DC’s Unhoused Face Shifting Landscape as Police focus on Crime
The recent mobilization of federalized DC police has raised concerns among the city’s unhoused population, particularly regarding potential arrests for sleeping on federal property, common in areas like Dupont Circle.
“I sleep sitting up,” says 66-year-old Larry, worried about potential arrest.
This situation echoes a 2024 Supreme Court decision that allowed Grants pass,Oregon,to penalize unhoused individuals for outdoor sleeping,despite shelter bed shortages. In DC, this vulnerability is further magnified by a lack of sufficient shelter spaces.
Larry,like many,adapts to these circumstances. He avoids lying down, opts for daytime naps, and remains vigilant to evade legal complications. Jesse Rabinowitz of the National Homelessness Law center points out a severe shortage of shelter beds in DC, essentially leaving the unhoused with limited options.
While many unhoused individuals support enhanced law enforcement to address violent crimes, they fear being unjustly targeted. Henry Johnson,selling newspapers,expressed this sentiment,emphasizing the need to differentiate between violent offenders and the broader unhoused community in the summer heat.
Experts highlight that unhoused people are often victims of violence at rates far exceeding the general population. Wassenich of Miriam’s Kitchen advocates for targeted policing of hazardous individuals and for allowing those who are not to get help.
Despite concerns,DC police have not yet announced any arrests solely based on an individual’s housing status. However,displacement remains a real concern.Wassenich anticipates that the unhoused will scatter, making it harder for organizations like Miriam’s Kitchen to provide assistance. The act of removing encampments only shifts the problem, not solves it, he concludes.
