V.O.I.C.E. of Northern Virginia

Dar Al-Hijrah...US Oasis Mosque, 4 Nov 2009, http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1256909714856&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout

                                                                                  en Espanol:  Fairfax Activity Espanol

"Mount Vernon Gazette" on the North Hill Project, 6 Aug 09 

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=331528&paper=69&cat=104

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=331069&paper=69&cat=104

http://www.fcnp.com/around-fc/4783-community-news-a-notes.html

VIRGINIA GOVERNOR TIM KAINE took the stage to participate in a meeting with hundreds of religious leaders from all over Virginia at T.C. Williams High School Monday night to hear concerns about the lack of dental care for the poorest of Virginia’s residents and the persistent federal delays in processing naturalization applications of Northern Virginia residents. The meeting was organized under the auspices of Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE), and a representative from the office of U.S. Senator Jim Webb was also present. (Photo: News-Press)

Much has happened in Vista Gardens since our initial action with 200 V.O.I.C.E. leaders with Supervisor Penny Gross on March 4.  Two days later, the county sent in the Fire Marshal and his crew, as well as inspectors from the health and zoning departments. 

On May 10, Supervisor Gross and the Fire Marshal kept their commitment to walk-through Vista Gardens to assess the company’s response to the hundreds of violations county inspectors found related to maintenance, pest, and fire safety issues.  We walked across Route 7 to Vista Gardens accompanied by some 75 V.O.I.C.E. leaders and parishioners.  We visited three different families in their apartments.  Supervisor Gross was pleased to see that 80% of the fire safety violations had been taken care of, but was disappointed by the poor conditions in which she found both the public and private spaces.  The pest issue became real to her when she noticed a cockroach on her jacket. 

Since that day, the management company has begun to make further progress.  V.O.I.C.E. leaders report that a number of apartments in their buildings have received a combination of new stoves, refrigerators and kitchen cabinets.  The company is also starting to install new screens on the windows and replace broken floor tiles. 

 Improvements at Culmore Apartments

Speaking Up for Oral Health-Care Funding

Letter to the Editor, Washington Post, June 29 2009

Having watched a patient suffer with severe pain from a periodontal abscess that could have been prevented if she had access to oral health care, I'm compelled to agree with the June 23 Health article "Putting Teeth in Health-Care Reform." Oral health care must be part of the health-care package Congress is debating.

Unfortunately, Virginia is among the few states that do not provide oral health care to its poorest adults, even those who qualify for Medicaid.

Since the fall of 2008, Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE), a nonpartisan coalition of more than 40 Catholic, Islamic, Jewish and Protestant congregations, has sought to change that. VOICE has convinced government officials of Alexandria, Arlington County and Fairfax County that providing funding to assist individuals in getting oral health care makes sense. The combined effort will generate services worth an estimated $350,000 to $400,000 through approximately 1,800 appointments.

While it's a good start, it's not enough. Virginia needs to join other states that provide oral health care to adult Medicaid recipients, and Congress needs to ensure that oral health care is part of an overall health care package.

THOMAS WILSON , Executive Director, Northern Virginia Dental Clinic, Falls Church

Held 300 person action with Chairperson Bulova and Supervisor Hudgins to press for commitment to maintain the Penny Fund (a penny of the real estate tax rate yields about $20 million) for affordable housing and $50,000 to support dental service expansion thru the Northern Virginia Dental Clinic.

Collected 5,000 postcards from VOICE Fairfax church members to support VOICE’s affordable housing and dental budget demands.  35 leaders presented these postcards to the Fairfax Board.

Supported Chairman Bulova's proposal to designate approximately $17 million in FY 2010 budget for affordable housing; secured $50,000 in FY 2010 budget to expand dental services thru the Northern Virginia Dental Clinic.

100 VOICE leaders attended Fairfax board "mark-up" on April 20 to support Chairman Bulova to insure passage of VOICE budget priorities.

