The numbers that surprise me are the high wealth of Fairfax ranked 5th county in the country with the second highest homeless rate in the area. I feel this disparity of wealth. The townhouse I rented a room at is just a short walk from million dollar mansions with expansive sloping yards. The tenants of my former townhouse are blue collar, service workers. Ages over 40. There are four tenants, including the owner. They work a full time job and a part time on the side. We are all racial minorities of different sorts - the diversity around DC seems eclectic, but have one commonality : low income jobs.
Recent months the owner had rented out her own room for more income. The tenant was a young person assisted by a social worker housing program. The owner slept in a tiny space converted from her former closet, next to the washing machine in her basement. However the new tenant kept late hours with an unallowed guest, was not respectful of others property, and did not pay her share of the rent. The owner ended up sleeping on her living room couch, without much rest. She also padlocked the refrigerators to keep our food from being eaten by the tenant. It was an absurd situation that ended with eviction.
I've spent a few nights in the JC myself.
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