Fairfax County will soon begin shutting down a homeless encampment that has occupied woods near the Inova Emergency Room in Reston for years.
The county’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness announced today (Thursday) that “no trespassing” signs will be posted around the site known informally as “The Hill” next Tuesday (Aug. 27). A fence will be constructed on Sept. 10 to formally close the property.
In Virginia, trespassing is classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.
The clearing will take place about a month after the county launched a temporary overnight shelter inside the North County Human Services Center (1850 Cameron Glen Drive) specifically to accommodate the people who have been living on The Hill.
Since the shelter opened on July 29, the encampment’s population has dropped to about half of its previous size, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn says.
There are currently 13 tents and 17 residents, down from nearly 50 tents in late March, according to the Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. Allyson Pearce, the office’s marketing manager, says 27 people have used the temporary shelter so far.
“This is an important and necessary step forward towards ultimately building a new homeless shelter with permanent supportive housing in Reston,” Alcorn said. “I want to thank our nonprofit partners and county staff for leading with compassion to provide a better sheltering option as we move forward with longer-term housing solutions that address the needs of all residents of Fairfax County.”
Alcorn’s office announced plans in the spring to clear the camp and set up a temporary shelter. At that time, the supervisor said the encampment was the largest in Fairfax County.
There are other places around the county that have become gathering spots for people experiencing homelessness. As of Aug. 1, about a dozen people had begun sleeping at Toll House Park in Annandale, for example, Annandale Today reported.
Pearce says the Hill encampment raised safety concerns for the residents.
“Neighbors living in tents on The Hill experience unsafe, outdoor living conditions with no running water,” she told FFXnow by email. “The North County Human Services Temporary Overnight Shelter…provides a safe environment with food, shelter, facilities, and more — along with connections to services.”
The push to clear the Hill coincides with the county’s efforts to finalize a land swap with Inova, a process that began this summer and is expected to take until spring 2026. The agreement will allow the long-planned Reston Town Center North redevelopment, which will include housing, recreational facilities, and new homeless shelter, library and human services buildings.
The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) is currently developing a design for the new Embry Rucker Community Shelter, though the project can’t begin in earnest until the land swap process is complete.
With the capacity for 99 people, the North County temporary shelter is operating daily from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. In addition to a place to spend the night, patrons get access to food and supportive services from the nonprofit Cornerstones, which runs the Embry Rucker shelter.
“Outreach workers will continue meeting with neighbors to assess individual needs with a goal of a compassionate and successful transition to the North County Temporary Overnight Shelter or other available housing options,” Pearce said.
