What
kind of expenses with the Emergency Assistance program help
pay?
The Emergency Assistance program will pay up to $200 in cash
grants to prevent eviction or assist with past due utility bills.
Funds are available on the first of each month and are dispensed
on a first-come-first-served basis according to need.
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Do
you provide emergency housing or shelter?
We are unable to provide shelter to unemployed individuals who
are homeless. Our transitional housing programs provide units
for families and individuals who can afford a market-rate unit,
such as those who are employed or recipients of Housing Choice
Vouchers (formerly Section 8). We direct any individual that
is looking for emergency housing to Fairfax County’s Coordinated
Services Planning at (703) 222-0880.
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Do
you have subsidized housing?
No, the rents for all of Good Shepherd’s units are at,
or near, market-rate. We work hard to obtain the most affordable
market-rate units for our tenants. Good Shepherd currently owns
18 units and is in the process of purchasing more. Owning properties
allows us to have greater control over the rent so that we can
keep it relatively low.
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Do
I have to be working to be eligible for a unit?
All applicants must be able to afford a market-rate rent unit
to be eligible for our programs. Generally the guideline is
that a household should not pay more than 40% of their net (after-taxes)
income towards rent. Therefore, the following is a list of minimum
net monthly incomes that an applicant must meet for eligibility:
1 Bedroom $1,900 per month
2 Bedroom $2,300 per month
3 Bedroom $2,600 per month
However, households with a Housing Choice Voucher
(formerly Section 8) are also eligible for housing, as well.
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How
do I apply for the ABC housing program?
Individuals interested in applying for housing can find the
application on our website here. Completed
applications can be mailed or faxed to the attention of the
Property Manager. Your application will be placed on a wait
list for a unit on a first-come-first-served basis. At that
point you will be called in for an interview with staff. If
you are accepted then you may move in within a couple of weeks.
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How
long of wait list is there for housing?
The wait for a unit depends on the size of the unit for which
you are applying. The occupancy standard is usually two people
per bedroom. Typically there is a shorter wait list for one-bedroom
units then two, with three-bedrooms having the longest wait
list. The average wait for a unit is approximately 2-6 months.
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Where
are the units located?
All of Good Shepherd Housing’s units are located in the
Route One Corridor area of Alexandria in Northern Virginia.
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Do
you accept furniture donations?
Unfortunately we no longer have the means to transport and store
donated furniture. If you have any furnishings that you would
like to donate we strongly encourage you to contact United Community
Ministries’ Back Porch Store at (703) 799-7015, located
7838 Richmond Highway. They can pick up your items from home
and provide the items available to those in need for low- or
no-cost.
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