WASHINGTON — There's a dispute over the future of the homeless encampments near 12th Street and Massachusetts Avenue in Northwest that's highlighting the ongoing problem of homelessness in the District.
In a letter sent to the National Park Service late last month, a group of nearby neighbors asked the United States Park Police to clear the homeless camps at Burke Park, Gompers Park and 9th and Massachusetts over public safety concerns. They're also asking for officers to enforce the rules by preventing another encampment to grow on the federal properties, according to the letter.
"There is ample evidence that these encampments are a danger to the community, bringing with them excess refuse, human excrement and other bodily fluids, heated domestic disputes, drug abuse, weapons, and an inability to enjoy resources and green space under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service," the letter read.
After fears from activists that USPP would clear the homeless camp at Burke Park, the National Park Service sent a statement saying it has “no imminent plans to remove existing encampments."
Despite the CDC guidelines recommending to allow people to stay unsheltered or in encampments if housing options aren't available, the residents who signed the letter say that's become a crutch to not addressing the problem.
"If these encampments were set up on the National Mall, there is no doubt that they would be removed without hesitation or delay," the letter said. "While we are sympathetic that people need a place to reside and the DC government must do something to address the increasing homeless population in the city, camping in these federal land parks is both unlawful and unsafe."
However, community advocates quickly reacted when there were fears of an eviction. Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Alexandra Bailey, who oversees the district, said USPP planned on removing the unhoused residents after she received an email from the department's chief of staff which said, "we have a plan to move on Burke shortly after July 4th."
Bailey said she understands the concerns, but shared the same opinion with 25 other commissioners who expressed to the DC Council in a letter on Monday to NPS, USPP and Councilwoman Brooke Pinto that removing unhoused residents won't solve the problem of homelessness.
"I think it's just coming to a head," Bailey said. "As we have gentrified neighborhoods, we have created an even bigger gap between people who have and who have not."
Bailey has asked for a two-month extension to help move those residing in the encampment, but hasn't heard from USPP as of early Tuesday afternoon. She's already been trying to get them in the voucher program so they can be permanently housed.
"Unfortunately, with this pressure, time is working against me now," Bailey said.
WUSA9 has covered the encampment at Burke Park in a previous story on how it's grown over several months. Unlike before, support has been stronger and more visible.
Remora House DC, an organization that provides essentials to people experiencing homelessness, has been providing supplies, food and water since Monday. The group plans to watch over the unhoused resident and hopes to protect them from eviction.
"We want to make sure that camp residents are safe and they're not being harassed and that police aren't going to move in and throw their stuff away without us being able to help and support them," Shannon Clark of Remora House DC said.
A recent report by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments found there are 8,309 homeless individuals in the region. The number is the lowest since the District began counting in 2001. It's also the third consecutive year that the homeless total has been below 10,000 according to the report.
Sunrise Movement DC started a campaign to demand city officials to complete the following:
- Immediately cease eviction process
- Grant Commissioner Bailey two months to help residents move
- Guarantee housing vouchers
- Park Police hands the process of engagements with these communities over to the office of the deputy mayor for Health and Human Services (HHS)