A local governing body on Wednesday denounced the D.C. government’s plan to clear a homeless encampment that borders campus late this month.
Members of the Foggy Bottom and West End Advisory Neighborhood Commission unanimously approved a resolution voicing opposition toward the D.C. Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services’ plan to clear the encampment at the intersection of 21st and E streets on July 30. At the meeting, a neighborhood resident also shared her experience encountering a stalker who has reportedly been following women home in Foggy Bottom.
Here are some of the meeting’s highlights:
ANC opposes E Street encampment clearing
The ANC’s resolution against the proposed clearing states that D.C.’s homeless shelters are at capacity, requesting that officials postpone the sweep until beds become available at shelters like The Aston, a homeless shelter and former GW residence hall near campus slated to open in late August.
District officials cleared seven Foggy Bottom homeless encampment sites in May despite local and housing advocacy organizations disapproving of the decision.
“This is the same old song and dance,” said 2A01 Commissioner Yannik Omictin, who sponsored the resolution.
Encampment residents using nearby grate airflow to combat D.C. heat, Omictin says
Omictin said residents of the 21st and E streets encampment have been utilizing a nearby grate that blows cool air from a D.C. Department of Transportation tunnel to combat extreme heat in the District over the past few weeks. He said the cool air could be saving lives, adding that two people in his district have died from heatstroke this summer.
He said the West End Library is designated as a District cooling center on D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Heat Emergency Plan, but it is often closed on extreme heat days, meaning the grate is unhoused individuals’ only stable, local access to cool air.
The District has reached record-high temperatures and record-long stretches of high heat this summer, with officials encouraging residents to stay indoors or in the shade to avoid heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
DMHHS’ encampment website states that the space must remain clear at all times due to safety hazards and DDOT ventilation.
Omictin said residents haven’t placed any permanent items on the grate and just gather around it to keep cool. The resolution also urges DDOT to work with encampment residents to ensure they can access the grate to help protect them from heat while confirming residents’ items don’t impede DDOT’s work on the grate.
ANC’s 2A07 commissioner to resign in August
2A07 Commissioner Dasia Bandy announced that she would resign from the governing body on August 19 because she plans to move outside of the District. Bandy — who graduated from GW in May and the only student on the ANC — said she is leaving to pursue further education at the University of Chicago.
Bandy added that she’s committed to ensuring a seamless transition upon her departure from the governing body.
“Representing my constituents has been the most fulfilling and rewarding experience of my professional life,” Bandy said. “I am profoundly grateful for the trust and support of the community, and I have cherished the opportunity to contribute to the well-being and progress of our district.”
ANC chair says MPD officers working on case of local stalker
Lauren Hines, who identified herself as a constituent of the Foggy Bottom and West End ANC, said she encountered the man who’s been “prowling the streets” of the neighborhood on Sunday. Hines said he made her feel “threatened and unsafe.”
She told DC News Now that he followed her to the Bader Condominiums Sunday night. Hines said she immediately called 911 after seeing the man on Sunday, but it took police about two hours to respond to her call.
Hines said her run-in with the man mirrors stories she’s heard from five of her neighbors who have all said the man followed them while they were walking alone. She added that her 80-year-old neighbor is afraid to go outdoors and is “suffering high anxiety.”
“He invaded our privacy and made us feel unsafe in our own neighborhood,” Hines said. “He must be stopped before he can do more harm.”
ANC Chair and 2A03 Commissioner Trupti Patel said the Metropolitan Police Department is working to resolve the issue, assigning two officers to “one to two” active cases about the man’s behavior.
Comer says 26th and I street Park renovation delayed
2A04 Commissioner Ed Comer announced that renovations on the dog park and playground on 26th and I streets will face delays because contractors found that trees in the park are large enough to meet standards for historical preservation, inhibiting construction plans.
Comer said he was unsure how long the delays would last.
The ANC endorsed the renovation at their April meeting, which seeks to improve ADA accessibility by resurfacing the dog park and playground, replacing seating and furnishing and moving the playground to a more visible area.
ANC approves hotel alcohol license
Commissioners unanimously approved a change to the alcohol license for the Marriott Residence Inn on New Hampshire Ave., allowing the hotel to serve beer and wine anywhere on the premises, not just in the service area. The agreement will also extend the hours the hotel is permitted to serve alcohol, allowing service from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
In June, the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board administered the first approval required to modify alcohol sales at the hotel, noting that the hotel had no outstanding fines, violations or pending enforcement matters. The Board directed the hotel to display signage explaining their intent to modify their license, which is the first step in the ongoing application process.
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Administration will meet on Sept. 3 for a final roll-call vote on the application, including consideration of any protests filed against it before the protest deadline of Aug. 12.
