Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.metro From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Homeless protest closing of NW shelter Date: Tue, 17 Nov 92 15:07:56 EST Message-ID: \SE B;METROPOLITAN \HD Homeless protest closing of NW shelter \BY Pam Weisz \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES About 50 people held a two-hour demonstration yesterday outside Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly's office to protest the closing of a Foggy Bottom homeless shelter. The group, made up of homeless people and advocates, entered the District Building about 11:30 a.m., sat outside the mayor's fifth-floor office and sang songs. They demanded a meeting with the mayor and, when told she was out of town, asked to see City Administrator Robert Mallett. Mr. Mallett, who was seen leaving the building during the protest, did not respond. After about two hours the protestors left without incident. The city has been planning to close the shelter in the 2600 block of Virginia Avenue NW for some time in response to complaints by neighborhood residents. Tomorrow night one altered truck trailer containing 18 beds is scheduled to close, and two more trailers will close Dec. 1. The remaining 54 beds, reserved for the mentally ill, will remain open, said Roy Walker, who manages the shelter. Several residents of the Foggy Bottom shelter said they will probably end up back on the streets. "If it's closed, where do I have to go?" asked Michael Baylor, who ended up at the shelter after his business failed last year. "I'm going to end up outside." Kimberly Williams, who also lives at the shelter, said she has "no idea" where she will go if she loses her bed there. "Really that's the only place I have," she said. "I guess I'll go back on the street." The city has an answer. It has said repeatedly it will provide relocation vehicles to other city shelters for as long as necessary. Many protesters said they were especially angry the shelter is closing as the weather is getting colder. "It's absolutely inhumane to be closing shelter beds in the middle of winter," said Cliff Newman, a spokesman for the Community for Creative Non-Violence, one of the city's largest private shelters. "It's very simple," said Ellen Rocks, executive director of the House of Ruth, a shelter for women. "No more beds should close. In the winter, people will die." The city is required by law to provide shelter once the temperature dips below 32 degrees, and Department of Human Services spokesman Larry Brown said he is prepared to do so. "We have a plan, and we can open up any District-owned building that we want," he said earlier this month. He said the city has beds to spare, and "if we need additional beds we will be able to identify them and have them ready upon demand." Advocates for the homeless disagreed. The city "is not prepared," said Carol Fennelly of CCNV. "We lost eight people to cold-related deaths last year, and it was a warm winter." Mr. Newman said that on Sunday night, when temperatures in the 20s were reported in the area, eight persons spent the night in the lobby at CCNV because no beds were available. Those at the District Building plan to be at Foggy Bottom tonight to protest when city officials show up to close the shelter. "This is the beginning of a long fight," said CCNV spokesman Steve Cleghorn. "Foggy Bottom has to stay open." This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM