D.C. Council approved a plan Tuesday to close the large and aging D.C. General homeless shelter and open new sites in almost every ward.
The plan would house homeless people in new family shelters built in almost every ward on public-owned land.
Mayor Muriel Bowser had originially proposed closing D.C. General and building shelters on privately owned land. Council changed the plan to build the new shelters on land that was owned by the city; that could save taxpayers more than $100 million, according to D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson.
But the mayor has contended it will delay closure of D.C. General.
The change led to a heated battle that included the mayor cursing at the council chair, a WAMU reporter Martin Austermuhle had reported.
"You're a f---ing liar! You know it can't close in [2018]!" the mayor shouted, according to a tweet from Austermuhle.
