Fairfax County plans to clear homeless encampment in Reston

RESTON, Va. ( DC News Now ) — On Tuesday, Fairfax County officials will begin their process to clear out a homeless encampment in Reston. The encampment, also known as “The Hill,” is a wooded area near the Inova Hospital.

On Aug. 27, the county will start placing “No Trespassing” signs throughout the area. This entire process will last until Sept. 10. After officials said they plan to put up a fence around the area to prevent people from sleeping there.

This comes nearly a month after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of allowing cities to enforce bans on homeless people sleeping in public places.

“Neighbors living in tents on ‘The Hill’ experience unsafe, outdoor living conditions with no running water,” said Allyson Pearce, Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness.

The county said they want to move those residing on “The Hill” to a temporary shelter, the New North County Human Services Center , which is located just up the road from the encampment.

The shelter was created to target people experiencing homelessness on “The Hill” and reduce the amount of tented communities in the Reston area. The shelter will provide people with a roof over their heads, food, job and housing assistance, medical services, help to get federal benefits, IDs and passports.

Most importantly, officials said the shelter will serve as a safe option for people facing homelessness. However, many have mixed feelings about the change.

“I really kind of like it, but if it wasn’t for the rats, I wouldn’t mind. I really wouldn’t,” said Xavier Turner, who has been living at the homeless encampment for the past six months.

He said a lot of people do not want to leave, but he has been taking advantage of the resources the shelter has been offering and hopes that others at the encampment do too.

“The shelter out there is helping me, they can help them too if they want the help. They have a place out there for me too, but I haven’t gone out there to see it yet,” said Turner.

For more information and resources, visit the Fairfax County website .

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