Amber W. Harding
@amberwharding.bsky.social
ED of Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. Views expressed are mine. More people need to have orange cat energy, imho.
In my decades of budget advocacy in DC, only a handful of budgets stand out for feeling anywhere near just or right, tbh. Flush and scarce times, it is rare to see electeds build a budget for this city in a way that really recognizes and responds to the need, without hiding behind trickle down econ.
July 13, 2025 at 11:49 PM
In my decades of budget advocacy in DC, only a handful of budgets stand out for feeling anywhere near just or right, tbh. Flush and scarce times, it is rare to see electeds build a budget for this city in a way that really recognizes and responds to the need, without hiding behind trickle down econ.
I don't think you can make those choices without thinking those DC residents are not like you, that you are not accountable to them, or that the residents are somehow less than. Because if you think they are like you, or you could be them, you would do everything you can to make sure they were ok.
July 13, 2025 at 11:49 PM
I don't think you can make those choices without thinking those DC residents are not like you, that you are not accountable to them, or that the residents are somehow less than. Because if you think they are like you, or you could be them, you would do everything you can to make sure they were ok.
But they care about other things more. Whether it is cops or econ dev 9r sports teams or whatever, their top priority is very very rarely making sure DC residents can meet basic survival needs. And that is so depressing.
July 13, 2025 at 11:49 PM
But they care about other things more. Whether it is cops or econ dev 9r sports teams or whatever, their top priority is very very rarely making sure DC residents can meet basic survival needs. And that is so depressing.
Every budget season we have conversations with electeds where they will say, for example, I care about immigrants having healthcare deeply, ending homelessness, homeless kids not being knowingly put at risk, etc..
July 13, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Every budget season we have conversations with electeds where they will say, for example, I care about immigrants having healthcare deeply, ending homelessness, homeless kids not being knowingly put at risk, etc..
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
We know
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social worked hard to find funding for these priorities. We are grateful for his efforts. But the remaining gaps are significant, and will result in immediate and irreparable harm to DC residents. We encourage the Council to increase revenue to meet these needs.
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social worked hard to find funding for these priorities. We are grateful for his efforts. But the remaining gaps are significant, and will result in immediate and irreparable harm to DC residents. We encourage the Council to increase revenue to meet these needs.
July 13, 2025 at 6:08 PM
We know
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social worked hard to find funding for these priorities. We are grateful for his efforts. But the remaining gaps are significant, and will result in immediate and irreparable harm to DC residents. We encourage the Council to increase revenue to meet these needs.
@chmnmendelson.bsky.social worked hard to find funding for these priorities. We are grateful for his efforts. But the remaining gaps are significant, and will result in immediate and irreparable harm to DC residents. We encourage the Council to increase revenue to meet these needs.
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
Some lowlights:
❌ Not enough ERAP
❌ No housing vouchers for individuals
❌ MORE families will be terminated from housing than will receive housing support
❌ Families will still be forced to share rooms in shelter with strangers
❌ Rights in rapid re-housing eviscerated
❌ Not enough ERAP
❌ No housing vouchers for individuals
❌ MORE families will be terminated from housing than will receive housing support
❌ Families will still be forced to share rooms in shelter with strangers
❌ Rights in rapid re-housing eviscerated
July 13, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Some lowlights:
❌ Not enough ERAP
❌ No housing vouchers for individuals
❌ MORE families will be terminated from housing than will receive housing support
❌ Families will still be forced to share rooms in shelter with strangers
❌ Rights in rapid re-housing eviscerated
❌ Not enough ERAP
❌ No housing vouchers for individuals
❌ MORE families will be terminated from housing than will receive housing support
❌ Families will still be forced to share rooms in shelter with strangers
❌ Rights in rapid re-housing eviscerated
Reposted by Amber W. Harding
Some highlights:
✅Increased ERAP and vouchers for families
✅Funding to expand non-congregate family shelter
✅Guardrails and restrictions on use of shared sleeping spaces for families (Subtitle K)
Thank you also to @cmfrumin.bsky.social for efforts here
✅Increased ERAP and vouchers for families
✅Funding to expand non-congregate family shelter
✅Guardrails and restrictions on use of shared sleeping spaces for families (Subtitle K)
Thank you also to @cmfrumin.bsky.social for efforts here
July 13, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Some highlights:
✅Increased ERAP and vouchers for families
✅Funding to expand non-congregate family shelter
✅Guardrails and restrictions on use of shared sleeping spaces for families (Subtitle K)
Thank you also to @cmfrumin.bsky.social for efforts here
✅Increased ERAP and vouchers for families
✅Funding to expand non-congregate family shelter
✅Guardrails and restrictions on use of shared sleeping spaces for families (Subtitle K)
Thank you also to @cmfrumin.bsky.social for efforts here
Interesting use of passive voice. Let me edit that quote for accuracy:
"We have to risk the safety of homeless kids in shelter because I decided to mass terminate thousands of families from rapid rehousing and, as expected, now there are more homeless families."
"We have to risk the safety of homeless kids in shelter because I decided to mass terminate thousands of families from rapid rehousing and, as expected, now there are more homeless families."
July 9, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Interesting use of passive voice. Let me edit that quote for accuracy:
"We have to risk the safety of homeless kids in shelter because I decided to mass terminate thousands of families from rapid rehousing and, as expected, now there are more homeless families."
"We have to risk the safety of homeless kids in shelter because I decided to mass terminate thousands of families from rapid rehousing and, as expected, now there are more homeless families."