Homeless shelter staff complain about late paychecks, lack of supplies
Staff at the homeless shelter in Bailey’s Crossroads and other shelters run by New Hope Housing are not being paid on time, have seen their health benefits canceled, and have been spending their own money for supplies like toilet paper and food.
That is having a devastating impact on employees who are running out of money to cover their bills.
Mismanaged shelters
New Hope Housing (NHH) operates the shelters under a contract with the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH) in Fairfax County’s Department of Housing and Community Development.
OPEH has identified several problems with NHH’s management, including the misallocation of resources, financial non-compliance, and inadequate service delivery – and established a corrective action plan.
In an unrelated issue, NHH is facing a wrongful death suit. Charles Ngeh, the resident of a townhouse in Lorton that New Hope operates as one of its “scattered-site permanent supportive housing” facilities, died in a fire.
The suit, filed in the Fairfax County Circuit by attorney Joseph Blaszkow on Sept. 5 on behalf of Ngeh’s siblings, says NHH falsely claimed that Ngeh’s bedroom had an operable smoke detector when, in fact, it didn’t. The suit seeks $3 million in compensatory damages.
Delayed paychecks
A dozen people who work at NHH shelters gathered in the parking lot outside the organization’s office on Route 1 in Alexandria on Sept. 9 to share their complaints with Annandale Today.
Dalima Palmer, the director of programs at the Bailey’s Shelter, said her last paycheck was four weeks late and she’s $70,000 in the hole. Her vehicle was repossessed, she is facing eviction, and she had to take her kids out of preschool.
“I wake up in the middle of the night. I’m having nightmares, and I’m mentally, emotionally, and physically depleted. I’m drowning,” Palmer said.
Earl Green, a resident services specialist at Bailey’s, who also hasn’t been paid in a month, is unable to keep up with rent and car payments, and hasn’t been able to buy school supplies or pay college tuition for his children.
When Green started working at Bailey’s six years ago, he earned $16.25 an hour; that has since gone up to $18, but he said that’s still not enough to support a family. Green said that when he asked for a raise, an NHH official told him he didn’t deserve more money.
Alexandria Contreras, the case manager at Bailey’s, said the delayed paychecks mean some employees can’t afford transportation to get to work. As a result, those who can get there are forced to pick up the slack – with some staff assigned 16-hour shifts on a weekend.
Health benefits suspended
Over the past couple of months, shelter employees sent numerous emails to NHH asking when they will be paid.
In one email response to an employee, NHH Executive Director Andre Purnell wrote on Aug. 14, “Are you putting the same amount of effort in your work servicing the clients that you are in emailing the NHH organization about payroll that has only been delayed but never unpaid?”
NHH officials notified staff that they are barred from the organization’s main office without an appointment and will be terminated if they fail to comply.
Leila Sabolic, a resident services specialist at Mondloch Place, a supportive housing facility with 20 efficiency apartments for formerly homeless adults on Richmond Highway, said her latest paycheck was two weeks late and she hasn’t been getting health benefits since June 30.
“This is illegal,” Sabolic said, noting that entities with more than 50 full-time employees have to provide health insurance. “I’m not going back to work until I get paid,” she said.
Unhealthy conditions
At Mondloch Place, “there have been multiple bedbug infestations,” Sabolic said, as well as a lack of food and basic supplies, like toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning supplies. On top of that, she said, NHH fired the cleaners.
“The residents are mentally ill,” she said. “They can’t work and can’t take care of themselves.”
“It’s a crisis situation” at Bailey’s, Palmer added. “Conditions are mentally and physically deteriorating. There’s been no janitorial staff for the past three months and no cleaning supplies. “We’re getting minimum food, and some of it is spoiled.”
Even though Palmer isn’t getting paid on time, she spent at least $2,000 of her own money on food, cleaning supplies, shower curtains, and gas for the employees she manages so they can get to work. She even bought the shelter a karaoke machine to keep morale up and “to make sure our mission is upheld.”
The Bailey’s Shelter only has three case managers, when ideally there should be five or six, Palmer said. That means residents aren’t getting the services they need for mental health and drug counseling and assistance finding permanent housing to reintegrate into the community.
Despite the frustration and late paychecks, she hasn’t quit because “I made a commitment to my staff and to the clients.”
The lack of eating supplies means residents at the Bailey’s Shelter had to drink water out of Styrofoam bowls, said volunteer and community coordinator Haley Jayne.
