On Dec. 10, 2024, the Full Council of the Interagency Council on Homelessness met at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Public Library. The council meets on a quarterly schedule and discusses various topics
that pertain to homeless services and the coordinated community response to the plight of those experiencing homelessness. There are many stories in this meeting, but not all of them are highlighted.
Public comments brought an untold story. First, a woman named Jamiylah, who is currently unhoused and has been for about one year, highlighted the complaint process within the shelter system. Jamiylah said the shelter has postings about how to make a complaint but said no postings say how long each phase of a complaint should take.
Jamiylah shared she filed at least three complaints and only got one resolution, which wasn’t sufficient, while the other two are still pending. She asked how long she was supposed to wait. Jamiylah also shared her frustration with the housing process.
“I don’t want to be at a shelter next year,” Jamiylah said. “How does LSRP [the Local Rent Supplement Program] work?” Jamiylah also spoke about employment, saying agencies “are not helping with employment.”
Next in the line to speak was Robert Warren of People for Fairness Coalition. He highlighted section one, line one of the bylaws for the Interagency Council on Homelessness, and called for a subsidized voucher for those with a low-income status. Warren criticized the council for not doing a good job of budgeting and providing equity.
Then Rachel White from DC Action shared about the plight of youth experiencing homelessness and said that for three months, providers have not been getting paid by the D.C. government.
As a full council member, I have to take these comments with weight because I am a lived experience representative. There are untold stories in each full council meeting and the public comments of this meeting were no exception. The public comments highlight the great need for quality services no matter the population level.
Constituents’ voices need to be heard and they should not be taken lightly. These voices need to be respected, fully represented, and used to improve outcomes for people. This is why we should be having public comments. These public comments should carry great weight so unhoused people have a say in decisions impacting their lives. We take what they have to say to heart and tailor our responses to make sure we are fully addressing their pain. What constituents have to say is valid and we need to do more to immediately solve their issues. The pain and anguish are real and these hurting people will never trust a system that devalues them.
They are fighting for their lives and we need to make sure we support them.
Reginald Black is an artist/vendor and member of the D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness.
