New homeless outreach center in Virginia Beach transitions from dorms to apartments

Residents in Virginia Beach will soon move into permanent supportive housing at the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center’s new Oceanfront campus. The facility, which includes a rebuilt dining hall and food pantry, marks a significant shift from dorm-style shelter to apartment living. The center’s executive director, Todd Walker, described the transformation as “very humbling and mind-blowing.”

Workers were still painting walls and testing equipment as the project neared completion. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for later this month at 1053 Virginia Beach Blvd. Walker first proposed the vision of rebuilding the center to the nonprofit’s board 14 years ago. He worked tirelessly to secure financial support through donations, grants, and loans.

In 2017, the center faced community and city pushback over its plans to reconstruct and expand in the same location. The former facility was a patchwork of four dilapidated buildings, including a dormitory for emergency shelter. Concerns about alcohol consumption, trash, and crime on and around the property were raised by police and neighbors.

Walker, however, preferred to keep the center near the Oceanfront, where there is a large homeless population. He expressed doubt at times about whether the effort was worth the fight but felt a calling to be a “voice for the voiceless.” He succeeded in rallying advocates and overcoming opposition.

A fundraising campaign called “Help. Hope. Healing.” gained momentum, energizing the project. Walker emphasized that healing begins when individuals are placed in housing and supported to thrive. The emergency shelter program relocated to the city’s Housing Resource Center on Witchduck Road in 2018. Plans for the Oceanfront campus shifted to focus on permanent supportive housing.

In 2024, construction began on the three-story Macon & Joan Brock House on the Betty B Chidester Campus. The project cost $13 million and was supported by private and corporate donors, as well as city and state funds. A donor who helped pay for the first-floor dining hall chose to name it after Walker: the Todd A.J. Walker Community Room. It features a commercial kitchen, seating for 88 people, space for a food pantry and administrative offices. The space will also be used for health workshops, financial and job training, and addiction recovery support. A meal will be provided.

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