Have you subscribed to our newsletter? Subscribing to Street Sense will provide you with: -News about Homelessness & Housing -Ways to get involved -Any Street Sense news Subscribe today:)

People experiencing homelessness may spend a lot of their time at shelters and day centers. Read our next installment to learn about the different offerings and policies at these two important resources.

When D.C. closes an encampment, it documents the closure. Street Sense reviewed these documents and encampment hotline emails from 2024 to understand why the city focuses on encampments, which areas are targeted, and why people continue to live outside. https://bit.ly/4qqac4g

With federal funding for this year still up in the air, some programs in the DMV are scrambling to find the money to continue operations and provide housing services through the first few months of 2026. Read the full story at https://bit.ly/4tkGXT6

At the beginning of January, D.C.’s Deputy Mayor’s Office of Health and Human Services scheduled 25 homeless encampment closures — a sharp increase from recent months. Most closures were cancelled or rescheduled due to weather. https://bit.ly/3Oeay04

Encampments are the most visible form of homelessness. But what's the official definition, and how do cities approach them? Read the next installment of our guide on key homelessness terms to learn!

The founder of Casa Ruby — a former nonprofit resource center and shelter that housed and helped immigrant and LGBTQ youth in D.C. — was sentenced to 33 months in prison in January after she pleaded guilty to wire fraud. https://streetsensemedia.org/article/ruby-corado-gets-prison-time/

Mobile showers have arrived in D.C.! Pathway Homes, a nonprofit that provides housing and homeless services in Northern Virginia and D.C., is trying to improve homeless people's accessibility to showers with a new mobile unit. Read the full story at https://bit.ly/4sYEFIW

In our eighth installment of key terms relating to housing, learn about eviction, which can lead to homelessness, and diversion, which can steer some people away from it.

Winter weather update: An extreme cold alert has been issued until 7 a.m., Wednesday morning, with the city's hypothermia shelters set to be open 24/7 through Friday morning. If an emergency occurs or you see someone in need, call 911 or the shelter hotline at (202) 399-7093.

The seventh of our terms to know is Median Family Income, also known as Area Median Income. The MFI in your area sets eligibility and rules for many programs, including housing assistance and affordable housing developments.

The Continuum of Care and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness are federal initiatives aiding in providing housing and resources for people in need. In this installment of our series on terms to know, we'll explain exactly what they do.

In preparation for the upcoming Winter Storm Advisory, The Department of Human Services (DHS) has asked all hypothermia shelters to provide 24/7 care until Tuesday, 1/27 ahead of the upcoming weather, providing relief from the extreme temperatures.

D.C.’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) received an increase in budget, due to extra tax revenue, giving some tenants newfound hope. Read the full story at https://bit.ly/4a4IkgQ #SSM #DMVnews #ERAP

Access to healthcare is declining for many low-income and immigrant residents in the D.C area due to funding cuts resulting in new eligibility requirements. It's already putting some people's health at risk. https://bit.ly/4r1nIf9

Housing First is a term you'll hear a lot in discussions about ending homelessness. Here's what it really means.

Our third installment in homeless terms to know is the Point-In-Time-Count. Conducted each January, it's the nationwide census of people experiencing homelessness, though critics say it doesn't include everyone.

At least 78 people died while experiencing homelessness in D.C. over the last year, according to organizers of an annual vigil. The majority, 69, were matched to a housing resource, but were still sleeping outside or in shelters when they died. https://bit.ly/49rn8BG

Street Sense's second paper of the year is out now. Find a vendor to read about the community remembered the dozens of people who died while experiencing homelessness in 2025, and how some think those deaths can be prevented. 🗞️ 🗞️

The second installment in our series of terms to know is the first major national legislation responding to homelessness. Passed in 1987, it's still in effect today. Here's what it does.

One of our New Year's resolutions here at Street Sense is to help you understand homelessness a little better. So, we're publishing pieces of our glossary of terms to know when reading about housing, homelessness, and poverty, both in the paper and here.

For people living outside, the shift between extreme heat and cold is a compounding cycle that is difficult to survive. But that extreme weather is far from the only link between climate and homelessness, our latest article explains. https://bit.ly/49HVz6X

Our New Year's issue is out TODAY! Find a vendor to read about our plans for 2026, learn more about the programs and concepts essential to understanding homelessness, and read resolutions from our vendors. ✨

Today is the last day to donate to our year-end campaign to help us enter 2026 with funding to support our vendors, staff, and paper. We appreciate all our customers for their support throughout this past year, and hope we can count on you going forward! https://bit.ly/4auH73k

Street Sense's coverage and vendors rely on the support of our readers. We're asking our community to help us raise $175,000 to prepare us for big things in 2026. Read more and donate at https://streetsensemedia.networkforgood.com/projects/262724-2025-yearend-appeal.

