Tick Tock Sheptock

Well, it looks like Congress is formulating an agreement on where to cut spending in the federal budget. A government shutdown has been averted once again, though we're not out of the woods yet. They've decided to slash $38.5 billion from the FY 2011 budget (with less than 6 months remaining in this fiscal year). The numbers are still subject to change and the details have not been finalized, though we can be certain that domestic spending on social services will take a hit. The question is "How big of a hit will social services take?". They continue to work on the FY 2012 budget (and hack away at much- needed services). Here in the nation's capital (which many locals call "the last colony" due to Congress having oversight of what the local government does) DC Mayor Vincent Gray submitted his 2012 budget proposal on April 1st, in accordance with DC Law. On April 8th the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI) issued its analysis of his proposal. The DC Cou...

On May 20th, 2009 (exactly 4 months into his term), President Obama signed the HEARTH Act (Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing) into law. The legislation had the lofty goal of moving all who become newly homeless back into housing within 30 days. It also allows for a person or family who is about to become homeless within 14 days, having no other form of support or assistance at their disposal whereby to avoid eviction, to be helped. Now, almost 2 years later, HUD (the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development) is still devising regulations and working on implementing the HEARTH Act. The impending and imminent publication of those regulations was the reason that NAEH (the National Alliance to End Homelessness) invited dozens of homeless service providers and advocates to an information-gathering meeting at the N Street Village Women's Shelter on Wednesday, March 30th, 2011. Upon publishing the regulations, HUD is mandated by law to allow for public co...

On Tuesday, May 18th 2010, I was walking through Capitol Hill on my way to the Library of Congress when a woman who recognized me called me over. Being a fellow-activist, she invited me to attend a hearing at the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) which was to take place the very next day. I told her that I would be going to a rally with "Save Our Safety Net!" which would take place outside of the Wilson Building (City Hall) at about the same time and therefore couldn't attend the HUD hearing. She insisted and prevailed. However, I would eventually find my very first visit to the offices of HUD to be quite unwelcoming. I arrived a few minutes before the 9:30 start time. I was directed to the security desk so that the guard could see if my name was on the roster. With it being my first time attending a hearing in a federal agency, I didn't realize that I couldn't even attend, let alone speak, if I hadn't RSVP'ed. (One may attend a DC Council hea...

Breaking with tradition, I'm actually posting some good news about DC mayor Adrian Fenty (a man) and his plans to house the homeless. He too is breaking with tradition by doing something he hasn't done much of until now -- housing families. As of February 25th, 2009, only 1 family (and 414 homeless singles) had been housed through his Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) program. Bear in mind that DC had over 6,200 homeless individuals as of February 25th, 2009. (See my own comment, which I sent in response to Deb's comment, in my previous post. It will tell you where to find stats on the homeless.) I received the following info in my e-mail account recently and decided to post it. However, I take issue with how certain stats are presented. Toward the end of the document, it states that, according to Downtown BID (Business Improvement District), there has been a sharp decline in the number of downtown homeless. It fails to mention that the reason is that the Franklin School S...

First of all, I would like to clarify my position on the Housing First program known as Permanent Supportive Housing. (For those who are just coming on board with the homeless/housing issue, "Housing First" doesn't refer to an actual program, but rather a philosophy and a way in which some Permanent Supportive Housing programs are run. It is the practice whereby people are housed first and their issues are dealt with later. Those issues can range from mental illness to drug addiction to a need for job training.) I am not against the PSH program at all. However, I believe that DC government's plan is seriously flawed. There have been numerous reports of people who are still addicted receiving housing only to sell their furniture, appliances and housing vouchers. There have also been reports of inadequate casework. To make matters worse, the mayor is withholding information from the Council so that they can't properly evaluate the program. For all of its fault...

