Cutting the ribbon.
No one knows the impact of the high real estate prices in Fairfax County better than Good Shepherd Housing and it finally became an issue for this nonprofit so they picked up and moved into a new location in Lorton as a result of their high rent in Hybla Valley.
Their lease was up and the move was “the most cost-effective,” said Candice Bennett, the Interim Executive Director at Good Shepherd. “Most of our work is case management, done over the phone or by email so it doesn’t change how we’re interacting with our residents," she said.
Their new location is in a semi-industrial area of Newington near the Newington Post Office, Frito-Lay distribution center and the intersection of Backlick and Cinderbed roads. It’s not exactly on a beaten path in the Mount Vernon District, but the office is bigger and it has parking. “It’s the very best deal I could find,” Bennett said, “as a nonprofit, that is key.”
Since the pandemic a few years ago, the real estate industry was humming about how much vacant office space was available since everyone was working at home, but that’s not exactly what Bennett found when she started looking. It’s possible that those trends are centered around the traditional business districts elsewhere in the county like Tysons or Ballston but for a small nonprofit, it took some leg work to find the right match. “We were limited in options,” Bennett said.
It all worked out though and they got settled in the new space that is better for their growing staff.
The mission of Good Shepherd Housing is to reduce homelessness, increase community support, and promote self-sufficiency. Moving to an office four miles away will not impact any objectives.
Good Shepherd helps low-income families and individuals by providing affordable, stable housing and individualized case management that will help them address structural barriers to long-term housing like poor credit histories, itinerant rental histories, little or no savings, and low incomes. GSH’s apartment rentals are located along Richmond Highway in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County. Good Shepherd Housing raises funds to support 500 families and individuals each year. Donate at https://goodhousing.harnessgiving.org/donate/
If you have any questions or need assistance, they can be contacted at goodhousing.org/contact-us or 8253 Backlick Rd, Suite L 703-768-9404. New mailing address is PO Box 1266 Newington, VA 22122-9998