Ashburnites, I hope you are happy. Some day you or someone you know may be in need of such a facility, but won't have access to it because of your greed.

Posted by teden (anonymous) on October 30, 2007 at 4:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

And now the county will run it -- with our tax dollars, presumably. Thanks, guys.

Posted by jt12 (anonymous) on October 30, 2007 at 5:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

IMO...this is just plain sad and shows the "you first after me, mentality” unreal yet not surprised.

Sometimes people need assistance to get their life back on to track and boy did a bunch of us derail this opportunity for them.

Posted by Ehodell (anonymous) on October 30, 2007 at 6:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

As an Ashburn resident, I am not "happy" that the homeless are not being housed. It simply does not make practical sense for all involved parties to have a homeless shelter or daytime facility in the heart of a residential area. From a user need standpoint, it needs to be accessible to mass transit and in the immediate vicinity to other services that those less fortunate would and could use. This not a simple "not in my backyard" issue. What good is a center, daytime or otherwise, if getting to that location is not practical. This facility would be better served in a location on a bus route, near other community resources and closer to possible occupational centers. Make it easier for the less fortunate to succeed. I applaud the GSA for not only their efforts, which are truly noble, but for their judgement in seeing that this was not an ideal location for the facility. For this facility to succeed, regardless of location, it needs to be easy to get to and have community support. Neither were going to happen at the proposed location. In my opinion, they did not cave to pressure, but rather came up with options in that the safety of the community is kept in balance with the accessibility to those less fortunate. This comment is not meant to sway ideas or idealists. People will still have their own opinions.

Posted by valopresti (anonymous) on October 30, 2007 at 9:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This is just sad. Some on the board yak and yak about privatizing everything, but when it comes time to walk the walk they don't stand up for those who are willing and able to do the actual work. Like the undocumented and the working class, homeless people in Loudoun are supposed to be invisible. Heaven forbid that a child of the privileged might see one.

Posted by david.danaan (anonymous) on October 30, 2007 at 10:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It seems as if valopresti didn't read Tammi's Tuesday story ("Homeless Debate Continues...") about the Center. A quote taken directly from the story: "Fact: There will be a public bus stop in front of the center as part of a county-wide transportation system. According to Werner, there is currently a stop about a block away." Sounds to me like the Center IS on a bus route, and plans were being made to make it even more accessible. It's just sad that the misinformation corps undermined what appeared to be a very worthy and charitable cause.

Posted by rablrouser (anonymous) on October 31, 2007 at 7:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

NEWSFLASH TO CASHBURN....There are already drug addicts, criminals and mentally ill LIVING HERE in your very own community. Many of them are your children! Give the principals at Stone Bridge or Broad Run a call and ask them how many of their students are on parole or wear tracking ankle bracelets. Funny, we didn't need full time cops stationed at the high school where I grew up (working class community in PA), and we were a hell of a lot kinder to the poor and needy in our midst. The opponents of these GSA services all think their you-know-what doesn't stink. I suggest they take a bigger whiff!

Posted by nozall (anonymous) on October 31, 2007 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What a travesty. With the housing market and the economy sliding down, those people in Ashburn may wish they did have a homeless shelter in the not too distant future.

Posted by GenuineRisk (anonymous) on October 31, 2007 at 9:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What is a travesty here is that Ms. Waters has known about this project for over six months, and did nothing to smooth the way for a successful outcome. Now her website clearly states that she believes this center to be in the wrong location. What a hypocrite!

Posted by dave.olson (anonymous) on October 31, 2007 at 9:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Election is next week! Do you know who you're going to vote for? Ms. Waters is trying to cover her a... Who do you want to represent the Broad Run district?

Posted by yind2b (anonymous) on October 31, 2007 at 10:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Let's see now, if I read the comments correctly. those of us who live in Ashburn are greedy, selfish, naive and as soon as the economy cools, may be in need of a homeless shelter. Lori Waters reacted to a petition that had several hundred signatures of her constituents, and one poster asks "who are we going to vote for?".

Look, this is a complex issue where a lot of us have wrestled with our desire to help those less fortunate, and our views on the appropriateness of having the facility deep inside a residential development. All most did was sign a petition to get a meeting set up with the appropriate parties to hear the entire story.

Having met some people from the GSA, they are wonderful, compassionate people. The judgemental condemnation I'm reading is not consistent with what GSA stands for.

Posted by hphokie (anonymous) on October 31, 2007 at 12:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

nozall,
CASHBURN??? Please do not stereotype our community and our children. The vast majority of Ashburn residents do NOT live in a million dollar home. The vast majority of students at BR and SB are NOT on parole or wearing tracking bracelets. Since 9/11 and Columbine, many schools have cops stationed for the safety the students and teachers. Yes, times have changed, but don't slam our children as being drug addicts, criminals and mentally ill.

You sound very bitter and I'm sorry you feel the need to take it out on our community.

Posted by yind2b (anonymous) on October 31, 2007 at 12:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm not bitter, just sick of the entitled and snooty attitude that prevails around here. I've been here fifteen years, and it gets worse all the time. I didn't say ALL the kids at SB and BR, were criminals and mentally ill. I do think however that the people in this community need to take their heads out of the sand and see the reality of who lives here and what their problems are.

Posted by nozall (anonymous) on October 31, 2007 at 1:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

nozall,
I agree that so much has changed in the Ashburn community over the years. It's a shame that kids drive better cars than teachers. It's a shame that teachers can't afford a SFH because home prices have gone through the roof. Yes, a rude awakening is what's needed for some. Until then, let's do our part to help the community (and those outside of community) where we can.

Posted by yind2b (anonymous) on October 31, 2007 at 2:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

We all know of the outstanding work the Good Shepherd Alliance has accomplished over the years. My question is why is this just now become a major issue? This issue was not even on the radar screen 3 weeks ago, but yet our Broad Run Supervisor, Lori Waters, knew of this over 6 weeks ago and failed to include the community in the process. Now, she's having a meeting tomorrow night to discuss it - how convienent. Well, we're going have our meeting on Nov. 6th and oust Ms. Waters from public office. She has become a growing wart on the Ashburn community and needs to be replaced. Enough is enough!

Posted by belmontgroup (anonymous) on October 31, 2007 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Belmontgroup, I don't know if it affects your opinion, but the the link to the online petition I was forwarded showed her opponent - Jack Ryan - as having signed the petition and was having a meeting of his own to figure out what should be done about the building.
As for why is it becoming a major issue now, most folks don't read the local newspapers that documented the details. It wasn't until someone started an email campaign last week that mushroomed, then Tammi wrote a story on it, that a lot of folks even knew there was any sort of building being built.

Posted by hphokie (anonymous) on October 31, 2007 at 6:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)