TO KNOW THEM IS TO ... PROXIMITY TO SHELTERS AND SUPPORT FOR THE HOMELESS

Objective. Neighborhood resistance to the location of public facilitie s plagues local officials in their quest to find a place for power pla nts, incinerators, jails, clinics, foster homes, halfway houses, drug treatment centers, homeless shelters, and other facilities that are pr esumed to provide valuable services to the broader community. This art icle addresses the issue of whether proximity to existing community-ba sed facilities makes residents more likely to resist expanding the cit y's commitment to provide additional facilities. Methods. The study ex amines precinct level votes for and against a 1990 initiative, in Wash ington, D.C., that, if passed, would have guaranteed every homeless pe rson a bed for the night. These election returns are assessed in relat ion to the existing distribution of emergency shelters, shelter beds, and other community-based residential facilities throughout the city. Results. When other factors are controlled for, precincts with more ex posure to shelters were marginally more supportive of the extension of legislation making shelter for the homeless a basic right. Conclusion s. Even where high concentrations of facilities lead communities to pr otest their status as ''dumping grounds,'' residents' distress need no t translate into a rejection of the broader commitment to housing the homeless on an equitable, citywide basis. This may provide some mild r eassurance to those hoping to build community support for housing the homeless in decentralized community settings.