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Van Ness homeless encampment set for removal Wednesday

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Van Ness homeless encampment, May 2020

The Van Ness homeless encampment at 4250 Connecticut Avenue will be removed by the city on Wednesday, May 27th.

Encampment removals are a cross-agency effort that spring into action once the deputy mayor for Health and Human Services receives a report from the Department of Human Services and Department of Behavioral Health. These agencies send staff who determine what services the residents need and complete an assessment. If the site is determined to be a formal encampment, the countdown to removal begins.

Signs are posted giving two weeks’ notice to the people living there.

During that two-week period, staff from the Department of Public Works, the Metropolitan Police Department and the above agencies continue the engagement process to ensure the residents are provided needed services. The day of the cleanup, the residents are offered the opportunity to place the items they wish to keep in storage. Allowed items include a tent, a functional bicycle, and anything that fits inside two 40 gallon storage containers. The residents have access to free storage space for up to 60 days.

Any items the residents have not removed themselves are removed from the location and, for the most part, disposed of. Exceptions include medications, personal photos and important personal documents. More information about this process can be found here.

Encampments have appeared and been removed at 4250 Connecticut Avenue before. The January 2019 removal is but one case. UDC, which now owns the building, will place large planters in the alcoves immediately after the Wednesday cleanup.

Comments

  1. While it is unfortunate to see this once again needs to happen, we have been at Park Connecticut for 10+ years and have observed the removal of Mr. Bigan’s collection many times. There appear to be three people in the space now and one major concern is the food being put out by Mr. Bigan for birds (we assume). DC has a well documented rat problem and leaving food in open containers around his encampment seems a problem in the making.

  2. It is time already to take the most vulnerable people to some place where they can have shelter.
    Also, due to the pandemia, they are getting worse. Hopefully that block will be cleaned and monitored. I have lived in the neighborhood for many years.
    Thanks

  3. Thank you. These people need help and this is one step towards that. We cannot ignore them. It is not safe or sanitary to accumulate so much stuff there. Especially during the current pandemic.

  4. This a a continuing problem. I am grateful it is being addressed again. Is there anything to prevent this? It seems to happen when the building is unoccupied.

  5. This is a repeat issue. I am sure the homeless will be back, in no time, to the same place even with the planters. This process has happened before, the issue does not get resolved except for short periods.

  6. The clean up and planters will be a temporary solution. They will be back, they always come back, even with planters.

  7. The homeless have simply moved a block South in front of Starbucks and the metro entrance. It seems we should come up with a long-range plan. It will require some hard, diligent, and persistent work but that is what we do to keep everyone safe. No more Band-Aids. It’s a public health issue as well as a social problem.

    • Barbara,

      I couldn’t agree with you more on coming up with a long-range plan for this encampment that benefits the residents living there and the surrounding community.

      To that end, we in the early stages of working with area stakeholders including Van Ness Main Street, UDC, City staff, and a non-profit organization that works with homeless residents at their
      encampments in this part of DC. As you state, it will require hard work and diligence, as well as active participation from the stakeholders above. Feel free to reach out to me as you (and others) have questions on this effort.

      David Cristeal
      [email protected]

      • Thank you for your work an attention. If you need any help in the process I would be willing to assist.

  8. Thanks for your work. Is there a plan to relocate the homeless in front of the metro and Starbucks on Connecticut Ave.? This cannot be good for the spread of covid. They moved one block south of the last move on May 27.

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