On Wednesday, November 19, 2003 the District government posted notices at the Gales Shelter announcing the closure of the facility "no later than December 19, 2003." Over 150 homeless men and women currently reside at the Gales Shelter, which is located at 65 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.

The DC Department of Human Services plans to close Gales so that the building - a former public school - can be renovated for office space for a nonprofit. The District government plans to provide alternative shelter space for homeless men at a new facility at 1355-1357 New York Avenue, N.E., which is over two miles away from Gales. "With winter approaching, it is unconscionable for the city to close down shelter in such a critical location. Having places people can walk to from downtown is key to saving lives in the cold weather," said Mary Ann Luby, Outreach Worker at the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless.