Fairfax county pays homeless crews to clean up streams
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| Trash collected by Bailey’s Shelter residents at a recent cleanup at a stream behind Fairmont Gardens in Annandale. |
Fairfax County’s debris and litter-choked waterways need cleaning up, while people experiencing homelessness need job experience.
That’s where Operation Stream Shield comes in. The program is a partnership of the county’s Stormwater Planning Division, other county agencies, and nonprofits that operate homeless shelters.
Shelter clients are paid $10 an hour at the end of a four-hour shift to collect litter, carry out general landscaping, and remove invasive plans, says Heather Ambrose of the Stormwater Planning Division.
“The program will give the homeless skills that will lead to full-time work,” Ambrose says. Crews work Monday through Friday.
Partners include New Hope Housing, which operates several shelters, including the Bailey’s Shelter and Supportive Housing facility in Bailey’s Crossroads, and the Lamb Center, a daytime, drop-in shelter in the City of Fairfax. Cornerstones, which operates a shelter in Reston, will come aboard soon.
Fairfax County’s Muncipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit from the Environmental Protection Agency requires it to prevent trash and pollution in waterways, and “litter is a huge issue in Fairfax County,” says Ambrose.
Operation Stream Shield started in 2019 as a 12-week pilot program. The program was then extended as a five-year program in February. It was suspended as the coronavirus pandemic took hold and was recently reactivated.
The Fairfax County Office to Prevent and End Homelessness helped make connections with the nonprofits.
Park Authority staff provide training on invasive species, and members of Friends of Accotink Creek worked alongside homeless crews to help them identify invasive and native plants. Future plans call for the program to add trail maintenance.
Finally, the County comes up with a win win social program. Excellent appropriations of funds, because our streams and roadway right of ways are as filthy as many other third world countries.
The waterways are filled with sewage water (constant breaks and leaks) yet people let their kids swim in those waters. Scary stuff.
I hope you're joking
i go into these water almost regularly
This is fantastic. Absolutely a win-win program.
You guys need to come to Annandale Va there’s a lot of homeless people here the county should have housing just for them so trash does not become a problem again