She’s seen a big drop in donations, as nonprofits and volunteers concerned about mismanagement at New Hope Housing are switching their support to other organizations.
Jayne has seen conditions at the Bailey’s Shelter deteriorate since she moved to Northern Virginia from Florida in November 2024 to take the job. As a single woman with no other support, she worries, “if I can’t pay rent, am I going to become homeless myself?”
A dangerous place
According to Earl Green, the Bailey’s Shelter is “chaotic, stressful, and very dangerous,” especially during the hypothermia program in the winter, when its capacity is greatly expanded.
“There’s a lot of fighting, theft, drug use, drinking, and sexual harassment going on at the Bailey’s Shelter. People are selling drugs on the property,” Green said. “During the hypothermia program, the cops are there at least once a day. I’m actually scared to go to work.”
There was a shooting at Bailey’s four months ago, involving one resident shooting another. The shooter was arrested, Green said, but “two weeks later, he was back at the shelter.”
Green still has a scar on his hand after being cut with a razor by a resident. At another point, he was trying to break up a fight between residents when the police slammed him to the ground and arrested him for touching an officer. The magistrate dropped all charges against him.
The two clients who started the fight weren’t questioned or arrested, he said. Green still has injuries, but can’t afford medical care without health insurance.
There is no security staff on site, he said. Alcohol, drugs, and weapons are banned, but there aren’t enough employees to check their bags.
Related story: Guests at Bailey’s shelter share their stories of homelessness
Sheryl Pope, a resident services specialist at Susan’s Place, a supportive housing facility in Arlington for mentally ill adults, said, “New Hope Housing was a well-oiled machine” under longtime Executive Director Pam Michell. But “things have gone down tremendously” since Michell left in 2021. NHH has had three executive directors in the past four years.
Pope is concerned that the lack of training for case managers has had a negative impact on residents. They’re not getting their medications on time or the services they’re entitled to.
In addition, the facility had its electricity cut off for lack of payment, and the owner of the property, Christian Relief Services, is threatening to evict NHH for failing to pay rent.
The county responds
When Annandale Today knocked on New Hope Housing’s door on Route 1, we were told “staff isn’t allowed to talk to the media.”
A subsequent email to Annandale Today from Allyson Pearce, marketing and outreach manager for the Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development, says: “No service disruptions have occurred as we have worked on performance issues. However, as of the time of this email, New Hope Housing remains out of compliance.”
The Office to Prevent and End Homelessness “is committed to its mission and is dedicated to fostering community-based resources for people experiencing homelessness,” Pearce wrote. “As we continue to determine any path forward with New Hope Housing, we remain laser-focused on ensuring that the people serviced by our programs receive the quality of care expected by our standards and outlined in our service contracts.”
Annandale Today is planning additional stories on homelessness and New Hope Housing.
No wonder the homeless prefer to live in tents. they are afraid to go to the shelters. The employees who spoke out are very courageous, i think Fairfax county should investigate.
New Hope Housing was known for its diligence within the community. It was always a client centered organization led by its dedicated employees. This is disgraceful.
Thank you to the staff at the Bailey’s shelter for speaking out. I have noticed that many of the human service nonprofits in the Crossroads and Seven Corners area are not good and are falling apart. None of this is surprising. I have watched a similar nonprofit in the area experience the same problems as New Hope Housing; lack of resources, poor leadership, lack of staff, poor management, and dangerous situations that staff are not equipped or trained to handle. Fairfax County needs to investigate the place and bring more resources. If they are going to contract with a nonprofit, they should at least provide the resources needed. What can we do to help the staff at New Hope Housing? Is there a GoFundMe?
This is a very sad situation for the staff and the people they are supposed to serve. Where is leadership for the agency? Isn’t there a board of directors? This agency should be investigated and crimal charges filed.
Please note that the people who mismanaged the funds have all left the company. The new employees and current Executive Director are trying to fix problems that were inherited and others created—and unfortunately not held accountable.
John, seeing a quote from the new executive director Andre Purnell “ Are you putting the same amount of effort in your work servicing the clients that you are in emailing the NHH organization about payroll?” Should tell you that the leadership issues are still there causing the problems you are seeing.
Andre Purnell is your typical narcissistic, legend in his own mind type of “leader.”
I read his little autobiography, and it perfectly matches the disgusting quote.
Blame can’t be placed on the ones who have left. The current executive director, Andre Purnell, has totally messed things up on his own by not paying vendors and letting payroll lapse for the employees. Payroll had never lapsed in the past and vendors always got paid.
