Arlington County Homeless Services Center

Homeless Services Center
Arlington’s new Homeless Services Center opened for business on Oct. 2, 2015.

Center-based programs and services will include:

  • Employment and life skills training
  • Benefit enrollment
  • Mental health and substance abuse counseling and treatment
  • Shelter (dormitory use)
  • Shower, laundry and mail facilities

The center features:

  • 50 year-round shelter beds
  • 35 winter hypothermia prevention beds
  • 5 medical respite beds

With its three distinct service areas — shelter, day program and medical respite — the Homeless Services Center is a critical component of the community’s efforts to end homelessness. A best-practice model that uses integrated, comprehensive services will facilitate moving homeless persons into permanent housing as quickly as possible.

Arlington County has retained the services of a national consultant, Housing Innovations, to design a unified shelter program at the Center and Arlington’s other shelter for individuals, the Residential Program Center.

Funding

The budget for the Homeless Services Center is $9.679 million and the project was completed within budget. The breakdown of costs is as follows:

  • $6.610 million construction authorization
  • $0.692 million for furnishings, security and IT equipment
  • $1.585 million in soft costs (design, construction administration, County staff time allocated to the project, permits and inspections)
  • $0.792 million for installation of an emergency generator (added scope of work)

Funds for building the HSC were made available from close-out funds in previous fiscal years, 2013 IDA bond funding, and contingency funding.

Additional Information

A series of community meetings was held between December 2012 and January 2013 to solicit input from County residents.

  • Community dialogue: The first meeting was held Dec. 5, 2012 at Key Elementary School. County staff listened to community questions and concerns and  considered this input during the design and operational planning phases of the project.
  • Workshop: At the second meeting, an interactive workshop on Dec. 17, 2012 at Key Elementary, participants reviewed draft building and operational plans, which incorporated input from the first meeting. Participants also provided further suggestions.
  • Design review: The third meeting on Jan. 14, 2013 at Key Elementary featured a presentation of the County’s final plans.

Last update January 5, 2022

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