I've posted an urgent message from a non-profit that assists the homeless population (Pathways To Housing). I don't normally post on consecutive days. However, this matter is of such grave concern that I saw fit to post it immediately. Mayor Fenty had more faith than he should've in the Housing First Program known as Permanent Supportive Housing than he should've. He used its creation to justify closing Franklin Shelter. Now, just 6 weeks after closing Franklin, the housing program is in peril. Many homeless advocates tried to warn the mayor and his administration. We told him and his administration that they were moving way too quickly. They wouldn't heed our warnings. Now the "Housing First" program is fast becoming the "Housing Worst" program. It is about to become the Fenty administration's biggest embarrassment. (I'm helping to make that true.) I'm not certain whether or not the program can be saved at this point...

Below are a couple of e-mail messages that I sent about a man that was feared dead shortly after receiving Permanent Supportive Housing. HE TURNED OUT TO HAVE SURVIVED A BRUTAL ATTACK AND REMAINS IN THE HOSPITAL. However, if something isn't done quickly, the next person might not be so lucky. Read them and weep.......... **************************************** In the few minutes that I have I wanted to let you know that I received credible info from Pat Handy, the DHS Homeless Services Coordinator, that Tommy Overton was indeed badly beaten but is very much alive. He is in the hospital. DC Gov., take this as a warning. it could've been much worse. I will send a more detailed message later letting all who I told about Tommy Overton that he is still alive. Bear in mind that I received this news around 6:30 PM yesterday. It doesn't mean yet that he couldn't've taken a turn for the worse or that he won't die; but, as far as I know, he's alive. ********...

The following is a message that I received from a formerly homeless man about a comrade who might've been murdered shortly after moving into a Permanent supportive Housing unit. (I've done some slight editing.) The PSH program is the program that Mayor Fenty used to justify closing Franklin Shelter. Many people who've been offered housing through this program have turned it down due to, among other reasons, being placed in unsafe, drug-ridden neighborhoods. Now we have a possible murder of a formerly homeless man. As if murder isn't appalling enough in and of itself, this man lived more than 10 years on the street and less than 1 week in his apartment after being. It seems to be safer to live on the streets than in an apartment. That's sad. Mr. Barry, Ms. Alexander, Good Morning. I am e-mailing you both this morning in the fear that a man that I was homeless in the streets of downtown D.C. with (who himself had been homeless for about 10-15 years) was ...

Below is my testimony that I will read before Councilman Tommy Wells on Halloween (tomorrow). It tells what a debacle and a fiasco DC's version of Housing first is. Read it and weep. Statements To Be Presented At The HALLOWEEN HEARING on PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING and SHELTER CAPACITY I would like to begin by reminding you, Councilman Wells, that we discussed Permanent Supportive Housing on September 19th during the Winter Plan Hearing, due to the Winter Plan having not been ready at that time. At that time, I pointed out to you that people with serious drug problems were being housed through the fiasco known as “Housing First” and were abusing the system. I told you that I had not been offered housing though I’ve been at Franklin Shelter for over 3 years. (I have actually been homeless elsewhere for much longer.) You asked me whether or not I would accept housing if it were offered to me. I said, “Yes”. Well, I still haven’t been housed. However, those who still have d...

The following is my testimony that I read before Councilman Marion Barry (Ward 8) at a hearing on October 16th. The hearing had to do with DC Government's proposed elimination of the Housing Authority's waitlist, which some people have been on for over a decade while waiting for housing. I, Eric Sheptock, am against the elimination of the housing authority’s waitlist for a number of reasons, not the least of which is mismanagement by the Dept. of Human Services (DHS)of the Permanent Supportive Housing Program. It is my understanding that 350 housing choice vouchers were transferred from the Section 8 program to the Permanent Supportive Housing Program, the latter of which is a program that was designed to house DC’s chronic homeless population, ostensibly anyway. It is important to note that the mayor has not created any additional housing. He has essentially robbed Peter to pay Paul. To make matters worse, the voucher program is being managed much less efficiently after...