Calvary Women's Services Responds To Requests For Transparency... Covers Windows

Calvary Women's Services continues their communication blackout as it relates to their Good Hope Rd homeless shelter (what they are calling "Good Hope Kitchen"). After taking some interior shots of the building earlier in the week I was surprised to see that the building's storefront windows have been covered (after all this is a commercial corridor). Considering Calvary's oversight to notify anyone in Ward 8 of their interest in the building before they purchased and their continued refusal to meet with the community after they finalized the deal, this seems par for the course.

No peeking

As construction continues, word is spreading throughout Ward 8 about Calvary's  plans to put a fifty bed homeless shelter right on Anacostia's main street, a street that finally seems to be making some progress.  Needless to say, residents and business owners continue to be outraged, perplexed, and frustrated by the absurdness of  it all. Yesterday I spoke to a business owner who was contemplating opening an eatery in Anacostia. When I told him about the plans to put a homeless shelter on Good Hope Rd, right across from the new DHCD building,  he was shocked. He then told me in no uncertain terms what we all already know, "no one is going to open a restaurant next to a homeless shelter."  He was not alone in his skepticsm. Today I was talking to a job placement counselor in Anacostia and she too expressed shock and dismay at plans to open a homeless shelter right on the main street. Why? Because in order to be able to hire people locally we have to have a viable commercial district to support jobs and as she pointed out, "we already have enough people loitering on the sidewalk," from the methadone clinic across the street, the AA building next door, and the other social services programs on the block. What sense does it make to add more when what we desperately need is more economic development?

And that is the question that I asked Council Member Marion Barry on Twitter and last night he finally gave me a response:

I know everyone keeps saying that at this point the shelter is a done deal so just live with it but I am still not convinced all hope is lost. You don't do the wrong thing (in this case sneak around and then exclude the community) and be rewarded for it. There is a reason why there are supposed to be community meetings for this type of thing, there is a reason why organizations are supposed to contact the local Advisory Neighborhood Commission, and there are reasons that constituents are supposed to be able to appeal to their elected officials for action and support.

Building Plan Review Status

Project Information

• Application ID: B1110169
• Date filed: 8/10/2011
• Address: 1217 [ - 1219 ] GOOD HOPE RD SE
• Agent: SHEBA MAJOR, (240) 216-5179

Application Status

Please see the table below for review statuses. The table is not shown if the reviews have not been identified. 

A blank Status date means that the initial review has not been completed.

Discipline	Review Status	Status Date
Electrical Review	Electrical Review Approved	9/2/2011
Fire Review	Fire Review Approved	11/3/2011
HPRB Review	HPRB Review Approved	9/8/2011
Mechanical Review	Mechanical Review Approved	11/17/2011
Plumbing Review	Plumbing Review Approved	11/17/2011
Structural Review	Structural Review Approved	11/29/2011
Zoning Review	Zoning Review Approved	9/28/2011

Issue Permit

Permit Issued

12/1/2011

I understand Calvary has its supporters and I understand they may do good works but that does not (and should not) excuse their behavior in this situation. They should know better. How can you be advocates for the disenfranchised while disenfranchising an entire community be refusing to acknowledge them? At the very least those are not the actions of a good neighbor.

It is however certified triple-platinum tomfoolery.

Anacostia may not have the resources (yet) to wage the type of legal and political objection that more affluent and connected D.C. communities are able to engage, but that does not make our community any less important or any less deserving of respect. Ward 8 should not the dumping ground of social service agencies everywhere. We have homes, businesses, and hopes for a better future.

This may be a "done deal" but we are going to put up one hell of a fight.

If you would like to help persuade Calvary to finally meet with the community to discuss their plans please contact them. You can find their contact information HERE.

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