The D.C. Council is poised to tighten eligibility requirementsfor homeless residents seeking emergency shelter
Amber Harding
Amber Harding  a staff attorney at the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless   said  her  organization is arguing for multiple changes to the legislation  including requirements for proof of residency and the creation of a presumption  absent proof to the contrary  that anyone named as an occupant on a lease is ineligible for shelter.
 She  said both provisions would be especially burdensome for the young parents â commonly between the ages of 18 and 24 â who often seek shelter  since they may not have adequate documentation of where they live or may still be listed on leases at the homes of parents unwilling to host their families.
âThe purpose of the right to shelter is to prevent people from freezing to death â  Harding  said. With the current bill   she  added  âWe will guarantee that people will be left out on freezing nights who are D.C. residents and are eligible for shelter  just because theyâve put up these bureaucratic hurdles.â
Nadeau said the bill has evolved in a way that softens some of the original shelter eligibility rules proposed by the mayor. It now includes a provision that shelter applicants would meet the residence requirement if they are already receiving certain other D.C. government benefits for the poor   she  said. The bill has also been modified to require only one proof of residency  rather than the original two   she  said.
âWhen we say that we canât keep spending $80 000 a night . . . itâs not because we donât want to support the people in hotels â  she  said. âItâs because we want a better intervention for them. We can spend $80 000 a night in so many ways that help people more.â
[TGT] said   [TGT]   organization is arguing for multiple changes to the legislation  including requirements for proof of residency and the creation of a presumption  absent proof to the contrary  that anyone named as an occupant on a lease is ineligible for shelter.
  [TGT]   said both provisions would be especially burdensome for the young parents â commonly between the ages of 18 and 24 â who often seek shelter  since they may not have adequate documentation of where they live or may still be listed on leases at the homes of parents unwilling to host their families.
âThe purpose of the right to shelter is to prevent people from freezing to death â   [TGT] said. With the current bill    [TGT]   added  âWe will guarantee that people will be left out on freezing nights who are D.C. residents and are eligible for shelter  just because theyâve put up these bureaucratic hurdles.â
Nadeau said the bill has evolved in a way that softens some of the original shelter eligibility rules proposed by the mayor. It now includes a provision that shelter applicants would meet the residence requirement if they are already receiving certain other D.C. government benefits for the poor   she  said. The bill has also been modified to require only one proof of residency  rather than the original two   she  said.
âWhen we say that we canât keep spending $80 000 a night . . . itâs not because we donât want to support the people in hotels â  she  said. âItâs because we want a better intervention for them. We can spend $80 000 a night in so many ways that help people more.â