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Directors, union and witnesses call for joint response to safety, homelessness and staff trauma around MLK
Summary
DCPL told the committee that sleeping encampments and related health and safety problems on the MLK Library loggia have overwhelmed local responses; the agency proposed a G Street working group and emphasized the need for multi‑agency cooperation and better incident reporting and post‑incident supports for staff.
Director Richard Reyes Gavilan described a recurring situation outside MLK Library where 60–80 people experiencing homelessness camp in the loggia, sometimes generating disorder and risks that staff struggle to address alone: "On any given night, 60 to 80 people experiencing homelessness in camp under the library Loggia," he told the committee, and said a citywide multi‑agency response is needed. DCPL proposed launching a G Street working group with DHS, MPD, Downtown BID and neighborhood representatives to address sheltering, public safety and sanitation issues.
Union testimony and other witnesses pressed for reliable incident reporting: Yonah Bramber Gaber gave an example in which a December death at MLK was not reported to the Office of Risk Management for months, which delayed workers' compensation claims and care for staff. The committee asked DCPL to confirm that incidents are entered into the eRisk system and to clarify staffing and supports for public‑safety officers and mental‑health specialists.
