Content categorized as News

Ward 5 Tenants Accuse Developer of Discrimination

Residents of Brookland Manor are in a battle against developers. They fear that plans for new apartments will push out large families and low-income residents.

D.C. Council Hears Testimony on Unsafe City-funded Housing

On March 3, the D.C. Council Committee on Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization held a performance oversight hearing to assess the agencies it monitors. Nearly 30 District residents appeared to testify against slum conditions in low-income housing, hoping to persuade officials to improve the quality and increase the quantity of affordable housing units in the city.

Ivy City Residents Gain Little Amid Development Boom

Small Northeast D.C. neighborhood Ivy City is going through a major transformation – new shops, restaurants, bars and apartment buildings are popping on practically every corner.

Underdog Federal Housing Bill Reintroduced

Rep. Keith Ellison reintroduced the “Common Sense Housing Investment Act” (H.R. 948) in the U.S. House of Representatives Feb. 8., a bill that would make it easier for the middle and working classes to find affordable rental housing.

New York City Leads Nation in Providing Feminine Hygiene Products for All

While D.C. is on its way to rid sales taxes on feminine hygiene products and diapers, NYC will guarantee access to free pads and tampons in its schools, prisons and shelters.

City Homeless Services Find MLK Library Hard to Replace

At ICH pre-meeting, DC Department of Human Services owns communication breakdown between officials and homeless community during last-minute interim service plan implementation for MLK Library renovation years in the making.

Gay Talese and The Homeless Woman with Two Homes

Feature interview with legendary journalist Gay Talese, best known for defining the style of literary journalism. Talese touches on what the growing number of people experiencing homelessness says about our society, his endeavors to help panhandlers modernize their signs, and how he came to know his neighbors on the street in East Manhattan.

Nancy Ware on the Intersection of Public Safety & Second Chances

Nancy Ware from CSOSA discusses how D.C. residents under supervision can be especially vulnerable to homelessness, and the work CSOSA and other agencies do to help citizens returning from incarceration find stable housing and employment. 

Activists Rally Around Bonds’ Rent Control Bill

D.C. Councilmembers attended a 25th anniversary celebration for the D.C. Tenants’ Advocacy Coalition to drum up support for the Rental Housing Affordability Stabilization Amendment Act, introduced by At-Large Councilmember Anita Bonds Jan. 10.

Nowhere to “Go”:
D.C.’s growing need for 24/7 public restrooms

Proposed bill would establish a taskforce to investigate and plan installations of public restrooms.

After 7 Years, Attorneys Seek La Casa Plaintiffs for Supreme Court Petition

Seven years after La Casa homeless shelter was closed by the city, the attorneys representing 42 of its former residents in a court case against D.C. are trying to locate the original plaintiffs to move forward with the case.

Library Closure Highlights Need for Downtown Daycenter

Downtown D.C.’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library is set to close on March 4 for a three-year renovation. Many of the library’s patrons are experiencing homelessness and use the library for its resources.

District Residents Tell Congress “Keep Hands Off D.C.”

DC Residents gathered on the U.S. Capitol Building grounds to protest Congress’ role in DC local law. The “Hands Off DC” Rally was in response to a vote by the House Oversight Committee to invalidate DC’s new assisted-suicide law.

Filmmakers Co-op Partners With DCTV to Tell Stories of Homelessness

Ten members of the Street Sense Filmmakers Cooperative are taking customized videography classes with DCTV following a successful fundraiser.

D.C. Seeks to Improve Its Comprehensive Plan

A coalition announced its priorities for creating affordable housing and development in the District while the D.C. Office of Planning is in the process of making amendments to the Comprehensive Plan, which outlines future growth and change within the District.

The Mayor of 19th and M Tells His “Second Story” Through Handcrafted Cards

Street Sense Vendor Anthony Crawford has been getting his customers ready for Valentine’s Day. With the help of Second Story Cards, a startup project run… Read more »

Gray’s Public Safety Bill Criticized for Not Addressing Poverty

New legislation proposed by Councilmember Vincent Gray allocates more money to the MPD in an effort to increase the size of the force. Protesters say the money should go elsewhere.

Economic Experts, D.C. Residents Discuss 2018 Budget

Ahead of the release of the city’s 2018 budget, the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute hosted “Progress Amidst Uncertainty” to address the issues it will face.

Muslim Advocates Demand More Than ‘Lip Service’ From D.C. Council

Protestors representing Muslim communities in D.C. held a rally outside the Wilson Building to express their disagreement with Trump’s policies towards immigrants and refugees and demand that the D.C. Council take concrete steps to protect their communities.

Volunteers Canvass City to Account for D.C.’s Homeless Population

The Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness conducted the annual Point in Time homeless count on Jan. 25 on behalf of the District to estimate the number of homeless people in D.C. The data collected from the count is used by the city government to more accurately plan housing resources and other solutions for homelessness.