A former extended stay hotel is now providing needed shelter to families experiencing homelessness.

The Fair Ridge Shelter, located at 3997 Fair Ridge Drive in Fairfax, began receiving its first guests this week when families with children began moving into the facility’s 85 units. The Fair Ridge Shelter houses families from the Embry Rucker Shelter, Patrick Henry Shelter, and scattered hotel locations throughout Fairfax County. It is operated by Shelter House.

Fair Ridge Shelter creates additional capacity at Embry Rucker Shelter

The opening of the Fair Ridge Shelter added to Fairfax County’s capacity to shelter people experiencing homelessness as the seasonal Hypothermia Prevention Program ended. The Embry Rucker Shelter is now able to serve 76 single adults, an increase from the 28 it was able to host previously.

The opening coincides with the ending of Fairfax County’s seasonal hypothermia prevention program, which concluded on March 31, 2025.

Phase Two of Fair Ridge to include a domestic violence shelter

The second phase of the shelter will involve the relocation of the existing 40-bed north county domestic violence shelter to the site and further internal reconfiguration and capacity expansion. The Fair Ridge Drive facility enhances the operational and security needs of domestic violence shelters, given its location near the Fair Oaks Police Station.

“The Fair Ridge Shelter provides full service sheltering and supportive services right here in the Sully District,” said Kathy Smith, Sully District Supervisor, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. “The Fair Ridge Shelter will help people in our community in need, including connecting them with Federal benefits, securing safe, permanent affordable housing, and information on employment opportunities.”

“The acquisition of an under used extended stay hotel provided an innovative way for us to quickly create more shelter space. Innovative use of federal funds enabled us to take advantage of a unique marketplace opportunity to expand our capacity to help families experiencing homelessness in Fairfax County,” said Tom Fleetwood, Director, Department of Housing and Community Development.

“Creating a new shelter space requires not only a physical building, but also around-the-clock staffing and coordination of essential services to support families such as school transportation and connections to basic needs. In a relatively short amount of time, we have been able to stand up this space and welcome families. This shelter is an initial step toward long-term housing stabilization for these families,” said Tom Barnett, Deputy Director, Office to Prevent and End Homelessness, Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development.

Zero local taxpayer dollars were used to acquire the property

Fairfax County exclusively utilized federal funding to acquire the Fair Ridge Shelter. Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) allocation were used to purchase the property. which included all furniture, fixtures and equipment in the facility. Federal dollars were used for the initial improvements and modifications necessary to open the facility.  An unused portion of the property may also provide an opportunity for the development of multifamily units, providing significant added value to the acquisition.  

How to help
There are many ways to donate to the Fair Ridge Shelter and other services for people experiencing homelessness in Fairfax County. More information can be found on the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness website.