The Arlington County Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to purchase a building near Courthouse Metro that it would use as a homeless shelter despite an outpouring of opposition from neighbors who say the shelter could undermine property values and neighborhood safety. County officials want to use building at 2020 14th St. N. for local government offices and a new 24-hour homeless shelter that would replace the county’s existing winter shelter just a few blocks away. Board members said the shelter is needed to get the homeless off the streets and into permanent housing.

“We must expand our efforts to solve this growing problem of homelessness,” said Terrance Toussaint, the director of Arlington’s current winter shelter. “This shelter is one step of many toward solving this issue.”