Arlington has finalized new contracts for operation of the County’s two homeless shelters for single adults beginning in January 2020. A-SPAN will continue to operate the Homeless Services Center in the Courthouse Neighborhood, and New Hope Housing will take over from Volunteers of America – Chesapeake & Carolinas (VOA-CC) to operate the Residential Program Center (RPC) on Columbia Pike. VOA-CC will continue to operate the detox and early recovery programs collocated at the Residential Program Center.
“We are delighted to be entering the new decade with A-SPAN and New Hope Housing as the operators of the County’s two shelters for single individuals,” said Department of Human Services Director Anita Friedman. “These shelters are a critical part of our Continuum of Care, helping some of the most vulnerable members of the community return to stable housing quickly and sustainably.”
Volunteers of America – Chesapeake & Carolinas spent more than 25 years as the operator of the Residential Program Center, expanding its services over time to include diversion, prevention, rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing, and more.
“We wish to thank Volunteers of America – Chesapeake & Carolinas for their past service at the [Residential Program Center] and continued commitment to serving Arlingtonians through the detox and early recovery programs,” said Friedman. Though headquartered in Fairfax, New Hope Housing has been a partner in Arlington’s Continuum of Care and provider of Permanent Supportive Housing for more than a decade.
A-SPAN’s contract for the Homeless Services Center is for $1,456,379 in FY 2020. New Hope Housing’s contract for the Residential Program Center is for $857,661. Each contract provides the contractors the ability to request an annual contract price adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
The contracts are performance-based and contractors must meet specific outcomes, specifically ensuring individuals experiencing homelessness return to permanent housing as quickly as possible. Both contracts are for three years and can be reauthorized for an additional two years.
Neither contract is funded at 100 percent. While the County assumes the bulk of the cost, the non-profit partners are required to leverage their tax-exempt status, fundraising abilities, and solicitation of in-kind goods or services.