Homeless Encampment At Mantua Park Cleared By Park Authority Workers

FAIRFAX, VA — A large homeless encampment at Mantua Park was cleared out Wednesday morning by workers from the Fairfax County Park Authority, with county police officers on hand to provide protection.

The cleanup is just the latest effort by the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness to address the encampments on county land along the border of Fairfax City.

Starting in late May, community outreach workers met with each person experiencing homelessness at Towers, Thaiss and Mantua parks to assess their needs and connect them with customized services, according to a Fairfax County spokesman.

"The primary concern is safety: neighbors living in tents experience unsafe, outdoor living conditions with no running water," the spokesman said.

Signs were posted on Aug. 28 at Towers Park, warning those at the homeless camp that Wednesday was the designated clean-up day.

As of Aug. 28, about 10 people were living outdoors across Mantua, Towers and Thaiss parks, according to the county spokesman.

When a Patch reporter arrived on the scene around 8:21 a.m. Wednesday, only one homeless resident of the encampment appeared to be present. Wrapped in a blanket, he passed the arriving work crews and headed along Route 50 in the direction of Fairfax City.

Measuring roughly 500 feet across, the encampment was about 50 feet south of Route 50 and accessible via a dirt path.

Several tents, all vacant at the time, had been set up in clearings between the trees. Other living quarters were made of tarps, tree branches, pieces of wood and other materials.

It was unclear whether the bags of garbage piled in and around the encampment had been placed there by the camp's residents or the park authority's cleanup crew.

As a maintenance worker draped pieces of clothing on a long tree branch, another used a small front loader to knock down a tent structure.

Although Fairfax County did not send out a notice to the wider public about Wednesday's cleanup efforts at Mantua Park, the City of Fairfax issued an alert Tuesday night notifying residents about the activity.

All three encampments are within walking distance of the Lamb Center, the homeless day shelter located in Fairfax City. Executive Director Tara Ruszkowski provided Patch this statement about the clearing of the Mantua Park encampment:

"We believe in the dignity of every life and are deeply concerned about where our displaced neighbors will sleep tonight.

"Many assume people experiencing homelessness have options for housing. Sadly, the waiting list for beds in County shelters is often 90 days or more. Most of the people displaced today have no choice but to find some other outdoor space to sleep tonight.

"Homelessness is a complicated, uncomfortable, and increasingly common community challenge. There are no simple answers. It will take all of us working together, grounded in a belief in each person’s dignity, to find compassionate and lasting solutions."