Andre’s arrogance and ego got the better of him thinking that he knew better and ignoring information he had access to. He sold the Board of Directors a bill of goods he can’t live up to. He’s not holding himself accountable and is looking to blame others for his failures.
Your damage control is not accurate and will not work. Despite your claims, staff has not been paid, benefits have dropped, reliable leaders have walked out in droves – all under his watch and all due to his toxicity, aggression and dishonesty.
He has been caught numerous times disregarding integrity and refusing to lead with it. All of what you say seems nothing but an effort to protect an ally, even when he is wrong. Shame.
John,
You are obviously either dangerously biased or intentional obscured. While executive management has been an issue which admittedly is the responsibility of the Board of Directors formerly under chair emritus Ronnie, loss of benefits, missed payrolls, unbilled services, financial mishandling, workplace toxicity, a mass exodus of talented and dedicated leaders, lawsuits, misinformation, false representation to the county and other stakeholders, understaffing and I can go on and on, all lie squarely on the shoulders of Andre Purnell, whom you seem to be very enthusiastic to absolve. He is in charge. He is making the big bucks and the big decisions. He is responsible. Moreover, ti make this anecdotal claim is weak and distasteful; especially considering many of the claims in this article are empirical. He had big talks coming in and to date, no results, only a severely worsened situation. There is too much at stake here to play politics and friend games to save face. People, vulnerable people are caught in the cross hairs here. The fact that you came on here to save face to the detriment of so many that need help is deplorable.
Agree this is sad. Fairfax county outsources the management of these types of projects and services as one way to reduce personal costs (no government pension, healthcare, etc.), and to distance themselves from some liability. It is similar to how the Federal Government outsources many jobs to contractors. The challenge is that the private entities have to both cover costs and have “cushion” or profit (even nonprofits do this, just generally at a lower level than for-profit companies). Government is able and should be holding the providers accountable. If it’s a “grant” that is harder but doable. It sounds like OPEH is derelict in its oversight and accountability responsibilities (sometimes someone does need to be fired). As to the violence and injuries – that is a criminal offense matter. Thus Steve Descano, the Commonwealth Attorney, needs to prosecute these individuals, but clearly this is not a priority crime for him & his office (he is self admittedly concerned more with fairness) and the police are aware – thus unless the injured person wants to press charges it is not a surprise the offender was back in a couple of weeks. Ultimately, the situation is a result of decisions made by the Fairfax Board of Supervisors & Commonwealth Attorney that voters elected.
This agency is not only treating the resident that they are getting paid to serve with no dignity they are also showing this lack of dignity to the staff who show up every day despite not getting paid and working in a hostile environment and dealing with a totally narcissistic leader. The state of Virginia should FINE the County because they are also a part of the problem and responsible for everything that’s going on. If they are appropriately managing the agency that they are given money to provide services none of this would happen. They service services also in the wrong and need to step up and show up, this is completely unacceptable. HUD needs to investigate the County and New Hope Housing. They should no longer get funding to operate homeless services.
Agree that New Hope and Fairfax County should be investigated and fined by the state. And most of those homeless probably belong in jail.
It’s so unfair when reporters publish stories that include exaggerations and misrepresentations of the actual facts. This article was not fully researched first.
To set the record straight, the new director was hand picked by the County to get NHH out of the existing deficit and back on track with the corrective action plan. He inherited this mess and needs the support of everyone. Yes, I share the frustration and fear of an uncertain future. I too am experiencing financial difficulties. But the blame lies on the past 2 directors and not on the new one who is doing his very best to keep things glued together and bail us out. Additionally, the County shares in the difficulties by being non responsive and causing undue delays.
I believe if the whole story was revealed, many staff members would have a totally different perspective.
Having worked at this organization I can say that Annandale Today got all the facts correct while only hitting the tip of the iceberg. The new director, Andre Purnell, has run this organization into the ground and it’s imploded under his direction. I’m sure he’s paying himself as he’s only there temporarily while the health insurance, food vendors, and multiple other services aren’t getting paid. Payroll has been late since Andre’s inception and it keeps slipping longer and longer while other employee benefits aren’t getting paid at all.
In addition, there’s been a mass exodus of long time experienced employees due to his mismanagement. It’s time that Fairfax County removes New Hope Housing ASAP and gets a competent organization to run their programs. The Board of New Hope Housing is also accountable as board members are brought in for their expertise and guidance and have clearly done neither.
