WIN Annual Reports April 2019 Midyear Report - Page 16

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WAS H I N G T O N I N T E RF AI T H N E T WO RK
FIGHTING HOMELESSNESS WITH
DIGNIFIED FAMILY SHELTERS
WIN organized vigorously in the lead up to the 2014 election for the DC General homeless
shelter to be replaced with smaller, more dignified facilities. The replacement facilities will be
lower density and higher quality, providing humane housing options to families in need. In May
2016, legislation passed identifying 6 sites for replacement facilities and allocating nearly $100
million in capital funding. In 2017, WIN partnered with Good Faith Communities Coalition to
organize Ward 3 residents and 14 local congregations to show support for building replacement
facilities across the District. DC General was officially closed in November 2018. This year, WIN
celebrated the grand openings of three replacement facilities in Ward 4, 7, and 8.
Image of the closed DC General homeless shelter.
Artistic rendering of the new family shelter in Ward 8.
BRINGING GOOD JOBS TO DC
In 2013, WIN began a campaign pressing for
DC Water to hire more DC residents. As a
result, DC Water signed an agreement
including a 51% local hire commitment,
contribution of $1.25 million for opening job
training programs in DC, and the creation of a
national certification for Green Infrastructure
work. WIN is celebrating many successes from
that agreement. In 2018, 85% of DC Water's
new hires were from local jurisdictions and
60% specifically from DC. That's up from 11%
in 2013. Additionally, 31 new DC residents
received Green Infrastructure training
certification in 2018.