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Hoarding Task Force Created In Fairfax County

Community News - Community News

Written by Yaman Shalabi, Muslim Link Staff Writer

Thursday, 11 March 2010 13:10

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) announced in February that hoarding, which some experts believe is a subset of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, will be one of many disorders added to the 2013 edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V (DSM-5).

Fairfax County, Va., is one of many regions to take a proactive approach against hoarding, a psychological disorder marked by the excessive collection and storage of items and the inability to get rid of them.

In 1998, four people died in an abandoned Fairfax County house vacated by a hoarder. The county assembled the Hoarding Task Force shortly afterward to combat and prevent similar disasters.
For every 100,000 people, there are an estimated 350 cases of hoarding, according to the Fairfax County web site. Based on these estimates, Fairfax County itself could have more than 3,500 cases of hoarding. Most cases are reported through neighbors’ complaints or by emergency personnel.

The Hoarding Task Force will only address the most severe hoarding cases, in which “the hoarder can’t get out the door,” said Christina Sadar, Task Force chairman.

In 2009, 52 hoarding cases from the 146 reported in Fairfax County were classified as severe cases.

Each hoarding case is different and there is no cookie-cutter approach, Sadar said. The Task Force works alongside law enforcement agencies in severe cases of hoarding in Fairfax County. The Task Force also has a mutual agreement with the towns of Vienna and Herndon.

In older districts like Mount Vernon, hoarding is typically found among older age groups. However, hoarding can affect individuals of all ages, Sadar said.
Hoarding increases the risk of fire and structural damage to buildings, and disease to the hoarder and surrounding community. It also limits an individual’s ability to function properly on a daily basis. In emergency situations, hoarding hinders emergency personnel from getting inside buildings and providing immediate help.

To report cases of hoarding, call the Fairfax County Task Force at: (703) 324-1300 or email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .