Fairfax County to Register Chronically Homeless

Volunteers will spread across the area next week to gather data on Fairfax County's homeless population.

Volunteers will gather individual histories, names and will take photographs, as part of Fairfax County's 10-year plan to eradicate homelessness.  

"The personalized data will help the nonprofits and local governments make important decisions about how to prioritize and allocate housing and support resources," according to a county press release. 

Fairfax County and Fairfax City have about 2,900 temporarily homeless, and about 300 are chronically homeless. The county anticipates that half of its homeless population will be in supportive housing within three years.

The effort is part of the 100,000 Homes Campaign, which advocates offering housing to the homeless. 

"Housing First is based on the simple idea that a homeless individual will be most successful when able to make his or her own informed decisions about housing and health," according to the 100,000 Homes Campaign website. "Housing and services are made available when a homeless individual chooses them, not as a requirement or mandatory condition. This breeds a sense of independence and self-efficacy that is often instrumental in helping individuals remain safe, healthy and housed."  

The counting will begin at 4 a.m. Monday and continue through Wednesday.  

The volunteers will have a debriefing March 4 at the Jubilee Christian Center in Fairfax at 8:30 a.m.