D.C. hits record eviction levels

Melvine Perkins has spent years trying to pull herself out of poverty — working temp jobs, applying for rental aid, and doing everything she can to stay in housing. But in a city where rent costs outpace wages and housing assistance often runs dry, each step forward seems to push her two steps back. Now, after years of fighting to stay in her one-bedroom apartment, she’s again facing eviction.

“It's just by the grace of God that I have the mental bandwidth to not crash and burn. I'm telling you I have been through it,” she told The 51st.

Perkins isn't alone: Last year, completed evictions in the District rose to record levels, with 1,869 households removed from their homes under a court order. That rise marked the largest increase since before the pandemic, according to new data obtained and analyzed by The 51st, Street Sense Media, and American University’s Investigative Reporting Workshop.

And these trends show no signs of slowing down: While final numbers won't be available until early next year, average monthly evictions are the highest they’ve been in six years.

Investigative, collaborative accountability reporting like this is why we founded The 51st. We hope you get the chance to read, and we hope it makes a difference.

– Abigail

This article is part of The 51st's contribution to the D.C. Homeless Crisis Reporting Project. In this special edition of The Read Line, we're highlighting some other contributions from this week:

• Despite a decline in the overall number of people experiencing homelessness in D.C., the number of homeless LGBTQ youth rose from 28% to 37%.  [The Blade]
• Homelessness in neighboring Montgomery County also increased significantly – possibly because of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s aggressive approach to policing homelessness. [Greater Greater Washington]
• Meanwhile, the Trump Administration is trying to block jurisdictions from receiving grant funding for housing if they don't support his policies. This group sued to stop them. [Street Sense]
• D.C.’s first shelter providing semi-private rooms instead of open bunks has been a success. But local ANC commissioners say it could shelter nearly twice as many people if Councilmember Pinto would champion more funding. [GW Hatchet]
• The city's second dorm-style shelter opened last month, originally planned for November of 2024. It should eventually shelter up to 190 people. [Street Sense]

You can find every story from the project at bit.ly/DCHCRP. 

ICYMI: The constant presence of "Alan's Oasis" in Brightwood Park

We amplified this feature from Street Sense in yesterday's newsletter:

For 1,250 days, Alan has given out free water at a busy Brightwood intersection

He’s built a community that stood up for him when the threat of eviction loomed.

The 51stAlaena Hunt