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Kate Hanley Family Shelter
Over the past generation, farmland and open space have steadily disappeared in western Fairfax County, leaving subdivisions and the familiar look and feel of a prosperous 21st-century suburb.
As these portions of the county grow, so do the needs of the working poor and homeless families. To help fill in gaps, the county is set to open its first homeless-family shelter in this western swath, one that should help ease burgeoning needs in one of the nation's wealthiest jurisdictions.
The shelter, which will celebrate a ribbon-cutting Saturday, is named after Katherine K. Hanley, the former chairman of the Board of Supervisors who helped push development of the shelter by piecing together the initial public and private funding. It is the first family shelter for the homeless that the county has built in more than 20 years.
The facility is intended to address the continued homelessness in the affluent county. An estimated 1,800 people in Fairfax County and Falls Church live in shelters or other temporary housing, according to a recent regional survey -- a slight increase from 2006. About 1,100 of those are on the streets with their families.
While the board has set a goal of eliminating homelessness, the problem has persisted. As of last week, about 60 families were waiting for beds in shelters and advocates said the new facility will take care of them.
What the shelter won't take care of, though, is the sharp increase in the number of homeless single adults, partly a result of the shortage of low-cost efficiency apartments, known as single-room occupancies. In March, the Community Council for the Homeless urged the County Board to expedite more permanent housing to help the homeless back into the mainstream, especially by creating units for single adults.
"The critical piece here is keeping families together so they can get back on their feet," said Gerald E. Connolly (D), chairman of the Board of Supervisors, referring to the Hanley shelter.
The two-story building is to receive its first families at the end of the month. It will function the same way the county's other three family facilities do, mostly housing single mothers and their school-age children. As in the other facilities, residents will be allowed to stay for up to 60 days while they look for transitional housing or permanent options.
The shelter is the culmination of several years spent finding support from the community, the necessary funds and a suitable spot. The building is on a 5.7-acre, county-owned site near Centreville. Members of the West Fairfax County Citizens Association received a briefing on the shelter last month.
The facility has the added benefit of incorporating environmentally friendly features, including energy-efficient appliances and water-efficient landscaping, county officials said.
The $6.6 million shelter was paid for using county money and proffers from private developers. It will be run by Shelter House Inc., a local social services agency that has a contract with the county to provide round-the-clock staffing and maintenance. It will house about 20 families, with no limit on family size.
As in most shelters, the families' paths to homelessness vary. Some were born and raised in Fairfax; others come from the District or beyond. Some are fleeing abusive relationships. Most held the kinds of low-income service and retail jobs, such as security guards and sales clerks, that sustain Tysons Corner and the county's other signature developments.
"Many of the residents in our shelters are working or just recently lost a job," said Mike Finkle, a management analyst with the Department of Family Services. He said about half the residents in other shelters are employed.
The new shelter, where workers were busy with finishing touches last week, has the look and feel of a modern college dormitory: gleaming faux-wood floors in a wide, expansive first floor; windows close to ceilings that allow for an abundance of natural light; wide hallways that give the facility an airy feel. Officials said advocates from other facilities were consulted on how to lay out and build it. The center has four podlike areas, each with six bedrooms and three bathrooms.
"We sat down with the staff at other shelters and asked them how they would design a modern homeless shelter," said Kathy Froyd, director of the Children, Youth and Families program in Fairfax, a part of the Family Services Department.
One of the most important features, officials said, is the shelter's close connection with the region's transportation network. Because there is not a bus route along that stretch of Lee Highway, a van will be available to take residents to the nearest bus line. There is also a walking path to major thoroughfares where residents can get public transportation.
"Transportation is one of the most important hurdles for people who live in shelters if they don't happen to have a car," said Joe Meyer, deputy director for Shelter House Inc.
The shelter has three recreation rooms and a business office that will include computers to help residents look for jobs.
While there had been talk since 2000 about developing a shelter in the area, it didn't get underway until 2003, when Hanley, then at the end of her second term as board chairman, decided to help bring together private and public funding for the project.
"Housing and homelessness have been a challenge for a very long time," Hanley said in an interview last week. "But as growth moved west, it became obvious that we needed service out there, and we finally just said, 'Let's do it.' I thought it was very important."
Opportunities Abound at Family Shelter
By Bonnie Hobbs
August 9, 2007
(From left) are Cathy Hudgins, Elaine McConnell, Gerry Connolly, Kate Hanley, Linda Smyth and Penny Gross. |
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Named after former Board of Supervisors Chairman Kate Hanley, the new 16,931-square-foot shelter will mainly serve single mothers with children, mostly elementary-school age and younger.
The building itself is mostly two stories, with a residential appearance compatible with its neighborhood, and it will house up to 20 families — 60 people total. The two-story wing contains 24 bedrooms. Four pod areas each have six bedrooms and three bathrooms.
The living room and central dining room face the back and the playground and outdoor sitting area. The part of the building that's 1 1/2 stories faces Route 29 and will be used for offices and classes upstairs. (Volunteers from the Junior League of Northern Virginia and Ford Motor Co. helped paint the rooms and assemble furniture).
According to Kathy Froyd, director of the Children, Youth and Families division of the county's Department of Family Services, the waiting list to enter the county's three other family shelters is usually 60-70 families long.
But, she said, "The goal is to get people out of the shelter, as soon as possible, so they can live with their families and then work on their issues. Families can make a lot more progress if they have a roof over their heads."
Fairfax County Human Services will do the initial screening of families applying for the shelter. Workers will assess people's needs and, if there's no other place for them to go, they'll be added to the shelter list.
Adults staying at the Hanley Shelter will be expected to go to work or prepare for and seek employment. Children will attend local schools or be in day care. Transportation will be provided, and clients will receive case management, job training and other social services. They can gain experience on computers and will be able to look up job opportunities in an employment library.
However, the shelter staff intends for people to find new accommodations within about 60 days. Then Shelter House will provide them with services and community after-care, for possibly up to six months.
The Hanley Shelter advisory board will be a liaison to the community to identify and develop needed resources for the shelter residents. And several open houses will be held so neighbors may visit the facility, meet the staff and families, observe the programs and learn about volunteer opportunities.
To Volunteer
Individuals, groups and businesses may help the shelter families by tutoring a child, mentoring a parent, helping at special events, greeting visitors at the front desk, helping the shelter staff with administrative tasks, and helping a family move its belongings from the shelter into a new home.
For more information about volunteer opportunities at the Hanley shelter, call the community coordinator at 571-522-6800 or e-mail volunteer.hanley@shelterhouse.org.
Donations Needed
Donations of certain items are also greatly needed and will be accepted by the staff, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Especially needed are: Full-size, personal-hygiene supplies for adults and children; diapers and wipes; school supplies for all grades; children's snacks; children's craft items such as coloring books, construction paper, small scissors, etc.; employment-related books for teens and adults; and books on resumé-writing and interviewing for jobs.
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