Yesterday, we learned that the lawsuit filed to stop the purchase of the Aston was withdrawn. This is great news and means DC is one step closer to opening an innovative, needed non-congregate shelter in Ward 2. 

This, combined with last week’s successful purchase of the Aston, is a huge deal and shows that our advocacy has power. While we anticipate additional legal barriers and roadblocks, we wanted to take a moment to thank you for your ongoing outpouring of support for the Aston, which will help our neighbors experiencing homelessness work towards housing from the safety and stability of their own bed. 

Big picture: DC still off track to end homelessness  

Recent reporting from the Washington Post shows that just 16% of single adults experiencing homelessness received a housing resource in 2022.  At the same time, the data show that DC has made marked progress reducing homelessness for families and veterans, with 80% and 45% receiving housing resources respectively. We need your help to continue to shine a light on the dire need for housing resources for all our neighbors, not just families and veterans.  

Housing ends homelessness. Unfortunately, despite our advocacy, DC continues to fall far short of commitment to end chronic homelessness.  

Rally Recap  

Thank you to the over 150 supporters who joined us last week as we rallied to show our support for the Aston. In response to wealthy, anonymous neighbors who hired law firms to prevent neighbors experiencing homelessness from accessing shelter, we gathered as a community, publicly, to show that Ward 2 welcomes all. You can check out coverage of our rally from the Washington Post and DC News Now.  

Click here to see pictures and videos from the rally.  

What’s next 

Please make sure that we have your current address information and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram for up-to-date action alerts.