Choose Your Location
|
![]() |
Arlington County (Map, News) - The Arlington County Board has approved a plan that seeks to end homelessness in the county within 10 years.
The plan calls for moving people out of shelters and into their own apartments by increasing both the supply of affordable housing and the funds made available for rental assistance.
Though the total expected cost of the program has not been released, officials said caring for the homeless in the region can have a price tag as high as $40,000 for a single person or $100,000 for a family, with expenses including such things as food, medical care, shelter management and child welfare services.
Officials said about 200 county residents are considered chronically homeless.
“This plan shows our commitment to doing all we can to help every person living on the streets find housing and rebuild their lives,” said Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman.
Many recent studies have shown the costs can be decreased, especially in the area of medical and psychological care, if homeless people are placed in their own permanent homes.
mzwelling@dcexaminer.com



Comments from Examiner Readers
10:43 AM MST on Sat., Sep. 6, 2008 re: "Waiting-list for low-income housing open in Montgomery"
Report as inappropriate
12:11 PM MST on Wed., Aug. 20, 2008
re: "Tenants-rights group planning forum"
Report as inappropriate
1:10 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 14, 2008
re: "The City's housing boom"
Report as inappropriate
12:54 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 14, 2008
re: "The City's housing boom"
Report as inappropriate
9:53 PM MST on Wed., Aug. 6, 2008
re: "Housing funds for MontCo employees go unused"
Report as inappropriate
1:50 PM MST on Wed., Aug. 6, 2008
re: "Housing funds for MontCo employees go unused"
Report as inappropriate
5:04 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 9, 2008
re: "Residents want independent investigation of Howard Housing Commission"
Report as inappropriate
8:13 AM MST on Tue., Jul. 8, 2008
re: "Waiting-list for low-income housing open in Montgomery"
Report as inappropriate
11:31 AM MST on Fri., Apr. 11, 2008
re: "Residents displaced decades ago may receive reprieve"
Report as inappropriate
9:47 AM MST on Fri., Mar. 21, 2008
re: "Model house for state becomes a headache for homeowners"
Report as inappropriate
8:55 AM MST on Fri., Mar. 21, 2008
re: "Model house for state becomes a headache for homeowners"
Report as inappropriate
7:28 AM MST on Fri., Jul. 13, 2007
re: "Tenants-rights group planning forum"
Report as inappropriate
1:06 PM MST on Fri., Jun. 15, 2007
re: "Residents want affordable housing in Howard"
Report as inappropriate
9:34 AM MST on Wed., Jun. 6, 2007
re: "Fairfax supervisors close home ‘additions’ loophole"
Report as inappropriate
3:25 AM MST on Sun., May. 27, 2007
re: "Economist: Foreclosure 'bloodbath' on horizon"
Report as inappropriate
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??
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
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
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
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
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
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
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
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
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
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
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
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
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
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
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
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
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Reader said:
Get a fix it man and stop whining!
7 agree | 12 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
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
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
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
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
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
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
When will this new policy take place?
641 agree | 287 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
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
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree