DC Mayor Muriel Bowser on Thursday, July 14 cut the ribbon on the city’s first shelter designated to serve residents who identify as LGBTQ+.
The 40-bed shelter, which is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), will provide accommodation and other services for unaccompanied LGBTQ+ individuals who are at least 25 years and experiencing homelessness.
“We are proud to cut the ribbon on a shelter that embodies our DC values as well as our commitment to making homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring,” Bowser said in a statement.
“With this new facility, we’re breaking down barriers to shelter, building community, connecting residents with the trauma-informed services they need to live healthy, happy lives, and getting Washingtonians back on a path to permanent housing,” she added.
DC’s first LGBTQ+ Adult Shelter 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️#DCValues pic.twitter.com/pgOSsLcY3n
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) July 14, 2022
Mental health, substance abuse treatment, medical, and victims’ services, education, housing, employment, will be provided as part of the “trauma-informed case management services” at the shelter.
Services will also be designed in a culturally specific way for the LGBTQ+ community, taking into consideration their unique challenges regarding income and housing.
“We are committed to providing safe, welcoming shelter to District residents and this program is an important milestone in the reform of our single adult shelter programs,” said Laura Green Zeilinger, Director of Department of Human Services (DHS).
“We’ve put a tremendous amount of thought and intention into providing trauma-informed programs and low-barrier apartment-style shelter to LGBTQ+ adults that affirms dignity, acceptance, and belonging. I’m grateful to the LGBTQ+ community for making their voices and needs heard and I’m grateful to the Mayor for her continued investment in our homeless services continuum.”