Homelessness in Providence, December 2025

Neighbors in North Mantua contacted the MCA recently to request that Fairfax authorities check for squatters
on the property at 8801 Arlington Blvd. this month. The property is abandoned, and it sits between a church
and a daycare. The owner appears to be in arrears on property taxes. The MCA will follow up on the issue
with the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH). MCA has also spoken with our planning commissioner
to find out if the county has plans to develop, or at least clear, the area.
Separately, the MCA attended a presentation from OPEH by Danien Johnson, who leads the department’s
adult outreach. Fairfax County tracks homeless populations through a Point in Time tracking system, wherein
nonprofits contracted with the department conduct a county-wide survey on a single day, generally during the
winter. OPEH counted 1,278 individuals in the last published survey (2024); this figure represents a 2% decrease
in unhoused people, which the county believes is an undercount caused by insufficient staff counters.
Johnson shared data on the demographics of homelessness in Fairfax, with a number of surprising statistics.
Children make up roughly a third of all unhoused people in Fairfax. A further 20% of the unhoused people
report fleeing or having experienced domestic violence. Roughly a third of adults experiencing homelessness
are employed, and a little over half report having some income. For those interested in learning more about
homelessness in Fairfax County, the full data are published here. OPEH has resources available on their website
for those interested in helping people experiencing homelessness.