Thank you for being willing to have an open mind and intelligent conversation about this! Apparently that’s uncommon around here.

You’re right - Moving the sweep back wouldn’t resolve the issue at all. There’s been protests and petitioning for them to stop the sweep altogether since it was announced, but now the focus has shifted to at least giving them the original timeline promised.

I can’t imagine the DC govt, businesses, or residents would ever go for a solution like that. The cost of land is so high, and I imagine there would be a lot of businesses/residents upset that people are being “unfairly given” a place like that. I’d love to be wrong about that!

What this petition is for is by no means a perfect solution. It’s just asking for bare minimum fairness.

1/3 shorter - that’s a significant amount. “Almost all of us” (whatever that means) probably also have much more access to resources and options for places to go. where do you propose these people go?

That would be a great idea if there was housing available. Waiting lists for housing are years long.

That would be good in theory - but that’s really not how DC shelters work. Many are closed on weekends - as if homelessness is somehow only a weekday problem - and many people do not feel safe in shelters.

Three weeks notice to somehow try and move everything you own and find a new place to stay? In what world is that not little notice?

Residents received notice that it was moved from April to February last week. That’s little notice. Please read the post more clearly

1. Most people who live there have tents with their possessions inside. Tents provide shelter and warmth, and people’s clothes, blankets, etc are inside. When encampments are swept, their stuff is bulldozed (at worst) and just thrown away (at best). “Why don’t people take their stuff with them before they sweep the encampment?” How do you feasibly transport all of your belongings like that? And where would they go? Additionally, McPherson is a place where a ton of non profits distribute supplies, including warm clothes, hot meals, and hand warmers. People who don’t even live in McPherson will come there for services. Removal of the encampment will disrupt this crucial supply of resources.

2. That’s true, yeah. Don’t get me wrong, I love parks. But if that’s people’s only - or best - option as a place to live, that’s significantly more important than DC residents or visitors enjoyment of a park.