Arlington Awards Contracts For Homeless Shelters

ARLINGTON, VA - Arlington has finalized new contracts for operation of the county’s two homeless shelters for single adults beginning in January 2020. According to county officials, A-SPAN will continue to operate the Homeless Services Center in the Courthouse neighborhood, and New Hope Housing will take over from Volunteers of America – Chesapeake & Carolinas (VOA-CC) to operate the Residential Program Center (RPC) on Columbia Pike. VOA-CC will continue to operate the detox and early recovery programs collocated at the RPC.

“We are delighted to be entering the new decade with A-SPAN and New Hope Housing as the operators of the County’s two shelters for single individuals,” Anita Friedman, the Department of Human Services Director, said. “These shelters are a critical part of our Continuum of Care, helping some of the most vulnerable members of the community return to stable housing quickly and sustainably.”

New Vendor for RPC after 25 Years

Volunteers of America – Chesapeake & Carolinas spent more than 25 years as the operator of the RPC, expanding its services over time to include diversion, prevention, rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing, and more, county officials said.

“We wish to thank Volunteers of America – Chesapeake & Carolinas for their past service at the RPC and continued commitment to serving Arlingtonians through the detox and early recovery programs,” Friedman said.

Though headquartered in Fairfax, county officials said New Hope Housing has been a partner in Arlington’s Continuum of Care and provider of Permanent Supportive Housing for more than a decade.

Contracts Total $2.3 Million for First Year; Increases Linked to CPI

A-SPAN’s contract for the Homeless Services Center is for $1,456,379 in FY 2020, county officials confirmed. New Hope Housing’s contract for the Residential Program Center is for $857,661. Each contract provides the contractors the ability to request an annual contract price adjustment based on the consumer price index.

Performance-Based Contracts, Funding Match

According to county officials, the contracts are performance-based and contractors must meet specific outcomes, specifically ensuring individuals experiencing homelessness return to permanent housing as quickly as possible. Both contracts are for three years and can be reauthorized for an additional two years.

Neither contract is funded at 100 percent, county officials said. While the county assumes the bulk of the cost, the non-profit partners are required to leverage their tax-exempt status, fundraising abilities, and solicitation of in-kind goods or services. These contracts will ensure that operation of the HSC and RPC emergency shelters is efficient and effective, while being sensitive to the housing needs of our most vulnerable neighbors.