Encampment Shut Down

Hello, neighbor!

This morning, the Hill encampment closed. Everyone was prepared, and there were no incidents. Thankfully, due to the hard efforts of many people, the tent residents transitioned to other places with all their belongings.

It felt strange to see the Hill totally empty. The closure has been a long time coming, but still, I’ve been very accustomed to seeing people there, living in their last-ditch home. I’ll continue keeping up with everyone, wherever they end up.

TL;DR

⏬ After the No Trespassing signs went up, the Hill started winding down
💪 Reston Strong helped everyone move out and settle elsewhere
🛑 County services officially cleared the encampment, preparing to build a fence
⛺ Some folks will use the overnight shelter, and some will set up other tents
❤️ Thanks so much for your interest in and support for our neighbors!

Winding Down

Two weeks ago, the county placed No Trespassing signs around the encampment, at every entrance. There were a few negative reactions to these signs, but most people on the Hill shrugged, knowing this would happen eventually. There were plenty of warnings, and the county had provided the overnight shelter as another option. Still, most people stayed in their tents up until the very last day.

Helping Everyone Move

The night before the closure, Reston Strong volunteers and I helped move people out of their tents. I broke down a tent for a man who’d been there nearly a year, and we bagged it so he could use it again if necessary.

Sarah Salvaraj-D’Souza, the executive director of Reston Strong, brought a trailer and helped everyone move their things to the overnight shelter’s storage provided by the county.

Sarah made the moving day pleasant for everyone. There were donuts, coffee, bags for belongings, and plenty of helping hands. Before 8 AM the next morning, the camp was empty.

Clearing the Camp

Then the county came to clear the camp. Cornerstones workers ensured all the tents were clear. Cops walked the premises, ensuring that no one was violating the No Trespassing signs. Soon, contractors will come to clean up all the trash. They’ll get everything I missed!

Pretty soon, INOVA will build a fence around the area, to ensure nobody else returns. This will probably remain until the major construction in this area begins.

Where Folks End Up

Most residents will stay in the shelter, a few got hotel rooms, and others packed their tents to find another hidden-away spot of land. I trust them to take care of themselves, because it takes a lot of grit and creativity to survive outdoors for months on end. Even so, I’ll keep checking up on everyone, especially those who are still outdoors.

Thank You

If you’ve signed up for this newsletter, then you’ve shown a really special interest in these neighbors, and it means a lot. According to one tent resident who lived near the street, in the weeks leading up to today, he’d heard cars honking at him while someone yelled out, “Moving day’s coming!” He was able to shake it off because he knew that most people cared. That’s really important, because otherwise it’s easy for someone in that situation to feel hopeless. Thank you so much.

Homelessness isn’t gone from Reston, so this newsletter isn’t stopping. I’ll continue helping out wherever I can. If you’d like to help, check out the Needs page to see what folks are lacking.

Thank you!
Matthew