>> Housing is so important for we're both the individual and
the community for the individual or family. It's of
the foundation upon which their health, their well-being and
future success is built upon as a community. It is the basis
for an inclusive and diverse community, which is one of our
greatest strengths. And it's also the basis for sustainable
local economic growth
in Fairfax County. Homelessness remains a challenge like it
does in communities all across the country are strategies that
were developed over 10 years ago helped us achieve a lot of
success actually reducing homelessness by almost half.
>> But we have a long way to go. People being home is a big
struggle with the confidentiality, the
they feel alone.
And new hope give you hope.
You know how they got the support.
You know, they did Kelsey you meant to you.
>> When shelters first started, it was about keeping people
safe and often it was just overnight and we're not support
systems in place today. We take a team approach and we have
people with expertise in employment. Housing community
case management. And we work with the school community
services board, employment Commission out any sorts of
links we can make for people in.
>> So we connected people. Experiencing homelessness in a
variety of different ways. We really operate with a no
wrong door policy. So wherever they present needing services.
We try to serve them there so they can contact our office.
Any of our shelters are nonprofits that we contract
with. But we also go out to the community and actually look for
people to try to connect with them with services and engage
with them there, too.
>> People experiencing homelessness are a very diverse
group. They are the people in our community, both families
with children and individual dolls. The stories are all
individuals and the reasons that they experience
homelessness of areas a lot they may be experiencing a
health crisis have lost a job. Many are fleeing domestic
violence, but the theme that cuts across all people
experiencing homelessness is that their income does not
match the high cost of housing in our community.
>> I was a barber while was incarcerated.
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So I had those skills. I was able to get apartment
before roommate on.
And that worked out for like 6 months. And then after that it
does
things just a little tough in a came back to being homeless
again and then new hope housing came in to help me out. And
from the I was able to the Biden here. You know me with
some steals. The important thing is to see each person as
an individual.
>> To hear what they think is right next move for them as
opposed to what we think is right next move and this issue
of building trust with that person so that they will tell
you all these things. Even the bad things that happened in
their past, which help inform you as a staff member on what
the next positive step can be.
>> So when our outreach workers go out into the community
either looking for people experiencing homelessness or
purposely to engage with somebody that they're already
aware of. They can provide a variety of different services,
anything from basic needs like providing some body weight food
clothing, a blanket all the way up to assistance with
employment housing and really any service in between. We also
partner with after FOX County community services board and
the Health Department to provide behavioral health and
chronic and physical health services in the community to
people who are unsheltered as well.
>> There's nothing like
helping people. That's one less that's living literally in the
woods or somewhere else or in a homeless shelter
to get their place to get their own place.
We share the feeling that they say the happiest they they they
feel when they get their own place.
And that's something that I just really can't describe.
>> I really view housing as a basic human, right. You know,
I really believe that every person in our community
deserves a place to call home and that it's our obligation to
ensure that that happens.
>> It's very exciting to see someone have a set of keys.
The walking to their apartment.
>> Despite being a relatively wealthy community. We have
islands of disadvantage, but Fairfax County is committed to
creating a community of opportunity for everyone where
everyone has jobs and housing that they need.
>> Had it not been for the shelter.
I would probably be on the other side. The fence
with that said story.
But the new hope housing.
They gave me hope they gave me a second chance.
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