On Thursday April 5, Fairfax County held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Bailey’s Crossroads homeless shelter.
April 5 marked the start of construction of the Bailey’s Crossroads Community Shelter on 5914 Seminary Road. Once complete, the 23,000-square-foot facility will replace the county’s Moncure Avenue shelter, providing 52 beds, four medical beds, and 18 housing units. The facility’s amenities will also include an outdoor picnic and activities area, a Hypothermia prevention program, and 24-hour staffing which will include counseling and guidance. Construction of the new facility gained lawmakers' approval in 2016, and the design of the three-story, $12-million-dollar building was completed early last year. Construction is expected to be completed by fall of 2019, at which point the old Bailey’s Crossroads Facility will close. Bailey’s Crossroads Community Shelter and Supportive Housing is operated by the Northern Virginia Family Service and other county agencies, such as the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. The 15 staff members on duty at the facility are aided by volunteer staff members who help to provide services which focus on employment, health, housing and other basic needs.
The new facility will further enhance safety with the addition of security cameras, an access control system, duress alarms, a partnership and cooperation with local police, and the creation of a Community Advisory Committee that will focus on community relations.
Since launching a 10-year plan in 2008 to eliminate homelessness in the county, officials have reported that the number of homeless people has dropped by almost 50 percent -- a feat which few other counties and cities have been able to accomplish. Now county lawmakers hope that the new facility will be the next and final step in eliminating homelessness in Fairfax County altogether.
