In the immediate term, the partners are applying for a Special Use Permit application with Fairfax City officials for the redevelopment of the Hy Way Motel site (9640 Fairfax Blvd, Fairfax, Va.) into a five-story residential/mixed-use community with 54-studio apartments and office space on the ground floor of the building.
The property will house residents with very low incomes, at or below 30% of the Area Median Income ($29,910 for a single person, HUD 2022).
Fairfax County Point-in-Time Survey released this week affirms the urgent need for supportive housing. The survey shows there were 1,191 people experiencing homelessness in Fairfax County on the night of the 2022 Point-in-Time Count. This is a slight decrease of 3 percent (31 people) from 2021. The housing goals of the Fairfax County Five-Year Consolidated Plan include developing a minimum of 10,000 new affordable housing units over the next 15 years.
“It’s good to see homelessness in the county trending down, but the long-term solution is supportive housing,” said Lamb Center Executive Director Tara Ruszkowski. “Our project in Fairfax City will provide critical supportive services centered in human dignity. Supportive housing provides stability that decreases the recurrence of homelessness and reduces the draw on public resources,” Ruszkowski said.
Residents at the new Fairfax development will receive on-site case management and other wrap-around support. Case managers will help each tenant formulate and achieve individual goals such as securing income or work, improving physical and mental health conditions, and maintaining housing. Case managers will also provide skills training to improve individuals’ ability to budget, manage medication, maintain employment, and develop positive social supports.
“Amid a housing crisis, we have to get creative when it comes to boosting permanent supportive housing options for vulnerable community members,” said Wesley Housing President/CEO Shelley Murphy. “Pairing
Wesley Housing’s development experience with The Lamb Center’s expertise in serving the homeless population will ensure a high-quality property that meets the needs of very low-income members of the community and supports Fairfax County’s overall housing goals.”
Wesley Housing is a leading nonprofit developer in Northern Virginia, has been working to provide affordable rental housing for individuals and families for nearly 50 years. For more information, please visit www.wesleyhousing.org and follow @WesleyHousing on social media.
The Lamb Center is a daytime drop-in center for homeless individuals in the central Fairfax area. Since opening its doors in 1992, thousands of guests have been welcomed and served. The Lamb Center provides a variety of services without cost to its guests, including breakfast, lunch, showers, laundry service, case management, Bible studies, housing and job counseling, AA meetings, a nurse practitioner clinic, a dental clinic, and much more. The Lamb Center partners with both Fairfax City and Fairfax County to provide approximately 20 guests each week with paid jobs maintaining city parks and public spaces.
For more information, visit www.thelambcenter.org