WASHINGTON – The plan to establish a homeless shelter in the parking lot of a police station in Ward 3 in the District has run into a lawsuit by a group of residents.
The D.C. Council approved a 50-bed shelter in the parking lot of the 2nd District Station, on Idaho Avenue, without consulting the Advisory Neighborhood Commission on the location, NBC Washington reports.
David Brown, a lawyer for the neighbors of the proposed shelter site, tells NBC Washington that they want to “go back to the drawing board and give the (Advisory Neighborhood Commission) an opportunity to presents its issues and concerns.” The suit adds that such input is required by D.C. law.
The shelter has been proposed under the 2016 Homeless Shelter Replacement Act, which aims to replace the D.C. General Family Shelter with a series of smaller shelters in each ward. In May, NBC Washington reports, the effort changed its goal from establishing shelters on private property to public property.
Mary Cheh, the Council member for Ward 3, tells NBC Washington that the ANC will get its chance to have input when the zoning change for the shelter is formally made.
