Testimony of Shaune Smith, DC Action Context Team, before DC Council Committee on Human Services

Good morning, Councilmember Frumin. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on the performance of the Department of Human Services. My name is Shaune Smith, and I am a member of the DC Action Context Team.

Today, my testimony will cover my experiences with the Rapid Rehousing Program. I’m currently a mom of four. I was previously a young parent of two when I had twins at 17 years old. I experienced homelessness for two years in Washington, DC, when I first had my daughters.

As of last year, I was in the Rapid Rehousing Program, and was exited in September. The program is poorly set up, especially for me as a single parent, having to figure out what I would do when the program ends when the rents aren’t affordable. 

The way the program is set up doesn’t work because people feel forced to say they will be able to afford the rent after a year, when that isn’t enough time to figure it out, especially as a single parent. When I was in the Rapid Rehousing Program, the housing options that they set you up with were bad. Last summer, my children and I went the entire summer with no air conditioning. It feels like we have to accept the bottom-of-the-barrel options. 

I also had a bad experience with case management. I got a new caseworker every 3 months and had to explain my situation to them. It was a strain on me mentally to keep having to share my experience with a stranger who would then offer no help, and then sometimes I felt like they would question my parenting. 

At the end of the program, the exit process was really confusing. I was really surprised when they told me it was almost time for me to exit the program. At first it seemed like they were not going to help me, but I had to keep advocating for myself that I needed the support for myself and my kids. I know some people who had to go back to the shelter or got put out during their exit because they couldn’t afford the rent.  I finally got matched with another program for my exit, but it really felt like a never-ending cycle of needing support and not getting any. 

The program needs to better understand families’ financial circumstances and the barriers we face to getting an income that matches DC rents. They also need to have a better understanding of the units they are matching families with. Families should be placed to live safely and comfortably, and have essential amenities like air conditioning. Finally, the program must improve case management to communicate better and put in more effort overall.