A rendering of the proposed facility in Ward 3. See the whole presentation here.

A rendering of the proposed facility in Ward 3. See the whole presentation here.

By DCist contributor Cuneyt Dil

Following discord in Ward 3 over the proposed D.C. General replacement homeless shelter in their neighborhood, Councilmember Mary Cheh wants Mayor Muriel Bowser to study the option of using alternate sites.

As part of the mayor’s plan to close D.C. General, Ward 3 would get a 38-unit facility at 2619 Wisconsin Avenue NW, just north of Glover Park. Cheh expressed support for Bowser’s plan when it was unveiled in February and she remains in favor of the citywide effort, but she now wants the site selection process to be revisited.

“Many residents have been skeptical of the proposal to open a homeless family shelter in Ward 3,” Cheh wrote in her newsletter on Wednesday. “This has primarily been due to the lack of public engagement throughout the site selection process and concern that the current Wisconsin Avenue site was chosen over other, seemingly better suited, locations.”

The largest alternate site Cheh floats is 3320 Idaho Avenue NW, where the Second District Police Department sits. The site has approximately 200,000 square feet of District-owned land, with 48,000 square feet remaining for a potential shelter, according to Cheh.

Two other sites Cheh wants studied are 3101 Albemarle Street NW, the former Polish ambassador’s residence; and 4100 River Road NW, close to Tenleytown and site of The City Church. (The Albemarle Street site was considered in October, according to the Bowser administration, but it was an “unsuccessful negotiation.”)

Cheh writes that she has asked Bowser and the Department of General Services “to conduct a preliminary evaluation of these locations.” Her aim is to find the “most viable option,” perhaps splitting the shelter over two smaller sites. “Perhaps the Wisconsin Avenue site will remain the most viable option, but it would seem this can’t be confidently known without some analysis and comparative evaluation.”

The Bowser administration and the Department of Human Services have not yet responded to requests for comment.

Cheh’s request comes after weeks of opponents complaining about the cost of the plan and the sites chosen (Ward 5 has also come out strongly against their proposed site and suggested alternatives). In Ward 3, the currently vacant grassy plot of land on Wisconsin Avenue is zoned for three houses. Bowser’s plan requests zoning relief to build the 38-unit facility, which has drawn the ire of neighbors. About 60 residents staged a walkout at a meeting last week that was held to hear feedback on the facility’s proposed design. The Massachusetts Avenue Heights Citizen Association president, Paul Cunningham, called it “entirely unacceptable” before walking out with neighbors.

Critics also target the projected annual cost of operating the site. The Bowser administration estimates the District will pay $4,290,660 to lease and run the site in FY2018. Opponents point out that the per unit rent, at $4,400, is higher than many luxury apartments in the area. Bowser officials push back at that assessment, arguing the costs will fund vital wrap-around services to transition families out of homelessness. Planned services include social work staff; education, training, and employment; mentoring and tutoring; housing search assistance; and more.

Each facility could see 10-15 staff “at any one point in time, from case management, social workers, administrative and security staff,” a letter this week from City Administrator Rashad Young to Council Chairman Phil Mendelson says.

Filed Under: bowser, dc general, homeless plan, homelessness, mary cheh, ward 3,