A new homeless shelter has opened in Foggy Bottom in Washington, D.C., and it is facing backlash from property owners and residents in the area.
The Aston is the first shelter in the district to take in couples and adult families regardless of their gender. All other shelters in the city would separate families according to their gender rather than accept them at one single location, but Aston keeps them together with a goal of allowing them better opportunities to rebuild.
It can house 50 residents but is expected to expand to a 100-resident capacity. A typical stay at the Aston is estimated to last one to three months before residents need to find permanent housing.
The Aston was…
