VIRGINIA BEACH — The city’s Housing and Neighborhood Preservation announced Wednesday the organizations selected to provide many of the services at the new Housing Resource Center, which is slated to begin delivering services to the public in mid-September.
Here’s the list:
- Day Services and Singles Shelter: Judeo-Christian Outreach Center.
JCOC provides feeding programs and shelter for single homeless adults. Its housing programs serve men, women, homeless veterans and individuals with disabilities. The nonprofit also operates the city’s Winter Shelter program through a partnership with local faith organizations. - Short-Term Family Housing: Samaritan House.
Samaritan House is the largest shelter for victims of domestic violence in Virginia. In addition to the organization’s services for victims of domestic violence and homelessness, it also shelters human trafficking victims as part of a regional network of law enforcement and human services agencies. - Permanent Housing (Apartments): Virginia Supportive Housing.
VSH is a Richmond-based nonprofit that provides permanent housing and supportive services. It has developed and currently operates the six permanent supportive housing communities for formerly homeless individuals in South Hampton Roads: Cloverleaf and Crescent Square Apartments in Virginia Beach, Gosnold Apartments and Church Street Station Studios in Norfolk, South Bay Apartments in Portsmouth and Heron’s Landing Apartments in Chesapeake. - Health Center: Southeastern Virginia Health Services.
SEVHS provides comprehensive primary care services to under-served communities and vulnerable populations. The organization currently operates primary care sites, behavioral health-primary care practices, and dental clinics across Hampton Roads. - Operations and Maintenance: ABM
ABM currently serves as a janitorial partner for several City of Virginia Beach offices and facilities and will do so for the Housing Resource Center. The company will also oversee subcontractors at the center, including Dunbar Security, Culinary Services Group, and Dodson Pest Control.
Housing and Neighborhood Preservation will coordinate the services provided by all partners at the facility, according to a news release from the city.
“Each selected provider is an established organization with a history of providing quality services in Virginia Beach,” said Andrew Friedman, director of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation. “The use of outside organizations to provide critical services is consistent with the goals of the Housing Resource Center to enhance and provide a focus for our community’s ongoing efforts to make homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring.”
At the center, Virginia Beach Human Services will also provide critical human services to participants and the public. Through the BEACH Faith In Action office at the Housing Resource Center, the faith community will be able to continue its key role of coordinating and tracking services provided by faith organizations to the homeless.
In addition to managing the operations of the Housing Resource Center, Housing and Neighborhood Preservation will continue its outreach and coordinated assessment programs, and implement a new homelessness prevention and diversion program as part of the city’s overall community service system, according to the news release.
The public is invited to a building dedication and ribbon-cutting on Aug. 23. Guests are asked to park at the Renaissance Academy, 5100 Cleveland St. Shuttle transportation will be available. To attend, RSVP here or call 757-385-6334.
For those who are unable to attend on Aug. 23, Housing and Neighborhood Preservation is offering open house tours:
- Aug. 20 – First tour starts at 10 a.m. Last tour starts at 10:30 a.m.; then at 6:30 p.m. Last tour starts 7 p.m.
- Aug. 21 – First tour starts at 10 a.m. Last tour starts 10:30 a.m.; then at 6:30 p.m. Last tour starts 7 p.m.
Tours will depart every 10 minutes. Each will last approximately one hour. A limited number of spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To register for an open house tour, visit here or call 757-385-6334.
The Virginia Beach Housing Resource Center
The center, scheduled to open for services in September at 104 N. Witchduck Road, is a one-stop shop of services for families and individuals experiencing homelessness or a housing crisis. The new 62,000-square-foot, LEED-certified facility features:
- Singles shelter: 49 singles shelter beds
- Short-term family housing: 10 motel-style units (40 beds)
- Permanent housing: 29 one-bedroom efficiency apartments
- Day services: Laundry, showers and housing support
- Virginia Beach Human Services offices
- Health clinic
- Dining hall
- Learning facility
The integration of shelter, housing, health clinic, cafeteria, learning facility, supportive services and community resources in one facility makes the Virginia Beach Housing Resource Center the first of its kind in South Hampton Roads.
For information, visit here.
If you are homeless or at imminent risk of losing your housing, please call the Regional Housing Crisis Hotline at 757-227-5932, Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., to connect with the City of Virginia Beach homeless services system.