Fairfax County opens transfer process after New Hope Housing exits HUD CoC grant
February 20, 2026 | Fairfax County, Virginia
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Steven (OPEH) opened a virtual session to explain next steps after New Hope Housing told Fairfax County it will stop administering a Continuum of Care (CoC) grant that funds two permanent supportive housing group homes. The 2024 award for the project is $431,018 and the program serves 16 adult residents across two properties, Steven said.
County staff said the transfer process will follow HUD rules and the CoC’s selection-and-ranking procedures. Steven told attendees the transfer application was posted on the Continuum of Care website and must be emailed to stephen.knippler@fairfaxcounty.gov by 4:00 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2026. He said review will consider applicants’ eligibility to administer HUD CoC funds, organizational and financial capacity, experience serving the target population and experience administering federal grants.
Anne Barrett, the interim executive director (speaking for the provider), described program differences between the two group homes. "Max's Place has 24-hour staffing because they also provide medication management," Barrett said, while Gartland House currently has no residential services specialist on-site and relies on a case manager who splits time between both homes. Barrett said services follow a housing-first, trauma-informed approach and are tailored to participants’ needs, and that on-site staffing at Max's is organized in 8-hour shifts that cover 24 hours.
Attendees asked practical and fiscal questions. Eleanor Vincent pressed staff for program records — including recent APRs (annual performance reports) and evaluation scores — and for itemized budget balances by line so applicants can assess available funds before a July 31 expenditure deadline for the FY2024 award. Barrett said she did not have the exact balance in the meeting but would obtain figures from finance and share them. Steven said the county will work with HUD to try to make any transfer fit within the existing funding timeline, but that HUD approval is required for significant project changes.
On budget mechanics, Steven said supportive services, leasing assistance, operating costs and up to 10% administration are eligible budget categories. Applicants must provide a match equal to 25% of the HUD total excluding leasing assistance; Steven noted applicants may propose allowable shifts in eligible categories but shifts greater than 10% or reductions in units trigger HUD review and approval. He said applicants may propose HUD-approved noncash matches such as services match where regulations allow.
The county identified the two properties by owner and ZIP code: one property owned by New Hope Housing (ZIP 22306) and the other owned by Christian Relief Services and leased by New Hope Housing (ZIP 22041). Both properties were reported fully occupied. Steven identified regulatory and reporting obligations for any transferee: a HUD grant agreement, participation in HMIS (Homeless Management Information System), participation in coordinated entry, and submission of APRs.
Public commenters raised community concerns about security, communal living arrangements and comparisons to other private residential programs. William, a resident who said he lives near local encampments, described worries about volatility and asked whether the properties are county-owned (Steven said ownership details would be covered in slides and were clarified during the meeting).
The county will accept questions after the session and committed to providing additional documentation requested by potential applicants where available. The application and virtual binder materials are on the Continuum of Care website, and staff asked applicants to direct follow-up questions to stephen.knippler@fairfaxcounty.gov. The county did not take any formal vote or select a transferee at the meeting; it opened the application window and outlined review criteria and timelines.
County staff said the transfer process will follow HUD rules and the CoC’s selection-and-ranking procedures. Steven told attendees the transfer application was posted on the Continuum of Care website and must be emailed to stephen.knippler@fairfaxcounty.gov by 4:00 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2026. He said review will consider applicants’ eligibility to administer HUD CoC funds, organizational and financial capacity, experience serving the target population and experience administering federal grants.
Anne Barrett, the interim executive director (speaking for the provider), described program differences between the two group homes. "Max's Place has 24-hour staffing because they also provide medication management," Barrett said, while Gartland House currently has no residential services specialist on-site and relies on a case manager who splits time between both homes. Barrett said services follow a housing-first, trauma-informed approach and are tailored to participants’ needs, and that on-site staffing at Max's is organized in 8-hour shifts that cover 24 hours.
Attendees asked practical and fiscal questions. Eleanor Vincent pressed staff for program records — including recent APRs (annual performance reports) and evaluation scores — and for itemized budget balances by line so applicants can assess available funds before a July 31 expenditure deadline for the FY2024 award. Barrett said she did not have the exact balance in the meeting but would obtain figures from finance and share them. Steven said the county will work with HUD to try to make any transfer fit within the existing funding timeline, but that HUD approval is required for significant project changes.
On budget mechanics, Steven said supportive services, leasing assistance, operating costs and up to 10% administration are eligible budget categories. Applicants must provide a match equal to 25% of the HUD total excluding leasing assistance; Steven noted applicants may propose allowable shifts in eligible categories but shifts greater than 10% or reductions in units trigger HUD review and approval. He said applicants may propose HUD-approved noncash matches such as services match where regulations allow.
The county identified the two properties by owner and ZIP code: one property owned by New Hope Housing (ZIP 22306) and the other owned by Christian Relief Services and leased by New Hope Housing (ZIP 22041). Both properties were reported fully occupied. Steven identified regulatory and reporting obligations for any transferee: a HUD grant agreement, participation in HMIS (Homeless Management Information System), participation in coordinated entry, and submission of APRs.
Public commenters raised community concerns about security, communal living arrangements and comparisons to other private residential programs. William, a resident who said he lives near local encampments, described worries about volatility and asked whether the properties are county-owned (Steven said ownership details would be covered in slides and were clarified during the meeting).
The county will accept questions after the session and committed to providing additional documentation requested by potential applicants where available. The application and virtual binder materials are on the Continuum of Care website, and staff asked applicants to direct follow-up questions to stephen.knippler@fairfaxcounty.gov. The county did not take any formal vote or select a transferee at the meeting; it opened the application window and outlined review criteria and timelines.
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