Laticia Brock, Vendor #625, passed away this week. Words can fail us at moments like these. Read PWEEZY in her own words: https://streetsensemedia.org/staff_members/laticia-brock/

Thousands of Americans have full-time jobs and still can’t pay rent. But they’re a significant and revealing part of America’s homelessness crisis, Brian Goldstone argues in his new book, “There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America.” https://bit.ly/4b228Cs

Happy holidays from Street Sense! Vendors are still selling our holiday issue for another week, so make sure to find your vendor and thank them for their hard work this year. 🎁

Nestled between residential homes in D.C.’s Ward 8 lies a sanctuary for homeless LGBTQ+ youth. The Wanda Alson Foundation formerly offered housing in two single-family homes before consolidating into two dormitory-style buildings in Ward 8 last year. https://bit.ly/4jfYiYM

Thank you to everyone who purchased an in-kind donation for our vendors! Our Holiday Celebration was a tremendous success, in no small part thanks to the items you sent us. You, the customers, are an essential part of our community. Thank you and Happy Holidays!

On Dec. 10, the D.C. Council’s Committee on Health listened to public testimony on three bills, two of which could affect the unhoused community. Read more here: https://streetsensemedia.org/article/two-bills-improve-mental-health-and-substance-abuse/

Our new edition is out ! With holiday gift wrapping made out of our vendors’ art - get yours for the holidays!

After a protracted legal battle in late November, Victor Vsay Hucks and his makeshift antique store on Rhode Island Ave, "Victor's Treasures", are facing eviction. Read more here: https://streetsensemedia.org/article/victors-treasures-curbside-antique-store-facing-eviction/

City leaders didn’t fund new individual housing vouchers in this year’s budget, stripping away the hope of housing support for single homeless residents. Read more here: https://streetsensemedia.org/article/delays-subsidy-shortage-housing-voucher-homeless/

When the federal government reopened, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) quietly unveiled a major shift in how it plans to fund homelessness programs. Read more here: https://streetsensemedia.org/article/fed-shifts-from-permanent-housing/

In the first of two special holiday issues, you'll find gift wrap featuring designs by our vendors! Find your vendor over the next week to pick up a sheet (or two) to grace the goodies under your tree. 🎄

The first stories from our new vendor journalism fellowship are out now! Read stories from our journalists-in-training about food insecurity, mental health, and social work on our website now. https://streetsensemedia.org/article/freshfarm-helps-fight-food-insecurity/

Get your copy of our new ✨Holiday edition✨ ! Wrapping paper featuring the art of our vendors included !

The deadline to apply to our spring internship is TONIGHT !

D.C. did not see a spike in the number of people involuntarily admitted to area hospitals during the federal takeover, according to data from city agencies, despite concerns. Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/339fx22y

Come intern for us in the Spring ! Send your resume and 3 work samples to [email protected]

While D.C. residents received their November SNAP benefits earlier this month, that won’t be the end of the story as a region with “persistently high” food insecurity faces ongoing changes to the federally-funded program. Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/8ebnxb5c

Unhoused families in D.C. and Maryland face numerous obstacles when accessing affordable childcare, including programs with age restrictions, strict shelter rules, lack of transportation, and lack of long-term support. Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/4tv76f5c

The D.C. government is attempting to respond to long-standing concerns from residents in wealthier parts of the city about people exiting homelessness moving into their buildings. Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/ppemuxam

Street Sense is looking for winter/spring interns to help us report and write articles, design our paper, and run our social media accounts. Apply by Dec. 1 by sending a resume, cover letter, and three clips/work samples to [email protected]. https://bit.ly/4hW7wbs

A documentary following Street Sense vendor Sheila White will now be available for the community to watch! Catch it on WETA tonight, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m. or anytime after on WETA+ as part of the Community Voice Lab at American University series. https://bit.ly/47UVc8v

Despite a decrease in scheduled encampment closures, sweeps at the MLK Library downtown have caused uncertainty among those who frequently sleep outside it. “It makes everyone go like, ‘When they coming? When they coming around?’” Al Benny Morales said. https://bit.ly/4rb6fSi

D.C.’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) reopened this morning after being closed for over a year, transitioning from an online portal-based application system to an appointment-based system. Read more here: https://streetsensemedia.org/article/erap-reopens-nov20/

Street Sense Vendors are gearing up for winter. And our case management team REALLY needs hand warmers, gloves and toiletries. An in-kind donation goes a long way! https://tinyurl.com/WinterVendorNeeds (Let us know if you know an Amazon alternative.)

DC is debating whether to make DC Flex, a rent subsidy program the city has piloted since 2017, a permanent option for residents. DC Flex provides eligible low-income participants with a fixed annual subsidy that they can access for rent. Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/y5en4k9v