October 24th was a beautiful sunny day as the scissors snipped the red ribbon and the doors opened to the new Bailey’s Shelter & Supportive Housing facility on Seminary Road. It had been 18 months since the ground-breaking on April 5th, 2018, and each person there was excited to enter the new building to see all it had to offer the community.
Bailey’s Shelter & Supportive Housing takes an innovative approach to housing Fairfax County’s homeless residents by combining shelter, permanent housing, and supportive services in one building. There are 18 individual units for permanent supportive housing and 52 emergency shelter beds for single adults, 4 of which are medical respite beds. There are on-site medical services, dining services, a laundry room, and additional services for Fairfax County’s hypothermia prevention program.
The modern 23,000 square-foot facility is on track to receive LEED Silver certification. It features energy efficient appliances and equipment, LED lighting, plus a green roof to help reduce stormwater runoff.
“We’re excited and grateful to partner with Fairfax County on this amazing resource for the entire community,” said Pamela L. Michell, executive director of New Hope Housing. “This new space will provide greater opportunities to collaborate, to build deeper bonds with the community, and help realize the dreams of our homeless neighbors to have a safe place to call home.”
Featured speakers at the ribbon-cutting included:
Michael O’Reilly, Chairman of the Fairfax-Falls Church Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness
Alex Robbins, Aide to Congressman Gerry Connolly
Sharon Bulova, Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
Penny Gross, Mason District Supervisor
Bryan Hill, Fairfax County Executive
Dean Klein, Office to Prevent and End Homelessness
Pamela L. Michell, Executive Director New Hope Housing
The new facility was funded by a 2016 bond referendum to replace the previous shelter on Moncure Avenue which has been in use since 1987.
For more on the new facility, please visit the Fairfax County webpage here: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news2/new-baileys-shelter-combines-housing-and-support-services-under-one-roof/
