 run & hide? Perhaps Rehoboth beach & all put our heads buried under the sand, #HuhMan!?~ Hasn't that been the so-called prophecy about marks of beast & barcodes & folks not eating without one & so on? Mass destruction in that day. Must be why they all stuck on gunplay for that day! ~ 8/~

COVID 19

BY QUEENIE FEATHERSTONE // Artist/Vendor

God please can I get off of my knees. I keep talking and this virus keeps walking. I have something up my sleeve, OK, I’ll tease Just do away with this virus please. So all people can be at ease, for they too are on their knees. God can’t you see, please help, ease, ease, ease...

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

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Mercy and forgiveness BY REV. JOHN LITTLEJOHN Artist/Vendor

As a spiritual person, I think we all need to ask for mercy and forgiveness on all levels of our homelessness. In h o m e l e s s s h e l t e r s , o u r transportation, our outreach program, in our food program, and the list goes on and on. Even our physical disability program. The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary defines “mercy” as an action taken by the strong toward the weak; the rich toward the poor; the insider toward the outsider; and those who have toward those who have not. Likewise, Holman defines “forgiveness” as an act of repentance and the forgiveness of sin. The King James Holy Bible, it talks about “mercy” in the book of Exodus 34:7. It says “keeping ‘mercy’ for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the father upon the child, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.” And in Luke 6:37, the Bible says “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.” Amen! So once again, I think and I know we need to ask for mercy and forgiveness. The King James Holy Bible says in Psalm 34:4, “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. For God loveth a

Driven cheerful giver.” It is truly a blessing when we can give cheerfully to those in need and receive cheerfully, from those who just might have more than they need. Give and it should be giving back to you. It is better to give than receive. God gave his one and only begotten Son Jesus Christ, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life in Him. Amen. Hallelujah! I sought the Lord about 40 years ago, at First Rock Baptist Church with Pastor J. King in Ward 7, Southeast D.C. I asked Him to have mercy on me, and forgive me of my sins. I was a high school drop out at Eastern High School and Phelps Vocational High School in Northeast D.C. Back then, I was on drugs. I was even a drug dealer. I smoked tobacco. I even drank beer 30 years ago. I gambled, I lied, I used to not work, and the list goes on and on. The King James Holy Bible talks about “mercy” in the New Testament in the book of Jude 2:1. It says “keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ into eternal life.” And in the Old Testament it talks about forgiveness in the book of Isaiah 2:9. It says, “And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself, therefore forgive them not.” Let us forgive each other and be merciful to all. Amen. Hallelujah!

We can survive BY AYUB ABDUL // Artist/Vendor

We can survive The people in the woods Are the people that will Survive people in the city Are the people that might Die We need to live again

BY CARLOS CAROLINA Artist/Vendor

My motivation for determination comes from inspiration, I'm inspired by my tries, Though when I fail it hurts for real, in life, it's a must I rise, Like Maya Angelou communicating with Langston Hughes about dreams deferred, that turns into caged birds, As a people of color we must continue to learn, And never stop marching like Dr. Martin, Who can stop us — but us, Hands down, Fist up, Yup.

PHOTO BY MEHDI SEPEHRI / UNSPLASH.COM

Joy BY JACKIE TURNER Artist/Vendor

The road to joy starts with peace of mind. That enables you to think highly of yourself, which leads to always being proud of who you are. And this one: Always love yourself. Instead of looking for negative things, focus on things that make you feel positive. (Remember The Power of Positive Thinking? Of course you do. For those who don't, start now.) And while you're outside--or inside, for that matter--stop, look, and listen for the beauty all around you. All this is part of feeling good and being joyous. You can reinforce your confidence by looking in the mirror and saying "I am a good person." (Because you are!) This doesn't mean you're vain; it does mean it's powerful for you to feel positive about yourself. You can also learn to accept compliments from other folks. Just say "thank you" and smile. Smiles are contagious. Smiles radiate joy. Most of all, remember: God loves you!

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FUN & #4 Sudoku 7 3 GAMES 9 6 7 2

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1. Persian language

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9 5 Novice Sudoku Puzzles, Volume 1, Book 20

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Find the solution at https://onlinecrosswords.net/7106

puzzle’s answers: tinyurl.com/SSMcross-10-06-2021

<< LAST EDITION’S PUZZLE SOLUTION

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An age is called Dark not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it. -- James Michener, "Space"

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

This is the Daily Crossword Puzzle #3 for Oct 5, 2021 Across Across

Sudoku 5 3 4 #6 2

OnlineCrosswords.net

O C T. 6 - 1 2 , 2021

58. Half pipe event

Down 60. Tree in a Christmas song 61. Neon sign word

1. Watch chains 62. Desk basket words 2. Jai ___ 63. GOP opposers 3. Office stamp abbr. 64. Silence on the staff 4. Pete’s is often cited 65. Egg holders 5. Performs part of a liturgical service

6. What history repeats? Down

32. Like some testimony 7. “Le ___ d’Or” 37. Airport security device 1. Watch chains 19. Kansas City athlete 8. Ornamental case 38. Vintage auto 42. Football 2. Jai ___ Arab leaders (Var.) 23. Spanky's 9. Part of New Orleans is below it 39. pal Carpet cleaner,44. for short 3. Office stamp abbr. 45. Grisham title (with 25. Country inn, for 10. Pump choice 41. Exams for HS juniors "The") short 4. Pete's 11. Loads is often cited 42. Football 46. They're cooped up? 26. Name 44. on many 5. Performs part of a 12. Punjabi princess Arab leaders (Var.) planes liturgical service 49. Area force, briefly 13. Russian refusal 45. Grisham title (with Bay “The”) 27. A crowd, it's said 6. What history repeats? 50. Shoe shaper 18. ___ about (circa) 46. They’re cooped up? Clue hunter, 28. 7. "Le ___ d'Or" 51. Bulk paper purchase 19. Kansas City athlete 49. Bay Area force, briefly informally 50. Shoe shaper 52. Talk up 8. Ornamental 23. Spanky’s pal case 29. Bow material 9. Part of New Orleans 54. Mozart's "___ kleine 25. Country inn, for short 51. Bulk paper purchase 30. Sweater is below Nachtmusik" 26. Name it on many planes 52.style Talk up 31. Lauder54. of Mozart’s cosmetics Ocho ___ 10.APump 55. Jamaica's 27. crowd,choice it’s said “___ kleine Nachtmusik” testimony 28. hunter, informally 32. Like some 55. Jamaica’s Ocho56. ___Threaded metal 11.Clue Loads 29. material Threaded metalfastener fastener 37. Airport56. security 12.Bow Punjabi princess 30. style 57. Bilko and Snorkel device 57. Bilko and Snorkel 13.Sweater Russian refusal 31. of cosmetics 59.auto Guitar legend Paul 38. Vintage 59. Guitar legend Paul 18.Lauder ___ about (circa) 39. Carpet cleaner, for short 41. Exams for HS juniors Author Gene Weingarten is a college dropout and a nationally syndicated humor columnist for The Washington Post. Author Dan Weingarten is a former college dropout and a current college student majoring in information technology. Many thanks to Gene Weingarten and The Washington Post Writers Group for allowing Street Sense to run Barney & Clyde.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOTLINE Línea de salud del comportamiento

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

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

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

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

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

Samaritan Inns // 202-667-8831 2523 14th St., NW samaritaninns.org

// 1 5

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