The downtown Franklin School homeless shelter must remain open until Mayor Adrian Fenty demonstrates that every man staying there has been placed in safe and humane housing, the D.C. Council decided Tuesday.
The historic Franklin School at 13th and K streets NW has served as a 300-bed emergency men’s shelter since 2002.
Fenty announced earlier this year that he would shutter the shelter Oct. 1.
The administration started moving people out this summer, reducing the number of beds by roughly 70 in a matter of weeks.
The council voted unanimously Tuesday to require that the shelter remain open until Fenty proves, in writing, that no fewer than 300 homeless men are moved into “supportive housing” and provided social services.
Moving the homeless out of Franklin must be done in an “orderly, systemic and humane fashion,” said Council Chairman Vincent Gray.
“Those conditions will have to be met or Franklin will not be closed,” Gray said. “It’s just that simple.”
About a dozen demonstrators, protesting to keep Franklin open, briefly disrupted the council meeting and were escorted from the building.