The organization will be filing for bankruptcy any time now…
I used to be the point person for human services for Supervisor Jimenez. He and his Chief Of Staff were well aware of the numerous problems related to the poor conditions at Baileys. We had several meetings with county OPEH and the police to address the problems. When I kept bringing up this issue and that nothing was improving, I was directed to stand down. They give lip service to helping the needy, but they make no effort to do so. There are no votes to be had there. After working nearly 8 years in the Mason Supervisor’s office I am no longer there. Silly me, I thought the purpose of being a public servant was to serve the public.
Wow Chris. I had no idea you left Mason! I’ve been sending you emails and they haven’t bounced. We appreciate you for always providing amazing support to the people at Baileys and for sticking your neck out for us within the county.
Know what’s more important than homeless? Changing street names to placate Korean business owners!
I volunteered with New Hope for several years. This company started to go down when the original executive director Pam Michell retired. Her replacement Ashley McSwain was horrible and the reason me and my group stopped supporting them. I hope this can turn around.
Thank you, Lisa. We hope it can turnaround too. Many of us love the work we do and providing services to this population. We are not getting the support we need from OPEH, Fairfax County. They are intentionally delaying and withholding funds— it is now detrimental to our residents and staff.
New Hope isn’t getting the support from OPEH or Fairfax County because they haven’t proved themselves worthy of the funds. There is no intentional delay but a matter that NHH doesn’t know how to properly bill the county as it’s a complex process which Andre Purnell doesn’t understand.
Because of his poor management employees are lead to believe the problems lie elsewhere when, in fact, he’s the main reason. To think the organization can turnaround is naive as it’s a foregone conclusion that it’ll go into bankruptcy soon. I’m certain if you polled the current staff you’d find out the majority don’t share your opinion that they ‘love’ working there – especially when not getting paid or receiving expected benefits.
It’s time that Andre realizes he’s failed miserably and cede his position to the board and let them start dismantling the organization so there can be some dignity left…
I don’t think the Director, Andre is or came in thinking he was going to save the organization. I also think he is fully aware of how the process works and how billing the county works. After speaking with him several times, I’ve concluded that he already knew it was a problem doomed to fail. I think he came to pull it all out to create what is happening now, expose everything needed for people to talk about it, question it, and whether it fails or not, which it will, we all know who the players in the game are and if they are to be trusted. It worked.
Andre definitely came into the organization thinking he could totally turn it around. He had absolutely no background in this type of human services work and did no research to understand the issues it involved. He fired the CFO along with anyone else who knew how to bill the county and thought he could ‘figure it out’. Andre wasn’t able to work through his arrogance and thus imploded the organization. A lot of assistance was offered but he thought he knew it all, now he’s been proven wrong. The organization will now go bankrupt because of him…nice work Andre…
I am still not convinced. I spoke on this in previous posts. I may not be a fan of Purnell, but I am well aware of the financial crisis before him. All of this leads to the same question we have been asking for years. WHERE HAS THE MONEY GONE?!
He is an egomaniac. The most unprofessional person I have ever worked for. I loved working at the Kennedy Shelter, but Purnell made it impossible. I think he was brought in to bankrupt the company. They aren’t paying bills…for months. Food and supplies can’t be ordered. The residents are suffering. The board is aware and so is the county.
Okay, Andre, I mean “John.” I hope this ruins your reputation, as your, oh I mean his, behavior deserves.
New Hope Housing has always been a great organization to work they are the one company that hire and give people second chances for employment. The group in the picture all still works for New Hope Housing and I wonder WHY? None of them has quit, and it’s not for the clients or the passion for the job. I think before printing anything you must have FACTS and that article was fill with so much untruth and it’s very sad. Pam Michell left the organization because that’s where the problems started with the the people she hired and doing unethical things and the County and Board knows the TRUTH.
Tabitha,
I am one of the ones in the picture fighting for the clients that I serve EVERYDAY and for my colleagues. Why do I still work at NHH despite everything that is going on? BECAUSE I CARE. BECAUSE I AM DEDICATED TO THE INDIVIDUALS I SERVE. I own an ai automation agency and can quit whenever I want to. BUT THATS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME IN THE FACE OF INJUSTICE. It may be for YOU, but for ME…nope. Not happening. Only quitters quit! Since you know so much how about you break it down for everyone why we all still work at NHH…I’ll be waiting.
I think Tabitha and John are Andre Purnell. He’s not even competent enough to disguise his writing style.
