The morning after President Donald Trump posted on social media that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser must clean up homeless encampments or federal officials “will be forced to do it for her,鈥� Bowser told reporters she had been notified about the issue.
鈥淚 said, ‘Thanks for the notice, we鈥檒l take care of it,’鈥� Bowser told reporters during a Thursday morning event.
She didn鈥檛 specify where the encampment that she鈥檇 been contacted about was located, but said D.C. 鈥渞esponded to the location identified.鈥�
According to a group of tents at the E Street Expressway NW was slated to be cleared on Friday with many more happening throughout the rest of this month.
Asked if the District was acting at the behest of the president or if it was ramping up efforts to clear homeless encampments that dot parts of D.C., Bowser told reporters, 鈥淲e already have a ramped up effort. We already do.鈥�
D.C. keeps a list of encampments scheduled for clearing, but Bowser said, 鈥淲e operate on a schedule of notice, because that鈥檚 what has worked for us.鈥�
She added that D.C. works to avoid simply moving encampments to new locations.
Bowser said action isn鈥檛 taken until there are plans for housing for those living in encampments, and that takes 鈥渞epeated contact and trust-building until they come inside.”
鈥淜eep in mind that we鈥檙e talking about people who have a lot of hurdles and a lot of resistance to coming inside to safe housing,” she added.
When encampments pop up on federal lands, Bowser said that takes coordination with the National Park Service.
鈥淲e鈥檙e still here to help, so we鈥檙e not saying, ‘It鈥檚 you, it鈥檚 not us,’鈥� who should take charge of clearing residents and their tents from public land, she said.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
漏 2025 草莓传媒. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
