A strike force created to rid Fairfax County neighborhoods of boarding houses and safety violations has not driven a large number of families into motels, as some supervisors had feared, according to Fairfax County Executive Anthony Griffin.
In a memo to the board late last month, Griffin dispelled concerns that evictions caused by the two strike force teams would place a larger burden on nonprofits to put families up in motels, which is considered a last resort to avoid homelessness. Since their creation in June, the teams “have had a negligible impact” on motels, the county executive wrote.
The assertion is backed up by Jim Brigl, chief executive of the Fairfax Area Christian Emergency & Transitional Service, which houses families temporarily in 15 motel rooms in Fairfax City. He said the strike teams have not hurt any of its programs.
“It’s a real challenge to do this and not yield more homeless people, but they’ve done a good job of doing exactly that,” Brigl said.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted in January to order a report from staff on how the county handles people evicted by the strike force, and especially its motel policy, which sparked Griffin’s March 24 memo.
“That was one of the many concerns I have,” said Jeff McKay, perhaps the board’s most ardent proponent of the strike teams. “You’re always going to have complications with enforcement, but none of the complications are worth the thought of not enforcing in the first place.”
Griffin did not address how many people the strike team has evicted, but said it happens “only under the most extreme circumstances, when there is an immediate threat to life and safety.”
Another question remains of where evicted residents end up — and whether they’re “doubling or tripling up” with family members or friends, said Cynthia Hull, executive director of United Community Ministries in Alexandria.
The teams, which include staff from law enforcement, building code officials, the fire marshal and other agencies, have referred 44 cases for criminal prosecution and closed 71by themselves, according to the most recent statistics. They also have delivered 49 cases to the county attorney for civil action.
The initiative has become a key part of the board’s defense of its illegal immigration policy.
Chairman Gerry Connolly, who came under fire last year for perceived inaction on the issue, pointed to the strike teams as evidence to the contrary.
