On Wednesday morning crews in Fairfax County removed an encampment in a wooded area of a park where homeless people were living.
“They shouldn’t be living in the woods it’s creating a lot of trash and a lot of residents are feeling a little unsafe,” said neighbor John Carter.
In an email, a Fairfax County spokesman said county workers began in May meeting with people who lived in the woods in Towers, Thaiss and Mantua parks in the Fairfax Circle area of the county to assess their needs and connect them with services.
“No trespassing” signs were posted on Aug. 28 at Towers Park, the spokesman said, with a “designated cleanup day” of Wednesday.
Below is a map showing the general location of the parks:
At the park on Wednesday, crews fork lifted trash, clothes, blankets, tents and other items into large dump trucks. Many of the people who were living there were seen walking the streets with the few belongings they had afterward.
“I really hope they get what they need. I hate to see anyone put out that way,” Carter said. “They need access to public housing and they need access to health services.”
The Fairfax County spokesman said the cleanup was conducted by the Park Authority.
“During the past several months, community outreach workers have met with each person experiencing homelessness to connect them with services,” the spokesman said in the email. “They have been encouraged to utilize shelter and to work with local service providers to find and secure longer-term housing options.”
The county’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness offers several services, such as street outreach and emergency shelters.
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