Advocates Stage A People’s Budget Action Before Crucial Council Budget Meeting, Call for Increased Funding to End Homelessness

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT

Lara Pukatch

Miriam’s Kitchen

ADVOCATES STAGE A PEOPLE’S BUDGET ACTION BEFORE CRUCIAL COUNCIL BUDGET MEETING, CALL FOR INCREASED FUNDING TO END HOMELESSNESS

Washington DC: On May 8^th, advocates will gather outside of the John A. Wilson Building for A People’s Budget Action to End Homelessness. Just hours before the DC Council hosts their Council Budget Meeting to determine priorities for their FY 2020 budget, advocates will call attention to the resources needed to end chronic homelessness and housing instability through direct action. Advocates will stage a mock Council hearing in front of the Wilson Building and vote on a resolution titled “Provide Everyone A Way Home.” Following the vote, advocates will deliver this resolution to Chairman Mandelson. Event participants include individuals with lived experience of homelessness, native Washingtonians, and staff of organizations working to end housing instability in DC, among others.

This action is organized by The Way Home Campaign, a coalition of 102 organizations and over 5,500 individuals who want DC to end chronic homelessness. The Way Home Campaign is calling on the DC Council to build off the Mayor’s proposed budget and recent committee markups by investing an additional $18.88 million to end chronic homelessness for 725 individuals and $1.8 million to fully fund DC’s Homeless Street Outreach Network. Additionally, The Way Home Campaign calls for significantly increased investments in low-income housing. 

According to the recent Point in Time Count, chronic homelessness has decreased in DC by 13.3%, underscoring that DC is on the right track and that housing ends homelessness. Still, on any given night, over 1,374 individuals experience chronic homelessness in DC, meaning that they have been homeless for years or repeatedly and suffer from a serious disabling condition. Individuals experiencing homelessness have a life expectancy that is, on average 17.5-25 years less than their housed peers.

Jesse Rabinowitz from Miriam’s Kitchen says that “The DC Council and Chairman Mendelson have the power to end chronic homelessness for 725 of our neighbors who have been denied housing for far too long. Investing in housing saves taxpayer dollars, saves lives, and pays dividends for our whole community. We call on Chairman Mendelson and the DC Council to make the moral choice and invest $18.8 million to put DC back on track to end chronic homelessness. With less than one half of one percent of DC’s current budget, the DC Council can put the District on the map as the first major city that has made chronic homelessness history.”

WHEN: Wednesday, May 8, 2019, from 8:30-9:30 am

WHERE: Outside of the John A. Wilson Building (1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW)

ABOUT: The Way Home Campaign advocates to end chronic homelessness in Washington, DC by bringing together 102 organizations and over 5,500 people united in the belief that ending chronic homelessness is urgent, possible, and cost-effective.

###