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Ashburn residents still at odds with Center of Hope
“This has been a nasty meeting,” said Ashburn resident Donna Lewis three hours into the Nov. 1 community meeting about Good Shepherd Alliances' Center of Hope facility in Ashburn.
Emotions flow through the room with people yelling out comments as others took the podium to voice their opinions.
So many area pastors spoke in favor of GSA's facility it got to the point where people had to make the statement, “I am not a pastor” for audience members to listen.
The Ashburn Elementary School auditorium, which holds roughly 400 people, was packed Thursday night as Ashburn residents stood in support of and in opposition to the facility at 20684 Ashburn Road, which will house a thrift store and administrative offices for GSA.
“We wouldn't get this turnout for the homeless even if we tried,” said Mark Gunderman, GSA board of directors vice chair before the meeting began.
GSA was originally planning to include a drop-in facility where homeless could shower, have a meal and use the computers, but the presence of such a facility caused a huge uproar in the community, which led to this meeting.
GSA representative Dave Norman spoke before those in attendance to reiterate that GSA has taken the drop-in center out of the plans, but this did not quell fears of safety issues for some in the audience.
“Don't ask us to put your mission above the well-being of our sons and daughters,” said Fred Hufnagel, who spoke for the majority of residents of the Ashburn Station community. “GSA needs to relocate.”
Trust was one word that was tossed around by many who spoke, mainly referring to the use of the Center of Hope. Some residents felt that the mission of the facility was not advertised adequately, saying the only information they had was that GSA was opening a thrift store and administrative offices, and the drop-in center was not mentioned.
Hufnagel said, “[GSA] had masked the true intent,” which had now left the community with “eroded trust in GSA.”
Norman said many times, “Hold our feet to the fire” to make sure GSA is doing what it said it would do. “Set up a community group of whoever needs to be on it.”
Residents said they would feel better about the issue if GSA would just take out the kitchen, showers and laundry facilities from their site plans to make sure the Center of Hope wouldn't be used as a drop-in center, but no GSA representative would confirm that that would be done.
While some residents seemed to be fine with the thrift store and administrative offices, others felt a homeless facility of any sort in Ashburn is not needed.
“We support a homeless shelter in an appropriate place,” said Ashburn resident Bill Alexander, who is also a lawyer for an opposing community group, Citizens for Appropriate Development in Old Ashburn.
Residents continually asked about the homeless population in the Ashburn area, but no one gave a definitive answer.
Robert Chirles, director of Family Services with the county, said as of Jan. 25, there were 211 homeless in the county, with most of them residing in Leesburg and Sterling.
Sheriff Steve Simpson was also in attendance to answer any questions residents had about the safety issues of a homeless facility. Asked many times about the crime that correlates to the homeless population, Simpson said crime rates don't necessarily increase where homeless are present.
Chirles said what the county is currently doing for the homeless -- three homes in Leesburg, transitional housing unit on Sycolin Road and a cold weather shelter along with an employment center -- “is not adequate.”
“We are experiencing a growth in homelessness, and without GSA we would not be able to support those who come through the door. A drop-in center is needed.”
Supervisor Lori Waters (R-Broad Run) stepped in, not only to set up the community meeting, but also to try to quell the issue of the drop-in center.
She said she has been working with GSA and county staff to look into a county-run drop-in center, possibly at the location GSA has in Leesburg.
The issue of a county-run drop-in center will go to the Board of Supervisors on Nov. 20
Contact the reporter at lwolstenholme@timespapers.com
Why do so many Loudoun residents refuse to believe there is a homeless problem in our county? And, furthermore, why do they refuse to do anything about it? It is sickening that those that are most equipped to help those in need refuse to do so... this "not in MY community" attitude has got to stop.
Our resources for the homeless are woefully inadequate, and there are organizations such as the GSA that strive to do something about it. The fact that they are met at oppostition at every turn by so many residents of Loudoun is, to say the least, distressing. As a current resident of Ashburn and a lifelong resident of Loudoun, I am in full support of the GSA and their efforts.
Posted by Sandra
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