JANUARY 2022
The Office to Prevent and End Homelessness – now part of the Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development – is committed to eliminating the disproportionality of people at-risk of or experiencing homelessness from communities of color and other marginalized populations by providing equitable paths to safe, stable, affordable housing.
PARTNERSHIP UPDATES
Office to Prevent and End Homelessness is Moving to Pender Drive: The Office to Prevent and End Homelessness was merged with the Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) in July 2020. Together, as one agency, HCD works to support our community’s efforts and strong outcomes in both preventing and ending homelessness and in promoting the preservation and development of affordable housing. In January 2022, the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness will be moving its physical location from the Pennino Building to 3700 Pender Drive Fairfax, VA 22030.
2022 General Assembly Session: The 2022 General Assembly session begins on Wednesday, January 12th. The Virginia Housing Alliance provides an overview of the bills connected to expanding housing opportunities and ending homelessness in Virginia.
Bi-Annual Continuum of Care (CoC) Meeting: January 12 at 10:00 a.m.
The bi-annual meeting of the CoC connects partners in the Fairfax-Falls Church Community to build and strengthen their common understanding of homeless system initiatives and performance outcomes. The January meeting will also include the presentation of the Regional Racial Equity Assessment findings. The methodology used in the assessment process identified racial disparities and data gaps, as well as regional trends, strengths, and challenges specific to each jurisdiction. The information will be presented by C4 Innovations and the Racial Equity Action Council members. This meeting will be held virtually. Participants may join the meeting on Zoom at the link or phone number below:
Join Zoom Meeting: https://c4innovates.zoom.us/j/4491676533
Meeting ID: 449 167 6533
Call in: +1-301-715-8592, 4491676533#
Continuum of Care (CoC) Committee: The CoC Committee, the governance of the CoC, will be meeting on January 14 at 10:00 a.m. in conference rooms 9 and 10 at the Fairfax County Government Center (12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22030). The agenda, meeting materials, and minutes will be available at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless/coccommittee.
Point in Time (PIT) and Housing Inventory (HIC) Counts will take place January 26, 2022: The PIT and HIC Counts are annual events mandated by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The counts provide a tally of the number of people experiencing homelessness on a given night, as well as the number of beds available for individuals experiencing, and that have experienced, homelessness.
Hypothermia Prevention Program: The Hypothermia Prevention Program expands shelter capacity each winter for individuals experiencing homelessness through overflow space at existing shelters and auxiliary off-site programs hosted largely in partnership with faith communities. The Hypothermia Prevention Program officially started on December 1 and concludes the morning of April 1. More information on the dates and locations is available at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless/hypothermia-prevention-program.
Housing and Services Resource Center: The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Housing and Urban Development are expanding their partnership and launching a national Housing and Services Resource Center to improve access to affordable housing and the critical services that make community living possible. The new resource center will help implement a federally coordinated approach for providing resources, program guidance, training, and technical assistance to public housing authorities and housing providers; state Medicaid, disability, aging, and behavioral health agencies; the aging and disability networks; homeless services organizations and networks; health care systems and providers; and tribal organizations.
FUNDING INFORMATION
Virginia Housing Homeless Assistance Grant: The Virginia Housing Homeless Assistance Grant, funded from the proceeds of the Don Ritenour Charity Golf Classic, is used to fund organizations that primarily serve families and individuals experiencing homelessness, individuals fleeing domestic violence as described in the HEARTH Act, and provide emergency shelter and/or permanent supporting housing services. Applications for the funding performance period from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, are due by January 15, 2022. Organizations seeking funding should apply to Virginia Housing’s Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) using Virginia Housing’s Grants Management System at https://vhdagrants.com/. Proposed budgets must be in the amount of $20,000. Grant funds should be used to supplement an organization’s program, not be the sole source of funding. For questions concerning this program or assistance with application submission, contact Sue Armstrong, Strategic Housing Officer, at 804-343-5550.
Supportive Services for Veteran Families: The Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program in FY 2023. The NOFO contains information concerning the SSVF Program, the renewal and new applicant supportive services grant application processes, and the amount of funding available. Applications are due no later than February 7, 2022.
Training Opportunities
Giving and Receiving Feedback: Tools for Supervisors (Cost Associated)
January 13, 2022
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Feedback is one of the most powerful tools supervisors have to help improve performance and support staff. However, to be effective supervisors need to know how to give feedback so that it is heard and understood. This course will help supervisors transform their feedback, moving beyond praise or criticism to help coach and support staff to grow in their roles. In this course, you will learn the tools for giving both constructive and supportive feedback. Learn how to incorporate frequent feedback into your supervisory routine. Learn the strategies for providing feedback to address performance-related issues and how to avoid some of the common pitfalls when giving and receiving feedback.
Seeking Shelter: Changes in Housing Preferences
February 2, 2022
5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
Our housing choices, where and how we live, are changing. The pandemic experience, affordability issues, shifting work patterns, transportation preferences, and environmental concerns are impacting the different housing decisions of the retiring baby boomer generation, the maturing millennial generation, and the new Gen Z generation of homebuyers. Join the Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship of the George Mason University School of Business as we host a lecture by Dr. Jessica Lautz, the Vice President of Demographics and Behavioral Insights at the National Association of REALTORS®, on trends in housing demand.
COG Racial Equity Foundational Learning Session 1
Webinar Recording, December 8, 2021
This learning session is a part of the COG Regional Homeless Services in Racial Equity and Systems Analysis. The objectives are the session are to establish a shared understanding of connections between racism and homelessness, provide a general overview of racial equity concepts in practice, and increase skills to initiate productive conversation about race and racism.
COG Racial Equity Foundational Learning Session 2
Webinar Recording, December 15, 2021
This learning session is a part of the COG Regional Homeless Services in Racial Equity and Systems Analysis. The objectives are the session are to increase skills to interrogate cultural shifts and white supremacist characteristics within their organization and wider CoC, build an understanding of racial and ethnic disparities at a systemic level, and provide concrete tools for implementing anti-racist practices within ones’ spheres of influence.