Claas Ehlers Speaks to Washington Post About D.C. Shelter Policies

March 15, 2021

Washington Post: The pandemic helped D.C. slash family homelessness. But a new crisis looms.

This week The Washington Post published an article discussing how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way Washington, D.C. assists families experiencing homelessness.

The article describes changes to D.C.’s shelter system that have reduced the number of families currently without housing, but with the end of eviction moratoriums looming, it is unclear how much of a rise in need for shelter the city will see in the coming months.

Family Promise CEO, Claas Ehlers, spoke with The Washington Post about this topic and the trauma families typically experience while living in shelters.

“You’re dealing with families at a high time of stress and trauma — it’s not necessarily the time for heavy programming,” said Claas Ehlers, chief executive of Family Promise, which works with more than 200 shelter programs.

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