In this Issue…
Board opts to Start at Square One on Panhandling - At Tuesday’s meeting, the Board of Supervisors opted to start back at square one on potential panhandling solutions after three years of little movement on the issue. I have been working for the last three years to have the County address this significant public safety concern of panhandlers in busy intersections with the solutions the Board committed to back in 2019. On Tuesday, the Board approved Chairman McKay’s motion to redetermine if panhandling is a public safety concern and did not support my motion to pick up the issue where the Board left off during the pandemic. For us to move forward so far only to start back at square one is a disservice to our residents and to every motorist and panhandler whose life is in danger in our medians each day we delay, as demonstrated by the recent death of a panhandler in Fairfax County. We live in an increasingly urban suburb with very busy intersections where it isn’t safe for anyone to be interacting with motorists. There are no absolutes in panhandling so for those who are truly in need, the County has great resources to help them in a safe, sustainable way. Below I will share more details on my proposed solutions to this public safety issue in Fairfax County and what you can do to help those in need.
Other News and Information
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Help West Springfield HS Student Make Guinness Book of World Records on May 22nd (May 22nd)
- Virtual Open Houses for Site-Specific Plan Amendment Process
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Secure Document Shredding @ Rolling Valley Park and Ride (July 23rd)
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Board opts to Start at Square One on Panhandling - At Tuesday’s meeting, the Board of Supervisors opted to start back at square one on potential panhandling solutions after three years of little movement on the issue. I have been working for the last three years to have the County address this significant public safety concern of panhandlers in busy intersections with the solutions the Board committed to back in 2019. On Tuesday, the Board approved Chairman McKay’s motion to redetermine if panhandling is a public safety concern and did not support my motion to pick up the issue where the Board left off during the pandemic. For us to move forward so far only to start back at square one is a disservice to our residents and to every motorist and panhandler whose life is in danger in our medians each day we delay, as demonstrated by the recent death of a panhandler in Fairfax County
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There are no absolutes in panhandling. While there are some who panhandle because they need to, many others take advantage of the generosity of our residents through panhandling rings. Investigation into these rings has proven that many panhandlers in Fairfax County are coming from outside the County and even outside of the state, attracted by the wealth and generosity of Fairfax County residents. For those who are truly in need, the County has great resources to help them in a safe, sustainable way. For those taking advantage of our residents’ generosity we need to get them back in the workforce.
Here’s a brief history of my work to address panhandling both to connect people in need with services and to promote public safety:
Connect People with Resources – In 2017, I proposed a program to provide jobs for people experiencing homelessness called “There’s a Better Way,” which has been successful in other jurisdictions nationally and was originally implemented in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Shortly thereafter, the City of Fairfax started a similar program teaming up with the Lamb Center. The Fairfax County Department of Public Works piloted a similar program and later established that program, Operation Stream Shield, which has had over 2,200 clients serve in the program including many that “graduated” into full time jobs. I strongly support this program because it provides people in need with skills, mentorship, community, income, and the dignity of work. Also in 2017, the Office of Public Affairs executed a community outreach campaign to educate residents on what resources the County provides and to discourage them from giving to panhandlers.
Address Curb-to-Curb Safety - On July 16th, 2019, I presented a Board matter jointly with former Supervisor Cook which asked the Board to consider an ordinance to promote safety curb-to-curb by prohibiting anyone from engaging with motorists. In addition, it asked for continued community outreach to share with residents how they can better support people who are in need rather than giving one-time funds to panhandlers and what resources the County provides. This motion was unanimously approved. There was some reluctance by the Board at the time to enact an ordinance that would impact the Fill the Boot campaign, charity car washes, and other community benefit sign waving. I support the efforts of the Fill the Boot campaign and was glad to see that it successfully used other fundraising mechanisms during the pandemic when in-person methods were not possible. While I would not want to impact any worthy fundraising effort like Fill the Boot, the safety issue of people interacting with motorists in intersections with heavy traffic persists year-round and needs to be addressed.
Signs, Studies, and a Draft Ordinance - On September 17th, 2019 at the Board’s Public Safety Committee Meeting, the County Attorney shared that a curb-to-curb safety ordinance could be considered and more likely to hold up in court if the ordinance is content neutral, limited in scope, and focused on conduct. The County Attorney further explained that the ordinance would need to be tailored to address specific traffic safety problems and recommended the County preemptively collect traffic data. With data on the risk to motorists and anyone standing in a median (not just panhandlers), it would be unlikely that an ordinance would be considered an infringement on freedom of speech. Other recommendations from the meeting included enhanced enforcement strategy for law enforcement, a survey by the county’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness to better understand panhandling individuals, a new community outreach campaign, and signage to discourage panhandling at specific intersections. The consensus at that meeting was for staff to conduct a limited, in-house transportation study to determine intersections where people in the median pose a particular public safety issue. Staff would also conduct a survey to better understand if County services are connecting with the people who are panhandling. Using that data, the Board consensus was to move forward with signage discouraging panhandling at identified intersections and potentially consider an ordinance.
