Pathway Homes, a nonprofit organization providing housing and support services to adults with serious mental illnesses and disabilities, has acquired a new property at 4010 University Drive in Fairfax City. This three-story office building, covering 19,000 square feet, will become the nonprofit’s new headquarters and will also include at least 10 supportive housing units for individuals aged 50 and older with serious mental illnesses and co-occurring disabilities.
Sylisa Lambert-Woodard, CEO of Pathway Homes, emphasized the importance of this move, noting that it will allow the nonprofit to better serve the community. “Pathway Homes needs a new home, and we plan to make it one that serves our community even better,” she said. “It will give us the space to run the nonprofit while also providing direct services and housing to clients.”
Founded in 1980 by families and mental health professionals, Pathway Homes has long been committed to providing safe, permanent housing as a key element of stability for individuals with mental illness. The nonprofit currently owns and leases units across more than 500 properties in Northern Virginia, providing behavioral health services to its residents.
Pathway Homes’ current headquarters, located in Gatewood Plaza at 10201 Fairfax Blvd, is under threat of redevelopment. The property owner plans to replace the existing 5-story office building with a 7-story residential building, including 307 units of multifamily housing with office and retail spaces. Although the redevelopment process is still in the early stages, Pathway Homes is preparing for its relocation.
The newly purchased building at 4010 University Drive, built in 1982, was listed for sale in December 2022 and was purchased for $4.6 million on January 9, 2024. The renovation of the space, which will accommodate both administrative offices and supportive housing units, is funded by private contributions, including seed money from the Potomac Health Foundation.
The build-out of the new headquarters is expected to be completed by early 2027. In addition to housing, the facility will include a food pantry, on-site case management services, and educational programming and training spaces. The supportive housing units will be reserved for individuals earning 30% or less of the area’s median income, addressing the growing demand for affordable housing in Fairfax City, where affordable housing options are limited.
“We are excited to transform a commercial property into an innovative, multi-use facility that will help us address the affordable housing crunch that hinders our ability to serve more people,” Lambert-Woodard said. The nonprofit hopes the new space will provide both vital housing and enhanced support services for its clients in the years to come.
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