Carpenter’s Shelter Reopens David’s Place Shelter, City Still Housing Homeless in Hotels

Carpenter’s Shelter reopened its David Place facility at Landmark Mall last week and moved back all of its residents from the temporary shelter at Charles Houston Recreation Center.

Meanwhile, a number of homeless residents and families are still being housed in hotel rooms in the city — a measure that was put in place to protect them from the coronavirus.

Carol Mizoguchi, director of the Office of Community Services, said that the city still has 34 rooms under contract with the Residence Inn Old Town Alexandria South at Carlyle. She also said that the city’s rehousing funds are being used to help the residents find housing options.

“Right now we have 13 families and 19 singles that are still in the hotel, and we’re working to prioritize and move those families to permanent housing,” Mizoguchi said. “We’re utilizing our rapid rehousing dollars. Also ARHA (the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority) has vouchers, so we’ve made referrals for many of those families to receive vouchers, and hopefully, be able to find landlords that are willing to rent to the families, and they’ll have help pay for their rent.”

Carpenter’s Shelter Executive Director Shannon Steene told ALXnow that there are about 25 homeless residents back at David’s Place.

“Some of them are back in David’s Place, some of them found some other means in order to meet their needs and we’re grateful for that,” Steene said.

Jamila Smith, the Carpenter’s Shelter relationship manager, said that the nonprofit needs volunteers and supplies for their clients. She also said that residents and staff are separated by plexiglass partitions, residents are required to wear face masks indoors and that temperatures are taken on a daily basis.

“We are still looking for 20 twin air mattresses, new twin sheet sets and pillow and towel sets, cutlery and some of the basics that you would need to move into a new place,” Smith said. “We are in need of volunteers to assist at our front desk, to provide and serve food and to help organize donations.”

Staff photo by James Cullum