Shelter, Housing, and Real Change (SHARC) hosted a town hall meeting on Monday, August 27 to address ongoing concerns over proposed cuts to programs and shelters in the District for the 2013 Fiscal Year.
The cuts in question come as the result of a loss of over $7 million in federal funds from last year and could result in the closure of emergency shelters for single men and women during non-winter months.
Among topics discussed at the meeting, which was held at the Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV) Shelter, were plans for a pro-homeless services rally at City Hall on September 18.
The roughly 60 attendees of the event were provided with a free lunch, voter registration forms. Additionally, attendees were asked to sign a petition addressed to the D.C. City Council demanding they “fully fund homeless programs and shelters… [make] housing affordable to all who are working full time… [and]work to address issues that homeless people have finding employment.”
SHARC hosted a similar event in July and vows to try and further raise public awareness of the issue. “I think the main reason we’re in this situation is participation from the homeless,” SHARC member O.B. Blake said during the meeting. “I think everyone here should go find five people to bring to the next meeting, then we can really put together a good plan.”
The D.C. City Council will continue to discuss the budget shortfall when they return to session on September 17.
