Plans to convert a former extended-stay hotel into an emergency family shelter are moving forward after the Fairfax County Planning Commission unanimously approved the project, despite pushback from nearby residents.
Commissioners voted 9-0 (with two members absent) to allow the shelter at 3997 Fair Ridge Drive across from Fair Oaks Mall. Formerly an Extended Stay America hotel, the site will be repurposed to provide emergency temporary housing for families experiencing homelessness and serve as a domestic violence shelter.
The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority says the facility will replace family shelter beds at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter in Reston, which will now serve exclusively single unhoused adults and is set to get a new building in the coming years.
With the planning commission’s approval, renovations on the Fair Ridge Shelter will begin, with the county aiming to open by March 31 in alignment with the end of its hypothermia prevention program.
Shelter draws concerns over security, transparency
Earlier this month, the Board of Supervisors approved the hotel’s repurposing as a public facility, though not without debate.
Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, the lone dissenting vote, argued that the process was rushed and lacked adequate community input. He also raised concerns over the $14.5 million that the board paid to purchase the property — a cost that exceeded the appraised value — and called for more transparency.
Other supervisors defended the purchase, noting that no county tax dollars were used, and the price included furniture and fixtures.
The shelter will be operated by a nonprofit provider, which has yet to be selected, and will offer case management, job assistance and support in securing permanent housing. Unlike a traditional homeless shelter, it will function as short-term housing, allowing families to stay until they find stable accommodations.
County officials say the shelter is needed to address a growing housing crisis that worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving more families without stable housing. Between January 2020 and January 2024, homelessness in Fairfax County increased by 23%, according to a county staff report. Officials say the surge has strained existing shelters, making expanded emergency housing options a priority.
Still, several speakers at last week’s public hearing, including homeowners’ association representatives, raised concerns about security, transparency and the county’s handling of the project.
Echoing Herrity’s concerns, some argued there wasn’t enough community input before the county purchased the hotel, while others worried about crime and the strain on emergency services. A few also questioned whether the county overpaid for the property and called for more oversight of the project’s management.
“I do recognize the importance of taking care of people that are homeless … However, I would just like to add a few short words that I think the density of the complex is too much for the area — too many people in one small location,” said one resident who lives about a quarter-mile from the site. “I would also add that there needs to be better security addressed for the location, and the residents who have been in the area for a long time feel threatened by this homeless shelter.”
County directed to continue outreach
County representatives emphasized that security measures will be in place. According to Fairfax County Office to Prevent Prevent and End Homelessness Deputy Director Tom Barnett, the shelter will have 24/7 staff monitoring access, as well as interior and exterior security cameras.
The facility is also near the Fair Oaks police and fire stations, which officials argue will help ensure public safety.
Barnett also refuted claims that the shelter would bring increased crime to the area, citing studies that show no correlation between family shelters and rising crime rates.
“We don’t have any data to indicate that families with children experiencing homelessness are any more dangerous than families with children who are living in other housing,” Barnett said. “This is — typically, for the average family — a rare, short-time experience, usually because of a lost job, a health crisis, fleeing domestic violence. So, they are like any Fairfax County resident, they’re just looking for safety and security themselves.”
Though sympathetic to residents’ questions about the project cost and process, the planning commissioners said those matters fall outside their scope.
“I just want to remind everyone that our role is on land use,” Commission Chair Phil Niedzielski-Eichner said. “We have no role at all with regard to the issue of cost or how the property was purchased. Our [purview] is character, location, and extent, and that’s what our consideration is limited to. We certainly don’t have a role in the matter of cost or the expenditure of resources.”
In response to resident concerns, commissioners approved two follow-on motions. First, the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness will create a community advisory committee to work with residents and address any concerns as they arise. Additionally, county staff will continue outreach efforts and coordinate with public safety officials to ensure ongoing community engagement.
