Unhoused DC residents sometimes prefer living outside over staying in shelters. Here’s why (opens in new tab)

The original version of this article appeared in Street Sense’s April 22, 2026 edition. We’re publishing it here to highlight the perspectives of DC residents experiencing homelessness who opt not to stay in DC’s shelters. On any given day, there are more than 5,000 people experiencing homelessness in DC, and almost 800 of them live outside. Housed Washingtonians may not always understand why some people experiencing homelessness live in tents, encampments, or other arrangements outside, rath...