1 / 26

Whose Backyard Is It Anyway? Overcoming NIMBY Presentation by Pamela L. Michell

This presentation by Pamela L. Michell, Executive Director of New Hope Housing, Inc., explores the challenges of siting shelters, safe havens, and affordable housing in Fairfax County, VA. It addresses neighborhood concerns, the role of local government, and the importance of community involvement. Learn how to overcome NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) attitudes and create solutions for homelessness.

dchau
Download Presentation

Whose Backyard Is It Anyway? Overcoming NIMBY Presentation by Pamela L. Michell

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Whose Backyard Is It Anyway? Overcoming NIMBY Presentation by Pamela L. Michell Executive Director, New Hope Housing, Inc. Alexandria, VA July 11, 2007

  2. Washington, D.C. Region Metropolitan Region population in 2005: 4,978,700 Population of Fairfax County, Virginia: 1,041,200 2005 median household income: Washington D.C. MSA: $74,708 Fairfax County, Virginia: $94,610 Population data and map from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Growth Trends to 2030: Cooperative Forecasting in the Washington Region, Fall 2006. Income data: 2005 American Community Survey.

  3. Homelessness in the Fairfax and Falls Church communities 1,813 homeless persons on January 25, 2007 • 730 single individuals • 1,083 persons in families (307 families with 674 children under 18)

  4. 82% of single individuals 54% of homeless families Housing costs are high while incomes are low Most homeless have incomes below poverty Only 4.4% of county population is below poverty

  5. Housing costs are high while incomes are low • The average 1-bedroom rent is $1,093/month • Income needed is $43,720/year • 90% of singles have income below $15,000 • The average 2-bedroom rent is $1,306/month • Income needed is $52,240/year • 82% of families have income below $30,000

  6. Fairfax County: a suburban/urban county • 395 square miles, with 1,041,200 people • No downtown; several commercial areas • Lack of old hotels, warehouses, etc. • SF neighborhoods, condo, townhouse communities, and garden apartments • Increasing density • Limited undeveloped land

  7. Fairfax County Politics 10 Member Board of Supervisors 9 magisterial districts, each with 1 supervisor At large chairman of the Board Magisterial “veto” Dillon Rule state

  8. Three Stories • Siting a shelter • Siting a safe haven • Siting affordable housing

  9. Task force recommendation in 2000 County Project: Support and involvement of senior staff Support and involvement of elected officials County land County funds Siting a Shelter

  10. Siting a Shelter • Neighborhood concerns – the usual • Response: • Hold public meetings and private conversations • Have a consistent message • Listen and respond to concerns

  11. Hanley Shelter Neighbors

  12. Hanley Shelter

  13. Hanley Shelter Neighbors

  14. Siting a Shelter When local government puts its weight behind something, it will happen. It may be slow but it will happen. Moral:

  15. Siting a Safe Haven • Hot potato project of the Continuum of Care in 1995 • Site identification • Meeting with local elected supervisor • Open community meeting

  16. Siting a Safe Haven • Use by right • Fair housing • Consistent message • Listen and respond to concerns

  17. Max’s Place – a safe haven

  18. Max’s Place Neighbor

  19. Siting a Safe Haven Stick to your vision and the law Buy a flack jacket In the end, it will be okay Moral:

  20. Siting Affordable Housing • 33 acres owned Fairfax County, purchased with CDBG funds • Vacant/passive parkland • 5 acres zoned commercial • 18 acres zoned R-2 • 11 acres zoned R-MHP, 6 units/acre

  21. North Hill

  22. Siting Affordable Housing • Hypothermia and the faith community, then and now • Efforts of local faith coalition on affordable housing/SROs • Local supervisor moves from no how/no way to over-riding his own advisory committee

  23. Siting Affordable Housing • Elected officials want political cover • Mobilized and motivated individual citizens can provide it Moral:

  24. Next: Siting a Samaritan Initiative • Use by right • Want county funds for match • Need supervisor letter of support

  25. Contact Information Pamela L. Michell Executive Director New Hope Housing, Inc. 8407-E Richmond Highway Alexandria, VA 22309 703-799-2293 ext.17 pmichell@newhopehousing.org www.newhopehousing.org www.fairfaxcounty.gov\homeless

More Related