Statement on Encampment Closures

Everyone Home DC urges our leaders to lead with patience and end encampment closures in Washington, DC. We know that the answer to homelessness is housing. We also know that moving people into housing takes time. We must have patience and trust in our system as we collectively work to implement the housing resources that have been allocated to end homelessness in our city. 

Our current homelessness crisis did not happen overnight, nor should we expect it to be solved overnight. Clearing encampments is not a solution. In fact, it hinders our efforts to find actual suitable solutions for all of our residents experiencing homelessness. Displacing people from encampments sets back our community’s efforts by breaking connections and trust. We must have patience and compassion for those whose trust we do not yet have. But most people are eager to be housed. Let’s work together to get people housed instead of urgently displacing people living outdoors.