WIN Annual Reports July 2017 Midyear Report

ENDING HOMELESSNESS CAMPAIGN Photo: Rev. Photo: Jennifer Speight speaking at the July 2017 WMATA action. DC has seen double-digit spikes in homelessness in the past several years. Families with children have experienced most of the increase. Many of these families have been placed in the DC General Family Shelter, a dilapidated, dangerous complex located on the same property as the District’s jail, morgue, and methadone clinic. Because of the horrible conditions in the facility, WIN made it a priority to work towards closing DC General and providing safer, cleaner, and all around better facilities for families experiencing homelessness in the District. Between February 2016 and May 2016 WIN organized over 100 supporters including many DC General residents to attend community meetings and hearings to testify about the urgent need to legislate the closure of DC General and its replacement with smaller and more suitable short term housing. WIN leaders met with Mayor Bowser, Chairman Mendelson, and multiple council people to aggressively urge them not to get stuck in gridlock, to compromise, and to vote out an acceptable bill before the end of May. On Tuesday, May 31, 2016 the DC Council unanimously passed Bill 21-620 to replace DC General with smaller short-term family emergency housing in all Wards of the District. The Mayor and Council also approved $59 Million in the FY17 Capital Budget, which combined with the $41 Million already approved for FY 2016 -- a total of $100 Million. The passing of this law was an important start, but by no means an end. Opponents in Ward 3 and 5 filed a lawsuit against the city to delay the facility. In response, WIN partnered with Good Faith Communities Coalition to organize Ward 3 congregations and residents who support the project. We organized Ward 3 residents and 14 congregations signed letters to their ANC representatives and the Board of Zoning in favor of the project as well as organizing strong turnout to community meetings and hearings. On April 5th 2017 the Board of Zoning approving the short-term living facilities in Wards 3 and 5. All indications now are that DC General will finally be closed and replaced. 2017 MIDYEAR REPORT 7

WIN Annual Reports July 2017 Midyear Report | Page 7