The Humanities Truck works with diverse populations to collect, create, interpret, and curate stories that can return to the communities they originated from and circulate throughout the DMV. As we confront a global pandemic, we aim to record social responses to COVID-19 by asking how individuals and communities across the metropolitan region are responding to the crisis by building and sustaining community networks. This platform serves as a space to share, document, and reflect upon our stories.
In partnership with the Humanities Truck Project, Eric Sheptock will offer regular reports and reflections on the impact that Covid-19 is having on those experiencing homelessness in Washington, DC.
From Sam Ford:
I asked your question at mayors. Newser. Their response was that’s the point to limit contact. They provide meals and snacks
I asked your question at mayors. Newser. Their response was that’s the point to limit contact. They provide meals and snacks
My response:
Thanks for asking. My sense is that, by the mayor not micromanaging things, she doesn’t know about policies or policy changes within DHS. There was not direct contact between those in quarantine and their store runners. I would Zelle (similar to Cash App) money to a friend who’d go to the store. A DHS employee with a face shield and gloves would receive the goods at the hotel and bring them up to me. That’s what they do at meal time anyway. With the process well established, there is no harm in bringing store items to those in quarantine. Besides, those entering quarantine don’t learn the rules until they arrive, at which time they might realize that they didn’t bring something that they can’t go 2 weeks without. Then what??? Thanks again.
Thanks for asking. My sense is that, by the mayor not micromanaging things, she doesn’t know about policies or policy changes within DHS. There was not direct contact between those in quarantine and their store runners. I would Zelle (similar to Cash App) money to a friend who’d go to the store. A DHS employee with a face shield and gloves would receive the goods at the hotel and bring them up to me. That’s what they do at meal time anyway. With the process well established, there is no harm in bringing store items to those in quarantine. Besides, those entering quarantine don’t learn the rules until they arrive, at which time they might realize that they didn’t bring something that they can’t go 2 weeks without. Then what??? Thanks again.
DC Mayor Bowser ‘s admin paid c. $2,160 to quarantine me @ a hotel for 10 days but won’t give me a COVUD-19 test. Hmmm.
Oddly enough, there are free test sites around town but no tests for those in government quarantine. Stranger yet, my job is providing porta-potties for those test sites. So, when I leave quarantine, I can go to 1 of these sites and get the test that I couldn’t get in government quarantine. Hmmm.
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DC Gov Department of Human Services Dysfunction before and During COVID-19 -- Part 1
Eric Sheptock lays out systemic failures in DC Government that have resulted in a dismal effort to decrease homelessness. DC had 8,253 homeless people in 2004 when a 10-year plan was devised for "ending" homelessness. In 2016 DC counted 8,350 homeless people -- 97 more than they started with. This is a glitch pattern.
Hopefully DC Gov will have enough institutional memory to recall that, more than 5 years after the economic downturn of 2008, they were still dealing with the effects thereof. Maybe they'll apply the lessons learned from the aftermath of the 2008 downturn to dealing with the 2020 downturn whose effects could linger until 2025. Sadly, we'd have to assume that they won't. After all, what we've learned from history is that we don't learn from history.
Eric Sheptock was contacted on November 20th, 2019 by an affordable housing agency. He began the process of getting connected to affordable housing. In mid-March 2020, DC began to implement COVID-19 measures. On April 30th, 2020, he was placed in quarantine due to having come in contact with a shelter resident who tested positive for COVID-19. Tomorrow (May 10th) he'll need to return to the same shelter; because, the housing agency is taking so long to come through. There are plenty of other systemic issues that need to be addressed. Have a look. -
DC Gov Department of Human Services Dysfunction before and During COVID-19 -- Part 2
Eric Sheptock lays out systemic failures in DC Government that have resulted in a dismal effort to decrease homelessness. DC had 8,253 homeless people in 2004 when a 10-year plan was devised for "ending" homelessness. In 2016 DC counted 8,350 homeless people -- 97 more than they started with. This is a glitch pattern.
Hopefully DC Gov will have enough institutional memory to recall that, more than 5 years after the economic downturn of 2008, they were still dealing with the effects thereof. Maybe they'll apply the lessons learned from the aftermath of the 2008 downturn to dealing with the 2020 downturn whose effects could linger until 2025. Sadly, we'd have to assume that they won't. After all, what we've learned from history is that we don't learn from history.
Eric Sheptock was contacted on November 20th, 2019 by an affordable housing agency. He began the process of getting connected to affordable housing. In mid-March 2020, DC began to implement COVID-19 measures. On April 30th, 2020, he was placed in quarantine due to having come in contact with a shelter resident who tested positive for COVID-19. Tomorrow (May 10th) he'll need to return to the same shelter; because, the housing agency is taking so long to come through. There are plenty of other systemic issues that need to be addressed. Have a look.
