| You can read about my recent conversation with DC Mayor Adrian Fenty on the need for affordable housing at www.ericsheptock.com or below:
Some of you received a shorter version of this message on July 31st. That portion is in brackets “[
]“. I’ve added some more recent developments such as an encounter that I had with Mayor Fenty this morning, August 2nd.
[ The tent city
at the
intersection of
7th, R and Rhode
Island in
northwest DC is
over 3 weeks old
now. Many people
are surprised to
see that it
hasn't been shut
down by the city
yet. It is
firmly believed
that Mayor Fenty
doesn't want the
images of
protesters being
arrested for
defending their
human right to
housing
plastered all
over people's
T.V. screens and
that that may be
the reason for
the longevity of
the camp. Let's
bear in mind
that he is
fighting for his
political life
and that such
images could be
his political
death knell.
Some of us were
actually
anticipating
getting arrested
and that may
still be a
prospect.
On the evening
of July 30th, a
DC Government
employee named
Pat Handy
stopped by the
tent city. She
works for DC
Government's
Dept. of Human
Services as the
Homeless
Outreach
Manager. She is
the
troubleshooter
for various
homeless
services. She
managed the
process on
September 10th,
2008, as
Franklin School
Shelter
residents were
made to sign
papers stating
that they knew
about the
impending
closure of
Franklin. (Some
people stood in
the check-in
line for 5 hours
that night.) She
managed the
process the next
morning as 50 or
so Franklin
residents were
placed quickly
(and in some
cases
haphazardly) in
Permanent
Supportive
Housing. She was
the one who was
called to tell
the homeless
people at 14th
and NY Ave. that
they couldn't
sleep on the
14th street side
of the building
anymore (right
after a homeless
person was seen
on T.V.
testifying
against Fenty
and his
administration).
And now she
might be the one
to close the
tent city.
However that is
not a clearly
cut-and-dry
determination.
Pat stopped by
the tent city on
her motor
scooter around
9:30 PM. She
explained that
she had seen the
tent city while
on her way to U
Street and
decided to stop
in on her return
trip. She asked
me why we were
there and I
explained that
it was in
protest to
Mayor Fenty's
broken promise
to build
affordable
housing there.
She called
someone on her
cell phone,
though I don't
know who. She
then said,"I
hope they don't
send me to close
this down".
Pat explained
the process that
would occur if
she were to shut
down the tent
city: If someone
in the
neighborhood
complains about
the tent city,
then Pat will be
contacted. She
would then post
a 14-day notice
at the tent
city. On the
14th day, she
would return
with the Dept.
of Public Works
and have them to
tear down and
dispose of
everything.
One of the
things that
stands out to me
is the fact that
someone in the
neighborhood has
to complain. On
the one hand,
the city could
lie and say that
someone
complained. This
would give them
the pretext that
they need to
move in and shut
it down. On the
other hand, we
could make
friends with the
neighborhood,
gain their
support and have
them alongside
us to protest
the closure on
the 14th day.
Then there is
the 14-day
notice. That
gives us plenty
of time to
contact the
media and to
have people who
want to retrieve
their belongings
come and do so.
It also gives us
time to mobilize
people to
protest and to
call Fenty on
the carpet about
his broken
promises, his
failure to meet
with his poorer
constituents and
his failure to
provide a
sufficient
amount of
affordable
housing as well
as other needs
of the
not-so-well-off
community.
Those of us who
have been
involved over
the past 3 weeks
and during the
planning phase
have discussed
our demands on
the Fenty
administration which
include an
interim use for
the land while
we wait for
construction to
begin on the
promised 94
units of
affordable
housing. The
ideas include an
eco-village and
a community
garden. Some of
us plan to reach
out to the Shaw
community to get
their input on
what the interim
use for Parcel
42 should be.
This process
should be
expedited due to
this most recent
development.
In closing, I
must say that we
haven't lost
this fight and
we won't so long
as we stand our
ground. In lieu
of the mayor's
apparent
character flaws,
immoral
decisions and
spurning of the
poor, we are
bound to garner
much support for
our cause. So
let's continue
to fight the
good fight.]
Pat Handy also explained to me that, so long as the tent city seems to be nothing more than a “homeless encampment”, it is her duty to shut it down. However, if the tent city is categorized as a “political action”, it is no longer her job to deal with it. (My guess is that responsibility for dealing with the “protesters” goes to the Special Operations division of the Metropolitan Police Dept.) This just goes to show how classist our government is — how it is that they divide people into different classes and then bestow different levels of privilege and punishment upon them, in effect using a double (…or triple…or quadruple…) standard. That said, it behooves us to remain “political” insomuch as that seems to be buying us time. (Even those who are there merely due to being homeless and needing a place to sleep can gain — in more ways than one — by posing as political protesters.)
I’d like to remind you of the fact that the tent city is run by donations. There are a few homeless people staying there. But those of us who are confronting the mayor about his broken promises remain involved (with me fitting into both groups). Donations have gone toward the purchase of water, ice, food and hardware. Feel free to call or e-mail me for info on how to donate. Cell: (240) 305-5255. E-mail: ericsheptock@yahoo.com .
My Meeting With The Mayor:
On the morning of Monday, August 2nd at 10:45 AM there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Watha T. Daniels Public Library which is across the street diagonally from the Tent City. There were over 100 people in attendance — among them: Mayor Fenty, Council Chairman Vincent Gray and Councilmen Harry “Tommy” Thomas, Jr.(Ward 5); Jim Graham (Ward 1) and Jack Evans (Ward 2 — where the library and tent city are). Coincidentally, the podium from which they each spoke was positioned so that it was facing the tent city — which was a victory in and of itself. It was impossible for them not to notice their poorer constituents now |
