Continuum of Care
The Continuum of Care (CoC) is the federally designated regional homeless services system — the Fairfax Falls Church Continuum of Care — through which HUD channels funding for permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, and related homeless services in the Fairfax City/County area.
Beacon Landing
Beacon Landing is a 54-unit supportive affordable housing development in the city, developed in partnership by Wesley Housing and the Lamb Center. The project drew on 23 separate financing sources, including a $700,000 gap financing investment from the city's Housing Trust Fund in February 2023 — a critical contribution that enabled the project to assemble its full financing stack.
- Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH)
The federal Continuum of Care Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) was released during the meeting; significant policy uncertainty, proposed elimination in the President's budget, and ongoing legal battles were discussed, with impacts not yet fully known.
- Re-write Hypothermia Goal
It was noted that a workgroup under the NAACP Housing Committee is evaluating the rotating hypothermia shelter system, and that the southern Fairfax County model (Rising Hope Church plus Kennedy Shelter overflow) was presented as a hybrid alternative to the northern Fairfax County government center model. Jim Gillespie attended the CoC Board meeting on April 22 as a public participant; OPEH reported increased hypothermia shelter participation and incidents of violence between guests, and fewer participating faith communities. A court ruling requires FY25 CoC grants to continue at prior funding levels, with the next NOFO court-ordered by June 1, 2026, and anticipated shifts toward transitional housing and reduced overall funding.
In full
As of mid-2026, the CoC faces significant instability: the President's proposed federal budget includes elimination of the CoC program, active legal battles are ongoing, and funding priorities are shifting away from some project types (e.g., permanent supportive housing) toward transitional housing with reduced overall anticipated funding. A court ruling required FY25 CoC grants to continue at prior funding levels, and a new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) was court-ordered by June 1, 2026 — which was released during the June 1, 2026 HHCAB Regular Meeting. On April 14, 2026, James Gillespie was appointed to the CoC Board for a two-year term through April 14, 2028, though the appointment was subsequently discussed for possible placement on the May 12 consent agenda (April 28, 2026).
Jim Gillespie also attended the CoC Board meeting on April 22, 2026, as a public participant, where OPEH reported increased hypothermia shelter participation, incidents of violence between guests, and fewer participating faith communities.