A Letter From the
Homelessness Task Force Chair
March 2024
Dear Fairfax City,
Happy Women’s History Month! According to a recent report by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, women are more likely to experience homelessness than previously assumed. Advocacy for the unhoused women I met on the CUE Bus is what led me to apply for the Homelessness Task Force. All city residents, housed and unhoused, deserve democratized access to resources.
I’m super proud of the work of the task force’s Data Subcommittee, led by Jim Gillespie, Lesley Hatch, and Grace Francis. I am also proud of the task force's working relationship with staff members such as Prerna Srinivasan, the city police department’s crime analyst, who works tirelessly to fill gaps in city-specific information that will substantiate evidence for our future recommendations.
In the meantime, as winter turns to spring, I invite you to join me in donating supplies to our nonprofit partners that step up to provide for many people in dire need. Visit the Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness “How to Help” page for information.
At the Feb. 7 meeting, the task force welcomed Jennifer Rose, executive director of the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, as a new task force member and business representative.
Sincerely,
Amini Elizabeth Bonane
Chair, Fairfax City Homelessness Task Force
Meeting agendas and other meeting information can be found on the Homelessness Task Force webpage: fairfaxva.gov/homelesstaskforce
Please share your questions and comments on the Homelessness Task Force Engage page: engage.fairfaxva.gov
 Pictured: Tom Willis, left, and Mario Guillen accepting a donation for Facets. (Photo by Amini Bonane)
Homelessness Task Force Meeting Information
The following task force meetings are scheduled:
- Thursday, March 21 • 5:30 p.m.
- Monday, April 15 • 6:30 p.m.
- Monday, April 29 • 6:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, May 6 • 6:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, May 29 • 6:30 p.m.
Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held in the work session room at Fairfax City Hall (Annex Room 111 A-B). Agendas are posted on the task force webpage before the meeting.
Additional task force and subcommittee meetings may be scheduled.
Meeting information is subject to change. Info: email, 703-385-7894 (TTY: 711)
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City
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In Evicted, Princeton sociologist and MacArthur “Genius” Matthew Desmond follows eight families in Milwaukee as they each struggle to keep a roof over their heads.
Hailed as “wrenching and revelatory” (The Nation), “vivid and unsettling” (New York Review of Books), Evicted transforms our understanding of poverty and economic exploitation while providing fresh ideas for solving one of twenty-first-century America’s most devastating problems.
Its unforgettable scenes of hope and loss remind us of the centrality of home, without which nothing else is possible.
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Invisible People: Former Social Worker with Master's Degree Homeless in Charlotte
Better Off Podcast: Can we end chronic homelessness?
It’s estimated that half a million Americans are experiencing homelessness. Even a brief period of housing insecurity can make existing health issues worse, and bring up new physical and mental traumas. Doctors and nurses who help patients navigate these issues have a prescription: More housing, and more services. Is it possible to end chronic homelessness, even as eviction moratoriums end and rents increase? And is a housing-first model the best way to achieve that goal? Click here to listen to the podcast.
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You can help out the homeless community in Fairfax City and Fairfax County. in numerous ways.
No matter your skills, age, or resources, you can find a way to make a difference by donating, volunteering, and staying informed.
The Fairfax County Office to End Homelessness maintains a list of trusted nonprofit partners. Click here to view the list, or call 703-246-5000, TTY: 711.
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How to Provide Feedback on Homelessness Issues in Fairfax City
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Share this newsletter with others,
and encourage them to stay connected
through City Clips.
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The City of Fairfax Homelessness Task Force is a collaborative and inclusive community forum responsible for increasing the understanding of, identifying issues related to and developing innovative strategies for addressing homelessness in the City of Fairfax.
Click here to read the Homelessness Task Force Charter.
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The City of Fairfax is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. For assistance, contact 703-385-7894 (voice), 711 (TTY).
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