As the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library celebrates Black History Month, it is being thrust to the forefront of the homelessness crisis. The public landmark is morphing into a safe haven for the homeless seeking refuge and shelter, particularly since affordable city housing has decreased. This year, the hub of all Washington D.C’s public libraries, located in the heart of Chinatown, is hosting a series of events throughout Black History Month, highlighting African American culture and honoring the lives and legacies of civil rights activists who helped improve social, economic and educational conditions for all African Americans in the United States. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library provides the public with numerous …show more content…
A statistic that led D.C Mayor Muriel E. Bowser to vow to manage the endemic homelessness in the city. The seriousness of the situation can be evaluated by anyone who roams the streets of the city, especially during winter, when homeless men and women amass in parks, Metro stations or any other places where they can stay relatively warm. Washington D.C. has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the United States, with 120 homeless people per 10,000 residents, keeping in mind that the national average is about 18. The council’s study also revealed a shortage of living-wage jobs which calls the attention to the lack of affordable …show more content…
Some of them even sleep alongside the library walls. Ed Sims, a homeless man who has been without a roof for almost a decade, said that spending the night next to the library building is more convenient for him, as he does not have to commute, and can start his day by using the library facilities. With the growing number of people in need of shelter, the city government is resorting to motel rooms outside the District, with entire families being placed in motels in the Maryland area. “If the weather allows it, I don’t mind sleeping outside. When you’ve been on the streets for 10 years, you get tough”, Sims, 61