The Aston Homeless Shelter In D.C. Offers Semi-Private Housing
Nov. 25, Mayor Muriel Bowser, cut the ribbon on Washington D.C’s newest homeless shelter, The Aston.
The structure for The Aston was dormitories owned by George Washington University. The city purchased the property in August 2023 for $27.5 million. The Department of General Services then completed a full renovation. The layout of the building allows a non-congregate or semi-private living experience for inhabitants.
Laura Green Zeilinger, director of D.C.’s Department of Human Services, stated that the ability of families and couples to be housed together creates stability and “improvements in physical and behavioral health.”
Mayor Bowser and other city officials are attempting to get more unhoused residents off the street and streamline transition services from The Aston to permanent housing.
The Mayor celebrated the opening of The Aston in an X post, reaffirming her commitment to serving the unhoused population in a respectful manner.
“When we get people into dignified shelter we can get them into individualized case management. Then, we can get them into permanent housing quickly. That’s what will happen at The Aston. We’re not just celebrating a building — we’re celebrating services that we’ll provide.”
The Aston serves the adult unhoused population, families with adult children, couples, and long-term unhoused residents.
WUSA9 spoke with some of The Aston’s new residents to get their impressions.
Petro Bemah expressed his gratitude for the facility after being released from a substance abuse program.
“It’s like taking a first breath,” he said. “You get to focus on your health and take care of your health better. And a lot of us that have kids out here; we get a chance to get back into our family’s lives.”
Bemah is not the only unhoused resident in D.C. that can use assistance.
According to the 2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment, chronic homelessness has doubled since 2007. The city is now one of the four states that account for 50% of the U.S.’s unhoused population.
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