WASHINGTON — The D.C. region got a real taste of winter Saturday night, just as the city began to open its winter homeless shelters.
Questions remain on how to deal with a sharp increase of homeless families that will need to come in from the cold.
D.C. councilman Jim Graham, who also chairs the city’s Human Services Committee, says he’s very concerned. This year, nearly 100 more families will seek shelter than last year.
The city is legally obligated to shelter the homeless when the temperature falls to 32 degrees or below.
This year, Graham says, 840 families will need to use the winter shelters, but there are only 409 units available. Right now, Graham continues, the city’s budget for the homeless is short by more than $10 million.
“This city has a billion dollars plus in its savings account,” Graham says. “It’s just we have to get the money allocated for this purpose.”
He’s hoping the mayor will provide some information on how the city will deal with the situation. “It’s just a matter of the mayor to telling them where the money will come from to cover the cost,” Graham says.
D.C. officials say they are well prepared for the winter surge in homeless families, according to a recent Washington Post report.
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