Whose Backyard Is It Anyway? Overcoming NIMBY

Presentation by Pamela L. MichellExecutive Director, New Hope Housing, Inc.

Alexandria, VA

July 11, 2007

Washington, D.C. Region

Population data and map from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Growth Trends to 2030: Cooperative Forecasting in the Washington Region, Fall 2006.

Income data: 2005 American Community Survey.

Metropolitan Region population in 2005: 4,978,700

Population of Fairfax County, Virginia: 1,041,200

2005 median household income:

Washington D.C. MSA: $74,708

Fairfax County, Virginia: $94,610

Homelessness in the Fairfax and Falls Church communities

1,813 homeless persons on January 25, 2007

730 single individuals

1,083 persons in families

(307 families with 674 children under 18)

Housing costs are high while incomes are low

82% of single individuals

54% of homeless families

Most homeless have incomes below poverty

Only 4.4% of county population is below poverty

The average 1-bedroom rent is $1,093/month•Income needed is $43,720/year•90% of singles have income below $15,000

The average 2-bedroom rent is $1,306/month•Income needed is $52,240/year•82% of families have income below $30,000

Housing costs are high while incomes are low

• 395 square miles, with 1,041,200 people • No downtown; several commercial areas• Lack of old hotels, warehouses, etc.• SF neighborhoods, condo, townhouse

communities, and garden apartments• Increasing density• Limited undeveloped land

Fairfax County: a suburban/urban county

Fairfax County Politics

10 Member Board of Supervisors

9 magisterial districts, each with 1 supervisor

At large chairman of the Board

Magisterial “veto”

Dillon Rule state

Three Stories

Siting a shelter

Siting a safe haven

Siting affordable housing

Siting a Shelter

Task force recommendation in 2000

County Project:

• Support and involvement of senior staff

• Support and involvement of elected officials

• County land

• County funds

• Neighborhood concerns – the usual

• Response:– Hold public meetings and private

conversations

– Have a consistent message

– Listen and respond to concerns

Siting a Shelter

Hanley Shelter Neighbors

Hanley Shelter

Hanley Shelter Neighbors

Siting a Shelter

When local government puts its weight behind something, it will happen.

It may be slow but it will happen.

Moral:

Hot potato project of the Continuum of Care in 1995

Site identification

Meeting with local elected supervisor

Open community meeting

Siting a Safe Haven

• Use by right

• Fair housing

• Consistent message

• Listen and respond to concerns

Siting a Safe Haven

Max’s Place – a safe haven

Max’s Place Neighbor

Siting a Safe Haven

Stick to your vision and the law

Buy a flack jacket

In the end, it will be okay

Moral:

• 33 acres owned Fairfax County, purchased with CDBG funds

• Vacant/passive parkland

• 5 acres zoned commercial

• 18 acres zoned R-2

• 11 acres zoned R-MHP, 6 units/acre

Siting Affordable Housing

North Hill

Hypothermia and the faith community, then and now

Efforts of local faith coalition on affordable housing/SROs

Local supervisor moves from no how/no way to over-riding his own advisory committee

Siting Affordable Housing

•Elected officials want political cover

•Mobilized and motivated individual citizens can provide it

Moral:

Siting Affordable Housing

• Use by right

• Want county funds for match

• Need supervisor letter of support

Next: Siting a Samaritan Initiative

Pamela L. MichellExecutive Director

New Hope Housing, Inc.8407-E Richmond Highway

Alexandria, VA 22309703-799-2293 ext.17

pmichell@newhopehousing.org

www.newhopehousing.org

www.fairfaxcounty.gov\homeless

Contact Information