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Exec: Strike force evictions have had ‘negligible impact’
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William Jones, manager of the Fairview Motel along Richmond Highway in Alexandria, has been working to reopen the motel after it was closed due to violations. Before it was closed, the motel was used as a place to house families driven from their homes by an effort to rid Fairfax County neighborhoods of boarding houses and safety violations. – Andrew Harnik/Examiner
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - A strike force created to rid Fairfax County neighborhoods of boarding houses and safety violations has not driven a large number of families into motels, as some supervisors had feared, according to Fairfax County Executive Anthony Griffin.
In a memo to the board late last month, Griffin dispelled concerns that evictions caused by the two strike force teams would place a larger burden on nonprofits to put families up in motels, which is considered a last resort to avoid homelessness. Since their creation in June, the teams “have had a negligible impact” on motels, the county executive wrote.
The assertion is backed up by Jim Brigl, chief executive of the Fairfax Area Christian Emergency & Transitional Service, which houses families temporarily in 15 motel rooms in Fairfax City. He said the strike teams have not hurt any of its programs.
“It’s a real challenge to do this and not yield more homeless people, but they’ve done a good job of doing exactly that,” Brigl said.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted in January to order a report from staff on how the county handles people evicted by the strike force, and especially its motel policy, which sparked Griffin’s March 24 memo.
“That was one of the many concerns I have,” said Jeff McKay, perhaps the board’s most ardent proponent of the strike teams. “You’re always going to have complications with enforcement, but none of the complications are worth the thought of not enforcing in the first place.”
Griffin did not address how many people the strike team has evicted, but said it happens “only under the most extreme circumstances, when there is an immediate threat to life and safety.”
Another question remains of where evicted residents end up — and whether they’re “doubling or tripling up” with family members or friends, said Cynthia Hull, executive director of United Community Ministries in Alexandria.
The teams, which include staff from law enforcement, building code officials, the fire marshal and other agencies, have referred 44 cases for criminal prosecution and closed 71 by themselves, according to the most recent statistics. They also have delivered 49 cases to the county attorney for civil action.
The initiative has become a key part of the board’s defense of its illegal immigration policy.
Chairman Gerry Connolly, who came under fire last year for perceived inaction on the issue, pointed to the strike teams as evidence to the contrary.
wflook@dcexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
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Telisa said:
I am 17 years old. me and my 4month old daughter need a place to stay...we need help....how do i go about moving in a HUD property ASAP??
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Examiner Reader/Nadia said:
I have NO idea if you can help But Im going to take a shot at it - Last FRI there was Gun fire exchanged at my apartmnt complex right infront of my door. I have a month to month lease and have put in my 30 day notice to move out since i feel extremely unsafe. How can I move before the 30 days are up without being charged?
1 agree | 1 disagree
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Wai Yip Tung said:
By adding 60,000 units over 20 years, this housing 'boom' represent an annual growth rate of 0.77%.
4 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
No matter Mr. Metcalf's take on the real estate market, i have lived in SF since 1979 and, to the best of my knowledge, not a single-building boom has significantly effected the price of housing one way or the other, however, clearly (and arguably, unfortunately) real estate "bubbles" have. Even today's Chronicle states the Assessor's office in SF is overhwelmed with homeowners seeking a re-assessemnent of property values because of falling prices. My guess is that has more to do with the real estate "bubble" bursting than available housing on the market.
4 agree | 3 disagree
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Robin Ficker Broker Robin Realty said:
The county this year increased property tax revenues 14% with another huge increase expected next year. Reduce spending, and hence the next for more tax increases, by $500,000.
8 agree | 4 disagree
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Examiner reader said:
Knapp might run against Leggett for County Executive? If that happened, Knapp would surely win. Given the choice of a fiscally irresponsible, clueless, pandering politition or a tool for the developers, the voters will probably choose the tool for the developers.
8 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Wow! It is unbelievable the amount of selfishness that I see in people who do live in these establishments. I suppose they have the mentality of give back to the community...but not on my block. Let me tell you...I ended up in this type of housing for a year. Thank GOD it was there! I relocated from LA to MD for a $120k/yr. job which I ended up being wrongfully terminated from when I caught pneumonia. As a single mother, an educated professional, worked in my field for 17 years...I was humbled. Don't let your fill yourself with so much gusto, God has a way of humbling those on their high horse.
4 agree | 4 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
hello my name is korena i live in jhonson homes which is pha/lowincome i am looking to get a transfer out of philly how can i do that
3 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Yeah, that's exactly what we need, project thugs in nice new developments. I don't think so!
4 agree | 7 disagree
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Reader said:
Get a fix it man and stop whining!
7 agree | 12 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation" Run by Thomas Perez, ex chairman of the board of Casa de Md. I wonder if he allowed illegal aliens to fix or certify the roof.
7 agree | 9 disagree
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Norwood Apts Reader said:
As a tenant at the Norwood I take issue with your characterization of tenants as welfare seekers. These tenants are working class low income people who work service jobs in DC. Some tenants work in the mail room at the White House, waiters at Old Ebbitt Grill, or cleaning offices. These people are the ones who help our city run and we deserve to have a decent place to live. By decent I mean demanding a proper working elevator that does not take 31 days to repair.
372 agree | 259 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Columbia doesn't need anymore housing.....Most of the individuals at the meeting, are those seeking welfare and goverment funded housing........
297 agree | 278 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
When will this new policy take place?
641 agree | 287 disagree
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Silver Springer said:
This is a remarkably important story and the Examiner deserves a lot of credit for digging it out. while bigger papers in Baltimore and Washington failed to do so. Mortgage regulators should have stopped the current binge of looney loans years ago. They failed to do so and now large numbers of homeowners are facing foreclosure -- and more will in the future. That's a terrible price to pay to sell more loans and to inflate short-term lender profits.
299 agree | 272 disagree
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