I volunteered at the Baileys’ Shelter before a few months ago and the staff was so dis respectful to me and the clients, so lets not forget that behavior you staff have and they still work for New Hope House and some do not. I like helping people and after volunteering for 1 week at Baileys I realize that the Staff all need to be replaced including the Cooks, you should not be paid for treating people bad i am happy to hear you are not getting paid.
Please stop acting like the staff is so kind and nice to people , None of you should be paid if you work at the Baileys Shelter all of you are Nasty and disrespectful.
Most of the shelter staff I worked with were behind the scene – the caseworkers, outreach director, and the volunteer organizations. The caseworkers were worthless. They were suppose to meet with the clients regularly to put clients in touch with job training, mental health services, alternate housing options, and other county and federal services that would help clients pull themselves up out of homelessness. They rarely met with the clients. They blew through 3 directors in a year and 1/2 and none of them seemed to care about training and retaining staff. The community groups that provided meals were given inflated numbers and complained that the staff was taking that food home, no onsite security whatsoever and fights would break out all the time. Police and fire and rescue would have to spend an inordinate amount of time responding to 911 calls from Baileys. However, I do want to give a shout out to Haley. She was the only outreach coordinator there who responded to me in an effort to improve the clients day to day conditions. We partnered to organize various clothing, supply drives, in-house clients. I did find some of the people at the front desk to be unprofessional and rude. However, the Supervisor at Mason and county staff at OPEH have been well aware of the multiple problems there for years and have done nothing to improve the situation. I was told to drop it.
Quite the range of opinions, some from folks alleging firsthand knowledge. Staff with years of experience and serious accountability, but paid like a teen at her first year at Sheetz, may indeed come off as not the best-polished of professionals. And policies limiting employee contact with the press, at least on behalf of the firm, are not so unusual.
But undisputed here seems to be that required health benefits are being denied, that pay is indeed late, and that supplies and food — necessary to health and cleanliness for the people we want to be cared for so that they stay out of prisons and off of street corners — are grossly inadequate.
And telling a reporter that employees are not allowed to talk to the press? Echoes of “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.” Even if entirely legal, the response is ham-handed.
The county or state needs to step in sooner rather than later, lest Fairfax County becomes as bad as some neighboring jurisdictions where the preponderance of homelessness, drug addiction, and crime result in everyone being treated with less dignity than we deserve. Shopping centers and stores are not guaranteed to have benches and customer bathrooms, yet in most of Fairfax County I find such simple courtesies… now.
LMAO…you can say that again. A Sheetz employee may be paid more!!!
Former employee here
I am sorry to hear about the serious problems in the management of New Hope Housing which was a very well run 501 c 3 under Pam Michell’s leadership. Sounds like Fairfax County should put the contract out for competitive bids so that another 501 can 3 could manage the shelter programs more effectively and get the problems identified in this article cleaned up and staff paid. A responsible Executive Director should not be receiving their salary while other staff are not getting paid on time. I encourage the Board of Trustees and Board of Directors of New Hope Housing to change practices within the agency and look into what reforms are needed.
@Tabitha! It exactly for the clients in the passion that’s why we’re the ones at the grocery store and ordering DoorDash for toilet paper, paper towels, ordering food cooking for the clients in the house, taking gallons of milk, sugar cups, and toiletries out of the limited funds that we have down to the clients always definitely for that so please make sure you have your facts! Because they are a second chance, employer people are scared to leave because they keep hearing that the money is coming and this is their only option be some people are on parole and is a condition of their parole because they are a second chance provider. If you read above many of people have left over the last three months and not everybody in that picture including myself is still working for NHH hence it was a strike there are houses that are not being supervised or managed! Do we want that? Do we worry about our clients? absolutely but we have to stand up because in a minute we will be the same clients Everyone please speak in turn. You have anything on the donation sheets for any location and I’ve worked them all.
This wasn’t just for us. It’s the clients that don’t have food. It’s the clients that don’t have their medication.
Residents are living in the Shelter for over 3 years and this is WRONG!!!!
