Content categorized as Living Unsheltered

Sybil Taylor’s been at Street Sense for 14 years, and she’s still learning new things

Long-time vendor Sybil Taylor shares how she began creating art for the paper this year.

DC conducts at least 70 encampment engagements each year. Are they effective?

D.C. conducts over 70 encampment engagements every year. Do they achieve what they’re supposed to?

National Alliance to End Homelessness lays out new priorities

The National Alliance to End Homelessness’s new leadership pledged to end homelessness by centering racial justice and lived experience at the organization’s annual conference.

USICH encampment engagement guidance critiqued for promoting site closures

USICH created seven principles of encampment engagement to assist communities that are hoping to address encampments. USICH’s guidance operates under a flawed rehousing system and promotes encampment closures.

Is DC’s heat plan working for people experiencing homelessness?

D.C.’s heat plan has been activated more than 20 times this year, but residents experiencing homelessness still don’t know where to go to get cool.

D.C. funded 2400 vouchers. Less than 600 people have moved into housing

D.C. so far has housed just a fraction of the people experiencing chronic homelessness despite the availability of more funding this year.

A Housing Narrative Lab webinar challenges the common stories of homelessness

A webinar from the Housing Narrative Lab underlines the ways data and journalism fail to truly tell the story of homelessness.

West End encampment sweep displaces ‘staple of the community’

Artist experiencing homelessness’ belongings destroyed, and his presence as a community staple upended in encampment sweep.

There are 40,000 people on DC’s housing waitlist

D.C.’s voucher waitlist is 37,000 people long, but the city government is only planning to fund 20 new vouchers for the residents on it.

Tossed in the trash: Residents at Union Station stripped of their belongings

The National Park Service cleared the 35-resident Union Station encampment on June 1, throwing away belongings and involuntarily committing one resident.

Homelessness reported at an all-time low in the Washington region

The 2022 Point in Time (PIT) count results from 9 participating jurisdictions across the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia were revealed at this month’s Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments meeting on May 11. A decrease across all subgroups of the region’s homeless population was reported.

DC’s 2022 PIT Count results reveal an overall decrease in homelessness

On April 21, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced in the front-entrance parking lot of D.C. Housing Authority headquarters the results of the District’s 2022 point in… Read more »

We rolling now

I’m getting situated in Hampton, Va. I was staying with Yusef when he suddenly got called out to an overseas assignment. He gave me $25… Read more »

What role should police have in protecting people living in encampments?

Due to concerns for their immediate safety, some encampment residents have expressed a desire for greater police presence around encampments. However, homeless rights advocates advise that the police force is fundamentally unsuited for meeting the safety, resource and housing access needs of unsheltered residents.

Displacement over there and what it means to me over here

Angie Whitehurst shares her thoughts on the state of Ukraine.

People living in Columbus Circle react to Park Service plans to close their encampment

National Park Services will work in collaboration with D.C. Health and Human Services to shut down two encampments on federal property, ending a pandemic policy that prevented federal authorities from removing encampments on federal land.

Lifeline

Levester Green writes about his life recently.

City style

Levester Green uses clothing to reflect on his time as a homeless person.

How we can help the homeless during the cold months

Patricia Donaldson shares tips on how people can help the homeless during the winter months.

2022 PIT Count takes place amidst another pandemic year

Despite the challenges of occurring in the second year of a global pandemic, the 2022 Point in Time Count took place on Jan. 26 in D.C. Those familiar with the count discuss its importance.