Prince William proposes replacing Dumfries church with homeless shelter

A homeless shelter could replace Grace Church in Dumfries.

The Town Council will hold a public hearing at its September 15 meeting to decide whether or not to issue a zoning text amendment to allow the shelter to open inside the church at 1006 Williamstown Drive.

If approved, the shelter could open as early as Dec. 1 and would house single men and women that have been living at the Ferlazzo Government Building in Woodbridge, and at an Econo Lodge motel at the corner of Route 234 and Van Buren Road, just outside Dumfries.

Since April, a total of five homeless people have tested positive for the coronavirus, and all five were housed at the hotel. No coronavirus patients were housed at the Ferlzaao building, county officials said.

“This would be a turn-key facility,” said Prince William County Deputy County Administrator Elijah Johnson during a Town Council meeting on August 5. “We can almost move in there will little or no renovation to the facility.”

A portion of the facility would be used for a 60-to-80-bed shelter, while another portion of the building would be used to house administrative offices for the shelter.

Grace Chruch is working to build a new building at the corner of Route 234 and Van Buren Road, across the Econo Lodge, and is looking to sell its Williamstown Drive property.

The shelter would operate similarly to the county’s Bill Mehr Drop-In Center, located next to the OmniRide terminal in Woodbridge. Users would be staying overnight and then be forced to leave the next day.

The shelter would also offer employment services to help people find work, provide food stamps, mental health services, and programs for senior citizens.

Today, Prince William County declined to comment on its proposal to put the shelter, saying it would be “premature to respond to the questions.”

‘A homeless haven’ 

Mayor Derrick Wood told Town Council members that he spoke with Prince Willian County Potomac District Supervisor Andrea Bailey, who urged he allow for discussion for the zoning amendment that would clear the way for the shelter.

“I didn’t like the idea, but this facility would be right along the [OmniRide] bus corridor, it would give the homeless a place to stay, and with the jobs program, it would not be giving them a handout, but a hand up,” said Wood.

Others on the council expressed concern that property values in the surrounding residential neighborhoods would plummet if the shelter was allowed to open. Council members also talked about security concerns, given that the homeless residents who use the shelter — many of which suffer from mental illness — would be forced to leave the shelter during the day and roam the town, increasing the workload for the town police department.

“This is going to give the appearance that this is a homeless haven. If people can’t get in [to the shelter], they’re going to hang out in the town and we’ll have another tent city,” said Councilman Brian Fields.

“I’m not saying people are criminals, but with the state of mental health some people have, it’s a risk,” added Councilwoman Melva Willis.  

Council members blindsided

Council members also took issue with the fact this proposal was sprung upon them just before the start of the meeting.

“Why are we just getting this tonight talking about we have to approve a public hearing? No one here is communicating,” said Councilman Charles Brewer.

Area homeowners associations were also not notified about the potential homeless shelter elected officials said. They fear the shelter could bring down property values in the area.

“About housing values — it does affect it,” added Willis, who works as a Realtor.

In the end, the council voted 4-3 to schedule a public hearing for a zoning text amendment on Sept. 15.

“I don’t agree with the idea of the shelter, but I think it should go to the public,” said Vice Mayor Monae Nickerson.

An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported coronavirus patients were housed at the Ferlazzo government buidling.