Organized tenants in Culmore/Vista Gardens apartments to prompt Fairfax County officials to document housing code and safety violations. Secured commitments from Supervisor Penny Gross at a 200-person action at St. Anthony of Padua Church to address housing code and safety violations.  Fairfax County Fire Marshall issued more than 600 fire code violation notices.  Management of the apartments agreed to address the issue.  During a Mother's Day Action, Supervisor Gross and about 100 VOICE leaders conducted a walk-through of the complex and visited three apartments to assess progress in addressing the violations.    

http://www.fcnp.com/commentary/local/4461-a-penny-for-your-thoughts-news-of-greater-falls-church.html

http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/news/2009/may/14/culmore-apartments-still-need-repairs/

Reverend Brinton from Fairfax Presbyterian Church is quoted on affordable housing at the county budget meeting in which over 100 VOICE members attended:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/20/AR2009042001403.html

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Fairfax-tenement-restores-alarms-extinguishers-42561212.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/04/AR2009040402540.html?referrer=emailarticle

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
V.O.I.C.E to deliver 4,500 Postcards to Fairfax Supervisors to support the "Penny for Affordable Housing"
 

As the Fairfax County Budget Hearings move into their fourth day, and debate over the Penny for Affordable Housing intensifies, V.O.I.C.E., Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement will deliver 4,500 postcards in support of its agenda at the budget hearing on Thursday, April 2, 2009 between 4 and 5PM. 
 
V.O.I.C.E. was launched as an non-partisan, multi-faith, multi-issue citizens power organization in Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria and Prince William Counties last October, when 2,300 constituents of 40 faith communities met in Dumfries to announce its action agenda. Affordable housing, access to dental care for low income adults, and immigration (including access to quality ESOL programs) made up the initial V.O.I.C.E. agenda. Then Vice-Chairman Sharon Bulova was among nearly 40 elected leaders to attend the V.O.I.C.E. founding action, and among state and jurisdictional leaders to voice support for its agenda.  Since then V.O.I.C.E. leaders and faith communities have acted to protect those priorities in local jurisdictional budgets, including Fairfax County.
 
Over 300 V.O.I.C.E. Fairfax leaders met with Chairman Sharon Bulova and Supervisor Cathy Hudgins on March 8, at which time they announced support of their agenda from Supervisors Gerry Hyland and Penny Gross as well. It appears there is strong support among the Supervisors for a V.O.I.C.E. proposal to include $50,000 to add a full time dentist to the Northern VA Dental Clinic in Baileys Crossroads. But the Supervisors are debating whether to cut the Penny for Affordable Housing which has been at the center of Fairfax County's efforts to ensure affordable rental apartments to low income families.
 
Thus V.O.I.C.E. efforts to demonstrate broad public support for this visionary effort of the county, which has preserved over 2200 units of affordable rental housing, the majority through innovative partnerships with non-profit and for profit developers and property managers. "This is not the time to cut programs that support housing for low-income residents, in an economic downturn, when we all the know the need to escalating", said Fr. Tuck Bowerfind a leader in V.O.I.C.E. along the Route 1 corridor. "Furthermore, if our elected leaders cut the resources of the penny fund now, they may miss the opportunity to increase the affordable housing stock when real estate prices are lower, and federal funds could help leverage county tax dollars."
 
V.O.I.C.E. leaders are scheduled to testify and deliver their postcards to county leaders at the Fairfax Government Center between 4 and 5 PM Thursday.
 
For more information contact
--
Kathleen O'Toole
Senior Organizer, V.O.I.C.E.
Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement, an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF)
(240)601-1485 (cell)

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Fairfax-tenement-restores-alarms-extinguishers-42561212.html

http://www.catholicherald.com/detail.html?sub_id=9603

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=326603&paper=69&cat=104

For more information about VOICE of Fairfax County or if you would like to be added to the VOICE Fairfax County email distribution list  email VOICEofNorthernVa@gmail.com