NW Shelter Closes Despite Opposition

Friday was moving day for residents and staff at a Northwest D.C. homeless shelter, but the people who have called the Franklin School Shelter on 13th and K Streets home are not going quietly.

The shelter, which housed up to 300 men at one point, closed days before the October 1 deadline set by D.C. Mayor Adrien Fenty.

"Mayor Fenty is supposed to be the mayor of everybody, not just the wealthy, not just the middle class, everybody," said shelter resident John McDermott.

In fact, many who work and live in the neighborhood questioned the move by the Fenty administration. "I am concerned with it being so close to winter; the weather is already changing," said Blaire Jones, a D.C. Resident.

"It is unethical to kick these people out if they have nowhere to go," said David Win, a D.C. resident.

A person dressed as the grim reaper protesting the death of the shelter greeted the mayor across town at an unrelated groundbreaking. Protesters also circled the Wilson Building and then tried to get to his office.

Fenty, however, says the plan was to find actual homes for the homeless, not just shelter. "If we are really serious about ending homelessness, and we really care about people's lives then we'll find homes for them," said Mayor Fenty.

The city council, concerned the men weren't all placed in apartments, unanimously passed a bill to stop the closing of the shelter. The mayor has until Tuesday to sign or veto the bill, but the shelter was closed anyway.

"It's shocking and we don't have any information about where people have gone," said Council Chairman Vincent Gray.