Waiting lists for shelter beds in Fairfax, VA

Sad news from Fairfax, Virginia: the Post reports homelessness is up to an official 2,077 people. We all know means a lot more unofficially, especially since

The Fairfax survey does not count residents whose circumstances place them on the brink of homelessness. The "precariously housed" include families or individuals facing eviction or those who have been taken in by friends or family.

The local shelters, once places of last resort, now have waiting lists of their own:

About 60 families are on the waiting list for county shelters, and at one point late last year, 90 families were on the list. Officials say it can take up to four months to find a spot.

Yes, families. And, yes, the problem is the shortage of affordable housing.

Speaking of not counting the "precariously housed," the National Policy and Advocacy Council on Homelessness (NPACH) is campaigning to get the Conference of Mayors to endorse expanding the definition of homelessness to include people who double up informally with family or friends rather than sleep outdoors or in formally organized shelters. Some of the case for the change is here.