WASHPO: Congress Heights residents want probe of SE youth facility

Photo Courtesy of the Washington City Paper

Including excerpts from today's Washington Post article, Congress Heights residents want probe of SE Youth Facility,  about the Peaceoholic "project" at 1300 Congress St SE (I say "project" because so far I've heard 6 different stories from the Peaceoholics on their plans) and the community's opposition to the project (which is still unclear what the project will be) and which appears to violate DC law regarding clustering of special needs residential facilities.

Commissioner Seegars and concerned citizens have asked for an inquiry into not only the Peaceoholics plans for 1300 Congress Street but how they received over 4.4 million dollars from the city in a no-bid contract. Reminder: Commissioner Seegars will be a guest this morning on The Politics Hour (89.3FM) with Jonetta Rose Barras at 11:30am.  Tune in!

Go HERE to read the full Washington Post article.
Go HERE to sign the petition against the illegal "clustering" of group homes/independent living facilities/rehabs/etc.

[RESIDENT ISSUES]

Residents said they contacted various city agencies because their community has plenty of programs and group facilities to help those less fortunate and does not need another. Another such facility would violate D.C. laws, they said.



"Five agencies on one corner. What other neighborhood would they allow that to happen?" asked Tonette Sivells, who lives next door to 1300 Congress St. SE, a building being renovated by Peaceoholics. "They just dump them here."

[REQUEST FOR A CITY COUNCIL HEARING]

Sivells, an opposition organizer, requested a full inquiry Tuesday by the D.C. Council into the Department of Housing and Community Development for not requiring a competitive bid for the project's funding, not properly notifying the community and not enforcing the city's 500-foot required distance between existing and new facilities, among other complaints.

D.C. Council member Michael A. Brown (I-At Large) and his staff have been working this week to get all parties to meet.

[THE PEACEOHOLICS FUNDING]

Peaceoholics received a $4.4 million loan in May 2009 from the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development to acquire the Congress Street property and two others in Northeast Washington, Angelita Colón-Francia, a department spokeswoman, said in a statement.

[THE ANC'S RESPONSE]

Sandra SeegarsPeaceoholics, has asked a myriad of government agencies, including the FBI and the D.C. auditor, to look into Peaceoholics and the purpose and funding behind 1300 Congress St. SE.