Delayed Results - In early March of 2020, my office received updates from staff that the Fairfax County Department of Transportation and Fairfax County Police Department completed the traffic study and identified 40+ panhandling hotspots. In addition, the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness developed a survey based on other communities’ panhandling surveys. Staff planned to conduct the survey on April 20th, 2020, and release the survey data in May 2020. Further, my office was told that staff had a sign design prepared and ready to present to the Board but were waiting on other logistical issues. The pandemic hitting in mid-March 2020 delayed those efforts.
Over the last three years, I persistently asked staff to provide an update to the Board on panhandling. On April 8th the County Executive finally circulated a memorandum to the Board on panhandling.
While the County and the Board under Chairman McKay have done nothing to address this issue over the last three years, complaints about panhandling and road safety have increased significantly. In addition to medians, there also has been an uptick in panhandling at shopping centers, resulting in calls to our office and police who have had to remind the center owners that shopping centers are private property. We live in an increasingly urban suburb and traffic is returning to pre-pandemic levels. Distraction is already a major issue for motorists. Accidents and near-misses throughout the County compel us to do something and prevent further tragedy. I’m glad to see the County is moving forward on this again, but disappointed that we’re restarting at the beginning, choosing to instead determine “whether or not there is a public safety risk related to or stemming from panhandling” as stated in the Chairman’s motion. We have had data on the issue and potential solutions on the table for the last three years.
I’ll continue to update you on any Board actions regarding this issue, but in the meantime visit this page to see what you can do to help people in need while discouraging panhandling. You can also consider contacting your Supervisor or the Chairman of the Board to ask what they plan to do to address this issue.
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Other News and Information
Help West Springfield HS Student Make Guinness Book of World Records on May 22nd (May 22nd)
Sebastian is a West Springfield High School student who needs your help as he tries to set the world record of building the largest Lego set (the Titanic) on May 22nd. He needs non-family members to volunteer to be witnesses and timers in order to qualify according to Guinness Book of World Records. There are different time slots to register for, so feel free to go show your support!
For more information or to sign up, click here.
Virtual Open Houses for Site-Specific Plan Amendment Process
Recommended changes to the county’s process for submitting and reviewing proposed land use changes for individual sites will soon head to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors for consideration and adoption. This process, known as the Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) process, currently operates on a four-year cycle. Using public feedback and staff analysis, the county is recommending a series of changes, which include creating a Countywide, two-year cycle, shortening the submission and screening period timelines, adapting community engagement to suit the needs of the study areas, and enhancing the criteria for submissions.
Secure Document Shredding at Rolling Valley Park and Ride on July 23rd
The County is once again providing document shredding service, which is open to residents of Fairfax County, Herndon, the Town of Vienna, and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church. Springfield District’s shredding event will be at Rolling Valley Park and Ride on July 23rd. (It was originally set for May 21 but had to be rescheduled due to lack of vendor availability)
Events are from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., unless the trucks fill up prior to the end time. All participants must be in line by 11 a.m. to be served.
Shredding is provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Please be aware that when the shredding trucks are full, the event will end.
There is a four (4) box limit, based on standard banker/copy box size (12.5” W x 15.5” L x 10.5” H). If you bring documents in plastic bags, please do not tie them. All boxes, plastic/paper bags, or other containers will be returned to you after emptying.
Due to traffic and safety concerns, you may not exit your vehicle or stay in the area to watch shredding. The contractor guarantees all documents will be shredded on-site.
Visit the Dept. of Public Works webpage for the full list of shredding dates.
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Email
Office
(703) 451-8873
Website
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Free Summer Concert Series @ Burke Lake Park
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Every Wednesday 7pm
July 13th- August 24th
More details to come
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What's black and white and cute all over? Onyx! This happy-go-lucky boy came to us from one of our rescue partners, and he's awesome! He loves people and getting all the attention. When he's getting the pets and scratches, his face gets all soft and he leans in for more. He's a smart pup who knows some basic commands like sit and down, and he's very treat-motivated so more good-boy education should be a breeze. He walks well on a leash and loves to explore, so add energetic adventure buddy to his resume. If you would like to meet Onyx, click here to arrange a visit.
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