No one has authority in this country to decide who has a right to live in a jurisdiction and who doesn’t. No one can be banished from a jurisdiction. We will not stand by if the federal government attempts to abuse its power in this way.
Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
@washlegalclinic.bsky.social
327 Followers
62 Following
The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless envisions a District of Columbia in which housing is a human right, racial justice is a reality, and all people have true and meaningful access to the resources needed to thrive.
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The federal government does not have legal authority to disappear large groups of people because they cannot afford housing or because they are visibly homeless. They do not have the authority to force people to move out of the state or city they live in.
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People without homes have the same legal rights as anyone else in this country. They are protected from unlawful search and seizure by the government. Their property cannot be taken without due process. They have the right to travel, the right to choose which jurisdiction to live in.
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People without homes work, just like people with homes. They have families and they don’t. They vote or they don’t. They support Republican candidates, Democratic candidates, and third party candidates. They have a variety of personal, religious, and political beliefs. They are just people.
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People are not criminals or dangerous, by virtue of their unhoused status. People are struggling to afford rent and food in an expensive city. We should not have homelessness in our nation’s capital. But the path to ending homelessness is housing, not displacement.
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We are watching closely as the federal government broadcasts various threats to folks without homes in D.C. We want to be clear about a few things. 🧵
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@brianneknadeau.bsky.social @cmcharlesallen.bsky.social @cmchenderson.bsky.social @cmlewisgeorgew4.bsky.social @cmzparker5.bsky.social @cmbrookepinto.bsky.social @robertwhitedc.bsky.social @anitabondsdc.bsky.social
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We know @chmnmendelson.bsky.social worked hard to find funding for these priorities. We are grateful for his efforts. But the remaining gaps are significant, and will result in immediate and irreparable harm to DC residents. We encourage the Council to increase revenue to meet these needs.
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Some lowlights: ❌ Not enough ERAP ❌ No housing vouchers for individuals ❌ MORE families will be terminated from housing than will receive housing support ❌ Families will still be forced to share rooms in shelter with strangers ❌ Rights in rapid re-housing eviscerated
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Some highlights: ✅Increased ERAP and vouchers for families ✅Funding to expand non-congregate family shelter ✅Guardrails and restrictions on use of shared sleeping spaces for families (Subtitle K) Thank you also to @cmfrumin.bsky.social for efforts here