Change to Mayor's Homeless Plan Leads to an F-Bomb

The debate over where to house the District's homeless after the large and aging D.C. General shelter closes apparently led to a tense moment this afternoon between the district's top two leaders.

D.C. Council gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a plan that would house homeless people in new shelters built in almost every ward on public-owned land. 

That new plan, which News4 first reported last week, radically alters what Mayor Muriel Bowser had proposed, which was to build new shelters on land that was privately owned.

The new council plan would save taxpayers more than $100 million, according to its author, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson.

But the mayor contends it will delay closure of the troubled D.C. General shelter. 

Reporter Martin Austermuhle at WAMU says the Council vote led to Bowser shouting the F word at the council chairman, calling him a liar.

"You're a f---ing liar! You know it can't close in [2018]!" the mayor shouted, according to a tweet from Austermuhle.

News4 reached out to the mayor's office, which declined to comment.

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