It is important that, when developing its options for resolving this crisis, that the DC Housing Authority consider the important and distinct role that public housing plays in DC’s housing ecosystem.

If you believe, like we do, in the power of people’s stories and the importance of their voice, we hope you will consider responding to Fair Budget’s campaign to ensure that this community engagement work will continue.

We reflect on the fact that closing DC General was never the only, or even the most important, promise Mayor Bowser made to families experiencing homelessness. Only when all DC families have safe and secure housing will DC have ended family homelessness.

At this time of giving thanks, there is so much for which we are grateful. But we recognize that our bounty is not linked to the calendar, to be appreciated only in late November. Neither are the needs of those community members experiencing homelessness limited solely to the holidays, when we are more attuned to those who have no bounty. We thus commit to counting our many blessings throughout the year, and to do all that we can, whenever is necessary, to respond to our neighbors in need.

We are asking the Housing Committee to make critical changes before marking up the bill, and to commit to a longer process to figure out the best way to store people’s belongings after an eviction if they can’t gather them within the required window.

DC now has an opportunity to thoughtfully meet the real needs of small or nonprofit landlords while not subsidizing the business of eviction for larger, high profit landlords.