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A five-story housing development designed for people with disabilities who have experienced chronic homelessness is taking shape in Fairfax City, with organizers hoping to welcome residents by the holidays.

Board members of The Lamb Center and invited guests recently toured the first two floors of Beacon Landing, where the wooden framework now outlines apartments, offices and a community kitchen.

“This is going to be somebody’s home,” The Lamb Center Development Director Wendy Baird said while pointing toward one of the unfinished apartments.

The Lamb Center and Wesley Housing are developing the 54-unit building for some of the community’s most vulnerable residents, particularly older adults and people with disabilities.

The June 10 tour coincided with a topping-off celebration, marking the placement of the building’s highest structural element and the approaching installation of its roof.

The Lamb Center Executive Director Tara Ruszkowski thanked the construction crews and project partners who brought the development to the milestone. She singled out Harkins Builders lead superintendent Chuck Leftridge, calling him the conductor of the construction “orchestra.”

Ruszkowski also credited Wesley Housing President and CEO Kamilah McAfee with assembling the development and construction teams. Wesley Housing will manage the property after it opens.

Leftridge said an unusually difficult winter created serious obstacles for crews. Frost, snow and freezing temperatures occasionally stopped work because concrete could not be poured safely.

Despite those delays, about 100 people are now working at the site each day. Participating contractors include Belfast Concrete, G.T. Electric, Madison Mechanical, Penguin Mechanical, Washington Sprinkler, J&F Contracting and Triple One Contracting.

Crews have begun working on the roof, and Leftridge said the building should soon advance toward inspections and the turnover of completed apartments.

“This is why we build — to put roofs over people’s heads,” he said.

Support Beyond Housing

Beacon Landing will include case-management offices, a reception area and a telehealth suite where staff can help residents obtain healthcare information.

To qualify for the housing, residents must have a disability and a history of chronic homelessness. Ruszkowski said the people moving into Beacon Landing are expected to need substantial support as they adjust to permanent housing.

At least two staff members will be on site at all times, providing round-the-clock coverage. Supportive services will help residents maintain their homes, pursue employment or income, and address physical and behavioral health needs.

Volunteers from The Lamb Center’s faith-community partners are also planning activities such as cooking classes, pizza nights and game nights. A shared community room could include bookshelves, a small library and a quiet reading area.

A balcony adjoining that room will have a 6-foot privacy screen, allowing residents to spend time outdoors while addressing concerns from nearby neighbors about activity at street level.

The building will also feature a demonstration kitchen. Although every apartment will have a private kitchen, some residents may arrive without experience preparing meals or using common kitchen tools.

Ruszkowski said the kitchen will give residents a place to learn practical skills together. She recalled a formerly unhoused person who burned meat and a pan after moving into a home because he did not know cooking oil was needed to prevent the food from sticking.

Those lessons are part of a broader effort to help residents recover from trauma and become comfortable in their new surroundings.

“It’s one thing to house people and put a roof over their heads,” Ruszkowski said. The next challenge is understanding what residents need to live safely, independently and successfully.

Staff members plan to hold frequent gatherings as residents begin moving in, emphasizing that Beacon Landing is their permanent home rather than a temporary shelter.

Apartments Designed as Permanent Homes

Each apartment will have a bathroom, kitchen, closet and small workspace. Residents will receive a twin bed, dresser, desk and chair, loveseat and television.

The development will contain 42 efficiency apartments measuring 350 square feet each, 10 one-bedroom units and two two-bedroom units for residents who need caregivers. Fifteen percent of the apartments will comply with standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Baird described the units as compact but filled with natural light and fresh air. Most importantly, she said, they will belong to the residents.

Beacon Landing is permanent supportive housing, not a shelter. Residents will pay either 30 percent of their disability income or $50 per month in rent.

Baird said capable case managers will be essential as residents learn or relearn the routines of living in an apartment. Someone who has spent a year living in the woods, she noted, may need help building trust and adapting to housing.

She recalled one recently housed former Lamb Center guest who continued to fear that someone would knock on the door and order them to leave. Only after settling into permanent housing, the person said, did that fear ease enough to allow restful sleep.

Construction began in October. Harkins Builders is working to finish on schedule and possibly early enough for residents to move in around the holidays.

New Employment Opportunities Planned

Beacon Landing will also support an expansion of The Lamb Center’s workforce-development program.

Through the existing program, Lamb Center guests have learned specialized skills and earned money working with Fairfax City’s Parks and Recreation and Public Works departments. Some participants have gone on to perform similar work for Fairfax County.

The organization is considering additional opportunities in food service, lawn care, construction and other trades. Ruszkowski said the goal is to find a practical match between employers’ needs and the skills community members can develop.

She said The Lamb Center wants partners committed to creating lasting opportunities, rather than employers interested only in cycling through lower-skilled workers.

Beacon Landing is being built on Campbell Drive, one block from The Lamb Center’s daytime drop-in shelter. When completed, the $33.1 million project is expected to become the largest permanent supportive housing facility in Northern Virginia.