The City of Fairfax is attempting to relocate the Lamb Center, a day shelter for the homeless with a focus on alcohol and drug addicts, from Fairfax Circle to 2924 Telestar Court in the heart of Merrifield (Fairfax County) within close proximity to tens of thousands of children, home owners and businesses. To fight this we have established the Merrifield Citizens Association (MCA) and have a petition http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/merrifield/index.html with over 350 signatures.

We are not against homeless people or helping those in need, but simply opposes the Lamb Center in this particular location. We are trying to work with the director of the Lamb Center to find a more suitable location for his facility.

The City of Fairfax, has long been uncomfortable with the Lamb Center's location in a commercial strip adjacent to a 7-Eleven, where many of the homeless purchase alcohol, so have decided to "dump" their problem in the Merrifield area. The local businesses on Lee Highway have complained about the numbers of homeless people that loiter around the neighborhood act erratically, drink, panhandle, defecate and urinate in public. Merrifield also has a 7-11 and ABC store within walking distance as well as many other businesses, homes, schools, bus stops, etc.

The Lamb Center is already known to be problematic. Fairfax City Police have often had to respond to disturbances and assaults. In one instance Feb. 17, police arrived to find a man outside the center waving a two-foot board and threatening to hit people. He was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. In another incident the center director was punched in the face according to police reports.

Call or email Bob Sisson, City Manager of Fairfax City to voice your opposition.
Phone: 703.385.7850
Email: RSisson@fairfaxva.gov

Call the City Clerk to speak before the city council or just show up on Dec. 12 to show your support for our opposition. 703.385.7935

According to Mary Larimer, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington, "the chronically homeless generally have some form of mental illness, chemical dependency or both."

Say NO to the City of Fairfax's plan to move the Lamb Center to the Merrifield Location, and join us in opposing this terrible proposition that will endanger all of us who live and work in Merrifield. Join the Merrifield Citizens Association http://www.merrifieldcitizens.com and sign the petition http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/merrifield/index.html

Ekrem Sarper Wrote:
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> The City of Fairfax is attempting to relocate the
> Lamb Center, a day shelter for the homeless with a
> focus on alcohol and drug addicts, from Fairfax
> Circle to 2924 Telestar Court in the heart of
> Merrifield (Fairfax County) within close proximity
> to tens of thousands of children, home owners and
> businesses.





I hate to tell you but it already is in close proximity to two major schools and major residential and commericial sectors. No matter where they move to, no one is going to like it.

Ekrem Sarper Wrote:
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> According to Mary Larimer, Associate Professor of
> Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the
> University of Washington, "the chronically
> homeless generally have some form of mental
> illness, chemical dependency or both."

do you think people with mental illness and/or chemical dependency should not be allowed in society?


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

This center should be put in a more isolated location so that IF the patrons of the center decided to help themselves and re-enter society, they will be without temptations such as alcohol stores. Additionally, these people do not NEED to be MOVED by the Lamb Center to a part of northern virginia where they do not currently live. It is unfair to people who purchased their homes to live in a safe and quiet neighborhood.

I think the Lamb center is problematic too. I live in Fairfax near the Lamb center. If you read the weekly crime reports, you will see that many incidents occur here at this center. They have no beds for the homeless. It is a place for meals and phone calls only. Therefore the residents wander around Fairfax often in a state of drunkeness or they are mentally ill. This is not a safe situation for residents of Fairfax. Personally, I love to run on the Cross County Trail which is near the Lamb center. I have had to take a friend along whenever I choose that venue for exercise because many Lamb center people sleep in the woods or loiter on the trail, leaving trash and empty alcoholic bottles on the path. I do not know what the answer is because I can certainly understand not wanting a homeless shelter in one's neighborhood. If I am accused of the NIMBY syndrome, then so be it.

Trickie

Isn't Merrifield more appropriate anyway? That place is a dump compared to FFX City. -§

If they move to merrifield they better learn to habla. Actually everyone in fairfax better to learn to habla quickly.

Are you a liberal? "Homeless shelters are great, but not near ME..."

Nobody wants a homeless shelter in their backyard. Merrifield is just as good a location as any place.

Have you guys been to Merrifield lately? It's blowing up, they just built a huge hotel and condo right next to dunn loring metro. and now two more huge condo complex's are going up next to the movie theater, they are going to tear-down the movie theater and rebuild the entire thing, making room for more stores.

Jack Davidson Wrote:
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> This center should be put in a more isolated
> location so that IF the patrons of the center
> decided to help themselves and re-enter society,
> they will be without temptations such as alcohol
> stores.

So why not petition Fairfax County to rezone the shopping center so stores that sell alcohol can't be there? Wouldn't that also solve your concerns?

The NIMBY syndrome is a bitch, isn't it? Homeless people have just as much right to exist and make their way through life as anyone else, and given their circumstances they need more help to do that than the average person. Rather than pretending like problems of poverty, addiction, and mental illness don't exist, why don't we elevate the discourse to discuss the structural changes that need to happen to end homelessness in the first place?

Just a thought!

pgens Wrote:
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> Jack Davidson Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > This center should be put in a more isolated
> > location so that IF the patrons of the center
> > decided to help themselves and re-enter
> society,
> > they will be without temptations such as
> alcohol
> > stores.
>
> So why not petition Fairfax County to rezone the
> shopping center so stores that sell alcohol can't
> be there? Wouldn't that also solve your concerns?

I say we rezone the County and get of Merrifield all together. The only thing of value in that area is Taco Bell and Main Post Office.

Allison, any chance we can drop off a couple of these unfortunates at your place to spend the holidays?

Have you guys been to Merrifield lately? It's blowing up,

I drive thru there on Gallows quite a bit, and yeah, it's a crowded mess of redevelopment. At the rate it's going, in 10 years it'll be an upscale suburb of Tysons.

Allison Wrote:
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> Rather than pretending
> like problems of poverty, addiction, and mental
> illness don't exist, why don't we elevate the
> discourse to discuss the structural changes that
> need to happen to end homelessness in the first
> place?

quite simply, society is mostly comprised of selfish shallow apathetic bastards who only care when a problem hits them. the government systems only exist because of people who fight for them. your everyday jackass and bitch would rather just have people who need help sent to jail so they dont have to "deal" with them.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

yeah thats why the US has the highest incarceration rate in the WOrld right now. Boozers and addicts have to want to get sober before people can help them. The lamb center is a good start but obviously people slip and or slide back into their addictions and cause trouble in the communities they are located in. Its a health issue and we cannot let them go to jail and wallow in misery. Thats obviously not working.

I say Merrifield is a great location for the Lamb center. It is closer to a Metro station so some of the homeless can use public transportation to get to jobs throughout the area if they are trying to get hired. Sorry but your NIMBY group seems mostly self-interested.

You need confinement that goes way beyond anything the Lamb Center can offer.