WASHINGTON (WDVM) — A homeless encampment was cleared out in front of Union Station on Wednesday, leaving many without a place to go.
The camp was cleared after the National Park Service reinstated its camping ban and removed tents from the encampment. NPS does not have to follow D.C.’s protocol that allows people to store certain items for 60 days.
“D.C. needs to provide funds, put us in hotels, and somehow build apartment buildings to put us in because it’s never going to end unless they build an apartment building or I want to house us it’s never going to end we’re going to be homeless forever,” said Toni Irons, a person experiencing homelessness.
“Everything they own in the world is in these tents, and with no clear direction of where to go too many are fearful. They don’t know what they’re going to do,” said Dr. Ami Angell with the H3 Project, a homeless advocacy group.
Notices posted around the camp explain why the evictions will resume. NPS wants to rehabilitate the grass, clean and improve the park area and get rid of a rodent infestation but local advocate for the homeless. Angell says the city isn’t doing enough to help those who are now displaced.
“Well take a look around, this doesn’t look like eliminating homeless. There’s so much more to do. And part of that really is listening to the ground, the folks out here. They’ve got ideas, they’ve got really creative solutions, but nobody’s listening to them. And so that that would be the best first step,” Angell said.
According to the H3 Project, more than 30 people were displaced from the removal of this camp, many without a place to go or a plan of what to do next. Angell says the first step to eliminating homelessness in the district is listening to the people it’s actually affecting.
“A lot of the decisions that appear to be happening, they’re happening behind… closed doors. There’s a lack of transparency, they’re behind closed doors and they’re without the input of the people they’re affecting,” Angell continued.
“If y’all gonna remove them, actually have an initial plan of where they can go. Don’t just leave them out here just to keep wandering. Like if they can keep building stuff like this and they can build stuff like that and have all these expensive condos, why not build a new shelter? We need a new shelter,” said Lola Bell, someone who used to live at that encampment.
“If I was rich, it was up to me. All my money will go into housing, building a park and establishing it or giving people with SSI more money to live off of because it really can’t live off. That’s why we’re out here — rent’s $1,000, SSI is %800 a month. You really can’t afford a problem with SSI. So low-income people are really suffering,” said Irons.
Ending homelessness has been one of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s top priorities since taking office. Her office has not yet responded to WDVM’s request for a statement.