Reducing the Number of Homeless Truly Out In The Cold

In the shadow of prime Reston real estate - the Fairfax County Police's The Spectrum shopping center and pricey condos at - a man named "Chuck" has staked out his spot.

Chuck lives in a campsite that, even in the dead of winter, has a sense of permenence - tent firmly grounded with stakes, a mattress and house full of  belongings inside.

Chuck is one of a handful of Fairfax County homeless people who prefer to live this way rather than take advantage of the county's growing number of resources for the homeless. Steps away are and the North County Hypothermia Program.

Men like Chuck sometimes take advantage of resources, says Sue Leo, a Fairfax County outreach staffer. Often, though, the grip of substance abuse is strong and shelters have rules.

"Some people aren't able to maintain their sobriety," says Leo. "It would be an unrealistic expectation for them not to drink. They can come to the hypothermia program for a while, and as long as their behavior is appropriate, even if they have had a drink, it is not going to work against them. People who are the most susceptible to hypothermia are those who have been drinking. If we excluded them from getting into the shelter, we would be serving no purpose."

The countywide hypothermia program went into effect seven years ago. The North County facility opened in Reston in early 2008, after a homeless man died of exposure the previous Veteran's Day.

That inspired homeless advocates to "get busy locally," said Leo.

The program, located in the county building at 1850 Cameron Glen Dr., now serves 25 people each night between Dec. 1 and March 31. There are also 15-35 overflow spaces located at Embry Rucker, says Shana Eubanks, Embry Rucker's shelter director.

County Supervisor Sharon Bulova said on Tuesday that the number of homeless in Fairfax County has dropped 14.22 percent since 2007.  The county's homeless numbers dropped from 1,730 in 2009 to 1,544 in 2010, said Dean Klein, director of the Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness..

The county has a goal of ending homelessness by 2018.

The founding of the hypothermia center has cut down in the number of homeless completely living outdoors in this area, says Leo. In 2006, there were about 36 people in tents at various locations around Reston, including Chuck's patch of land - dubbed Area 51 by its residents - and an encampment off Sunset Hills Road near Target.

Leo now counts 12, but number drop this time of year because many do come in from the cold to county facilities.

"Part of the reason we don't see as many people in the woods is the hypothermia program is working," Leo said. "Even the hardcore ones, during the big snowstorm last year, when their tents collapsed, they came in that day. And so two weeks ago, when it snowed a lot, they came in. They aren't staying, but they come in."

Homeless advocates say that the hypothermia program has enabled social services to go from death prevention mode to case management mode, said Eubanks. If they have regular contact with the homeless, the homeless are more likely to take advantage of services being offered. Leo says clients will often call her when it snows,  just to tell her they are OK.

"I call it my rat's [expletive] theory," says Leo. "You may connect with them by coming out here with socks and bus tokens, but they also want someone who will chit chat with them. If they think someone gives a rat's [expletive], they will do better."

Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins said she thinks the county has made "huge strides" in this area over the last several years.

"They now know the [homeless] people and follow their experiences," she said. "They understand the life that people go through. I would say the county has improved the alternatives tremendously. People don't have to be in the woods if they don't want to.

"We accept that sleeping in the woods is a livable alternative for some people. But for those who are trying to come in in the winter, shouldn't we try and do more? That is how the hypothermia piece came in, and it grew from there."