Advocates and the homeless gather outside of Muriel Bowser’s office.

Less than a week before the Council is set to take its first and only vote on the city’s budget, advocates concerned about the growing inequality in D.C. gathered in the Wilson Building to make the case for their funding recommendations.

More than 150 people visited Council offices Friday as part of an effort by the Fair Budget Coalition to ask members to direct funds in ways they say will help end the growing inequality in D.C. Campaign organizer Janelle Treibitz said it’s been “heartening” to hear many Councilmembers express concern about inequality, but “the problem is that it’s a very tight budget.”

She cited Vincent Orange’s plan to add over $1.6 million to a film incentive fund by taking money from adult job training and youth employment, a move opposed by other Councilmembers including David Grosso. “We’re hoping he’s one person who can step up and find money for adult education,” Treibitz said.

“As you have the growing cost of living, the skyrocketing housing prices, folks who have been here in low and even moderate wages don’t have the resources to support a family in the District,” she said. “So either you’re going to chase out thousands of D.C. residents … or you’re going to end up with people holding on and ending up homeless.” Both of these things are already happening, she said.

Of their many recommendations [PDF], the Fair Budget Coalition is asking the Council to support a progressive tax system.

A budget roadmap advocates say will prevent a similar family homelessness crisis next winter has largely not been funded, save for $2.3 million the Committee on Human Services identified for Permanent Supportive housing. During Chairman Phil Mendelson press briefing this morning, he indicated that the Council had also identified $600,000 for D.C. General case managers, $2 million for prevention and $3 million for Local Rent Supplement Program Tenant vouchers. (The Washington Legal Clinic is seeking $10 million for LRSP.)

“It’s not even the ideal of what most advocates or homeless folks really want,” Treibitz said. “It’s the absolute minimum that would need to happen to prevent the type of crisis that we’re seeing.”

Friday’s event was co-sponsored by several Councilmembers, meaning they would lend support and ideally attend the action. But just David Grosso and Anita Bonds came to the event to address the advocates.

People in attendance broke into groups — adult education, housing, youth issues, etc. — to visit each Councilmember’s office. The housing group first visited the office of Councilmember Muriel Bowser, who was not in. Two members of Bowser’s Legislative Counsel listened and took notes as people directly affected by the lack of funding spoke.

“If we’re getting funding, why is it not helping us?” one woman asked.