Kate’s Place is new, permanent housing owned by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. It’s on the campus of the Katherine K. Hanley Family Shelter and will serve county families who’ve experienced chronic or frequent homelessness and are in need of supportive services.
All Kate’s Place families face multiple barriers to maintaining stability, including disabilities that impede their household from earning a sufficient income. Each family will benefit from services provided by the nearby shelter, including tutoring and job-search assistance.
There are four one-level and two townhouse-style apartments within two, separate, three-unit buildings. Two of the one-level units are fully accessible, two-bedroom apartments. The remaining four units are three-bedroom apartments.
The total cost to develop the six units was $2.1 million. The county Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), on behalf of the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority, constructed Kate’s Place in partnership with the county’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Services. The project was funded through the federal HOME Investment Partnership Program and the Fairfax County Housing Trust Fund.
Hammerhead Construction of Virginia began building the homes in October 2013 and finished this February. Architectural and related services for Kate’s Place were provided by Stanmyre+Noel Architects, and civil-engineering services were done by ADTEK Engineers.
The units will be managed under the Fairfax County Family Supportive Housing Program, a partnership of Fairfax County Human Services agencies, including the Community Services Board, Department of Family Services, Office to Prevent and End Homelessness and the Department of Administration for Human Services, plus nonprofit services providers including Shelter House, New Hope Housing and Cornerstones.
A case manager from Shelter House will provide direct services to the families of Kate`s Place, offering holistic and comprehensive case management services to all clients. This includes intake assessment, benefit assessment, goal setting, long-term care plan development, weekly case plan development, progress monitoring, individual money management, tenant education, advocacy and referrals. Cornerstones will provide property-management services including inspections, tenant orientation, maintenance coordination and rent collection.