SHARC Event: MA’AM Movie And A Meal

Date: Tuesday, February 26th, 2013
Time: 1 to 4 PM
Place: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial library, Room A-5 (Ground Floor)
What: Show a movie, have discussion and share a meal.

“Promises to Keep”

A 58-minute documentary of the struggle by Mitch Snyder and many homeless people to have a vacant federal building converted into a homeless shelter

Highlight: A speech by and discussion with Charles Crews who is running for the DC Council at-large seat on a poverty platform. He will discuss what he can and will do for the homeless if elected and has recently experienced homelessness.

Background for discussion: The term in the covenant between Mitch Snyder and Ronald Reagan which requires DC Government to use the Federal City Shelter building to serve the homeless community sunsets in July 2016. Certain other terms of the covenant are ongoing. DC Government is being silent as to their plans for the property when they no longer have to use it to serve the homeless community; therefore, we should suspect that they might have plans to close it.

The way that the covenant is written, it allows the city to erect affordable housing for the homeless on the property, to renovate or to sell the property and use the proceeds to assist the homeless. With just under 3.5 years left, the homeless need to voice their concerns and demand 1 – that the city break its silence as to its plans in 2016 and 2 – that the city build at least 1,000 units of affordable housing on the parking lot (which is owned by CCNV) and then sell the building (which was deeded to the city) and part of the parking lot to cover the cost of construction.

Otherwise, in 2016 the homeless could end up with 100% of nothing!!!!!