. >> reporter: jim gram is the former head of d.c.'s homeless services committee charged with the oversight of the shelter. >> there's families that let them down. takes two hands to clap. i am sure family members were clapping, bearing part of their responsibility. there was a responsibility by the d.c. government not met. >> reporter: after relisha went missing he held hearings. >> there's a lot involved, but the bottom line is we failed. >> reporter: he found incident reports and four staff members fired for inappropriate relationships with residents. >> when are we going close this thing. the former director said d.c. secretary-general is dead. >> i made it clearly the end of september the mayor would have a plan from my office to close d.c. general. >> reporter: it culminated in a promise to shut the shelter. a year later, it is still open, home to 200 families. >> there were rats, roaches. things like toilet tissue and soap - they run out a lot. and just the overall feel. you feel like you are more like a halfway house. >> tameik