Testimony of Joshua M. Drumming, Policy and Advocacy Attorney, and Brittany K. Ruffin, Legal Director, Systemic Advocacy and Litigation, The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
April 27, 2026
The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless envisions a District of Columbia where housing is a human right, racial justice is a reality, and all people have true and meaningful access to the resources needed to thrive.
This is among the most dangerous and tumultuous times D.C. encampment residents have faced. D.C. encampment residents are beset by local and federal agencies that are targeting them on the streets and a mayoral budget that does nothing to mitigate the harm caused or address the underlying issues at hand. As we have testified to on multiple occasions, DMHHS has decreased their notice period from fourteen-days to seven days. However, following both an executive order and a mayoral order, DMHHS oftentimes bypasses notice altogether through its use of the immediate disposition protocol – more so than it already did.
Immediate dispositions allow DMHHS to remove encampments without notice on the website or at the encampment site, as long as DMHHS claims they pose immediate risks to public health and safety. Under the current, purposefully vague standards, anything can qualify as a “public health and safety” risk. Justifications for determinations are not shared. As a result, encampments that appear to be no different than any other and pose no actual public risk are often swiftly dismantled and their residents are dispossessed. Many immediate dispositions are used for single persons. Those encampment residents often receive little to no outreach before removals and posted signage may not even be visible. Once removals begin, all, or nearly all, belongings are thrown away, despite DMHHS’s mandate to store non-trash items. The seizure and/or destruction of belongings during immediate dispositions without notice (or adequate notice), due process, or post-deprivation proceedings are likely unconstitutional.
Increased encampment evictions and immediate dispositions have worsened an already precarious situation. DMHHS removed thirty-six (36) encampments in Fiscal Year 2024. In 2025, DMHHS removed 128 encampments, a 355 percent (355%) increase. Despite a massive increase in displacement efforts, there is no increase in availability of housing resources. These numbers indicate a clear policy choice to prioritize erasing the visibility of homelessness instead of actually ending homelessness. While DMHHS used to conduct site cleaning engagements like bulk trash removals, agency leadership has recently admitted that their current policy is to dismantle and remove all encampments. If D.C. has an austerity budget, unnecessary encampment site removals should be eliminated. Last year, D.C. government spent $3.4 Million to displace its unhoused residents through encampment evictions. Those funds could have been better spent to permanently and stably house those same residents. When people have stable and safe housing opportunities, encampments will decrease. D.C. Council should suspend all encampment clearings. Instead, D.C. should conduct trash only cleanings, provide additional trash cans at encampments, and maintain portable bathrooms and hand washing stations. Further, D.C. Council should reallocate encampment eviction funds to invest in housing resources that end homelessness, create legislative policies that standardize requirements/criteria and definitions related to encampment evictions, establishing due process for encampment residents and minimizing opportunity for random and/or politicized encampment evictions.
The mayor’s proposed budget does nothing to provide stable housing. Mayor Bowser has funded zero vouchers in this budget to end homelessness. Last year, we testified to the harm that would come from funding zero vouchers for individuals. We have seen the results of that policy choice: increased trauma and harm. Now, D.C. Council has been given a budget substantially worse than the FY26 budget. Mayor Bowser has proposed an FY27 budget that excludes housing resources for unhoused individuals and unhoused families. The mayor’s budget narrative is that her proposals will “Grow D.C.,” but all residents are not included in the proposed vision for D.C. growth. Unsheltered residents are being evicted from the homes they have made and often displaced from D.C. It is deeply troubling for D.C. government to remove encampments while simultaneously defunding housing vouchers and other housing resources. Council must increase funding for all permanent voucher programs, increase DHS and DMHHS budget transparency, and increase investment in homelessness outreach services.
This budget comes at a time of unprecedented local-federal cooperation. Joint federal and local efforts to “clean up” or “beautify” D.C. has resulted in decreased encampment visibility, but District homelessness persists. Unhoused residents have been forced to relocate, but they still exist. D.C. homelessness still exists.
Following a federal executive order last year, local and federal officials coordinated to target and remove encampments, subjecting unhoused D.C. residents to increased risk of harm and criminalization.
Over the next few months, the United States will be celebrating its 250th anniversary and D.C. will be hosting the America250 events. Many advocates and community members are concerned that the events may prompt renewed efforts to rapidly displace unhoused residents. Time is of the essence. D.C. Council must ensure that there are adequate shelter and housing resources and appropriate legislative policies in place to ensure resident safety. Additionally, D.C. Council should suspend any D.C. government efforts to direct or cooperate with any federal government targeting of encampments for evictions/displacement.
D.C. Council must ensure that a resident’s housing status, income, and/or race do not determine whether they are included in the vision for D.C.’s future. The vision for D.C. must include a plan to meet the needs of all residents. D.C. Council must be willing and able to fight for and protect all of D.C.