Mayor details plans to shut down DC General, open 8 new homeless shelters

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has announced a new plan that will close the District's largest homeless shelter by 2018 and open eight smaller ones across the city.

FOX 5 has previously shown the awful living conditions at D.C. General. For years, leaders have said they have wanted to close it and now they have a timeline.

Under the plan, each ward will have a shelter and here are the proposed locations:

- 2105-2107 10th Street, NW (Ward 1)
- 810 5th Street, NW (Ward 2)
- 2619 Wisconsin Ave, NW (Ward 3)
- 5505 Fifth Street, NW (Ward 4)
- 2266 25th Place, NE (Ward 5)
- 700 Delaware Ave, SW (Ward 6)
- 5004 D Street, SE (Ward 7)
- 6th Street & Chesapeake Street, SE (Ward 8)

However, residents nearby one of the proposed locations in Ward 1 are gearing up for a fight. This shelter is being planned for this location is an empty lot currently. But if you look around, there are some very expensive homes nearby.

One neighbor sent us a flyer that he plans to circulate asking neighbors to attend a community meeting held by the city this week. He is concerned about loitering and property values of their homes if the homeless shelter is built at this location.

We asked Mayor Bowser about residents who may not be happy with the location of these sites.

"We're sending a package to the council and there will be approvals required," said the mayor. "I wouldn't put something in front of a neighborhood that wasn't well thought out and that balance the needs for homeless neighbors and the community. I wouldn't do that."

These shelters will not be what you might expect. City officials said they will compliment neighborhoods. Some of the designs shown actually look more like condos. In one proposed location, there will even be what is described as verandas.

D.C. leaders say part of the plan is to make sure the buildings don't look like shelters, Ackland says.

One of proposed shelters even features a veranda.

How much will this cost? D.C. General cost $17 million a year to run. These new shelters will cost about $22 million.

Mayor Bowser said not only will these units take the residents at D.C. General, but also homeless people who are currently being placed in hotels.

Most of the council members signed on to the mayor's plan. Many said this is a fair way to share the responsibly and many people are also taking to Twitter to welcome these shelters.

The mayor's office plans to hold community meetings in all eight wards this Thursday at 6:30 p.m.