One of the oldest and most prominent homeless shelters in the Washington DC area is the DC General. Located in Southeast, the shelter has been facing major issues with being unsafe for its residents. Besides the old age of the building and some structural issues that it faces, its immediate surrounding is also in unpleasant conditions. Considering that there are children who currently, and will, live here it is important to study the existing conditions of DC General and begin to think about possible ways to at least make its surrounding environment better and safer.

DC General Family Shelter is one of the oldest and most prominent shelters in Washington DC. In 2007 this repurposed hospital was chosen to temporarily house the families in need; however, almost a decade later, there are a few hundred families that are sheltered here 365 days a year. Despite the efforts of the City, the building itself, including its surroundings, cannot afford a well-established life for the residents. Luckily, as of early 2015, it has been decided that this shelter will be closed and replaced by 8 different shelters throughout the city.

Besides these efforts, it is worthwhile to study and investigate the existing conditions, challenges, and opportunities of DC General in order to create safer, better, and more beautiful environments for future shelters in the City and beyond.