I donate Food to the Kennedy shelter twice a Month, and the last time I donated a nice young man helped me with the bags, he informed me that he lived in the Shelter. He also informed me that he has been there 3years in the same Shelter, how is this possible because the shelter is a 90 to 6 Month program I thought all these years. I spoke to the Manager and she informed that it’s about 15 to 20 Residents been living there and in the Baileys Shelter for over a year up to 3 or more year this is RIDICOULOUS . One of the Residents just purchased a Brand New Car. The Residents get to stay out over the weekend and hang out with family and friends and come back to the shelter, what is this. The Shelter is Free, the food is free, the water is free, the bills are paid by our Tax money, and they are living Free and that is a shame that Fairfax County OPEH allows this and I was very upset to hear that people are living in these shelters for so long. I pay tax and I pay Rent and It’s not Free. New Hope Housing do your job and move people out. What are the Case managers doing everyday No wonder they are not getting paid they are not working.
I use to work for New Hope Housing in 2018, The Financial Problems started with Pam Michell, and the team she had hired who was force to resigned.
I spoke to one of the Managers over the weekend THE STAFF HAS BEEN PAID. It has only been a Delay in Pay ONLY a 2 to 3 day delay. No Pay Periods has been missed. Report the Truth
The health insurance was paid by New Hope Housing 100 per cent, New Hope Staff find your own health Insurance, your job was paying for your health insurance a 100 percent that was generous.
The staff that said the Shelter is dangerous why do you still work there to sleep?.
The staff that mention bedbugs, help clean the building and support the residents cleaning.
All I heard was complaining, not solutions.
Payroll was delayed by 4 weeks and 3 days to be exact, this past pay. Please don’t speak on anything that you have no knowledge of. As it pertains to health insurance, employers with 50 or more full-time employees, are generally required to offer health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. To answer your question on why we choose to still work at the shelter, simply put, WE LOVE WHAT WE DO and staff participates in all roles on top of our given roles.
Angiee, you have your information incorrect. You are not current employee, therefore should not be going off 2nd hand information. -Current Employee
I/We all should bring this to the attention of our office holders, of whatever party! Vote
Them out of office if they do not address this !
What would happen if every NHH employees all walked out and every client walked out with them while every news camera was watching? Would the County respond then? Most likely, because isn’t the clients in those beds how the County gets its funding? May be a different story when County dollars are being stripped.
That is exactly what I proposed. This protest was the result. People were scared.
The County contracts with non-profit organizations who operate on a shoe-string budget and are expected to supplement their budget with the generosity from donors. Alternatively, the county would either have to contract with a for-profit for more money (hence the name “for-profit) or run the shelters themselves, which would also cost the tax payers more money because the staff would have to be paid County scale and County benefits, which is a lot more that what NHH front line staff are/were getting. The problems with NHH have been going on for years. Over the last 3 years they have been operating in a deficit, even before the invoicing problems reported about by Annadale Today. To blame the County that they are holding up contract funds preventing NHH from making payroll and benefits ignores the fact that NHH has also not accessed reimbursement from the grants they have with US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Does HUD not care about the Homeless either? That was a ridiculous quote Mr. Parnell gave in the AT article. Both invoicing issues are the same, and they stem from NHH having an incompetent finance department, poor leadership, and an ineffective volunteer board of directors, who thought they could hire Mr. Parnell to fix problems (he probably was not fully told when he interviewed), of a very sophisticated organization that is in serious disarray. Contract invoicing was not happening for all of 2025 at HUD, people in the back office were either quitting or being let go (there are rumors of conflicts of interest, double dipping, i.e. paid staff also billing NHH as a vendor), poor hiring practices, and an inattentive board of directors who ignored the handwriting on the wall that NHH has been in need of a complete reorganization due to years of deficit spending. Now it might be too late as the brand of a decades old charity has been damaged. Fairfax County Office Prevent and End Homeless (OPEH) needs to increase the contract prices to their non-profit providers so that organization like NHH can be competitive in hiring qualified staff (who don’t jump ship for more money when Fairfax County has an opening on their roster), have adequate back-office support and operate more like a business. Donations from the public are great, but they shouldn’t be used to augment a county service… what for-profit would be expected to do that? If the County is going to use charities to do the County’s work – to “Prevent and End Homeless,” then the County needs to pay them to be successful. I’ll bet the Homeless Shelters Contract that NHH was operating on has not kept pace with inflation or even kept pace with OPEH’s budget increases. As for Parnell, who has only been there for 3 months, thinks NHH can recover from this, and maybe in some reduced fashion they can, but that would require accepting the reality of NHH’s future and a change of leadership from his bosses – the board of directors who hired him without a clear understanding of what he was getting into. But his accusation towards County staff not caring, is, in the nicest terms, borne from frustration, and one he should retrack immediately and then cooperate with OPEH in an orderly and professional transfer of shelter operations to the next non-profit.