Wheaton Encampment Secured After Outreach Efforts and County Coordination

Before (top) and after (bottom) - (1/1/2026 & 3/3/2026, Montgomery Fix)

WHEATON, Md. — An underground encampment beneath the former Ambassador Apartment property in Wheaton has now been secured following coordinated action by Montgomery County agencies, housing partners, and the property owner.

The site, located near the intersection of Veirs Mill Road and University Boulevard, was documented in mid-February by Montgomery Fix, which published photos and video showing makeshift living areas inside the underground structure of the long-demolished apartment complex.

Photos and video of the encampment interior were viewed more than 50,000 times across social media platforms (Photo: Montgomery Fix, 2/14/2026)

The February 14 report quickly drew widespread attention online. On February 17, county officials, police officers, housing officials, and representatives of the property owner converged at the site to inspect the structure, post warning signs, and begin coordinating the next steps to close it safely.

Officers from the Montgomery County Police Department, inspectors from Department of Housing and Community Affairs, and officials from PS Ventures meet on the roof of the encampment on February 17, 2026 (Photo: Montgomery Fix)

Since then, the underground garage has been fully secured. All entrances have been boarded shut, fencing around the property has been reinforced, and trash that had accumulated along the perimeter has been removed.

Left: Gaps in perimeter fencing allowed easy access to the underground encampment (2/14/2026, Montgomery Fix)
Right: The fencing was fortified with barbed wire, poles, and chains (3/3/2026, Montgomery Fix)

According to County Council President Natali Fani-González, who got directly involved, the effort required coordination between the county, the developer of the property, and housing agencies working in the area.

“I worked closely with Shane [Pollin] from PS Ventures and HOC to ensure the place was properly secured,” Fani-González said.

PS Ventures is involved in the proposed Wheaton Gateway redevelopment of the former Ambassador site, along with the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) of Montgomery County, the county’s quasi-governmental housing agency.

While the underground encampment only recently came to public attention, outreach workers had already been engaging people living at the site.

Pathways to Housing DC, a nonprofit working with Montgomery County’s Department of Health and Human Services through the Pathways Home program, had been engaging with individuals at the encampment for several months, offering services and housing opportunities, according to Fani-González.

Those efforts had already helped several individuals move indoors. “At least four of the inhabitants had been housed through Pathways’ efforts,” Fani-González said. Before the garage was fully secured, a few remaining individuals living there were notified that the structure would no longer be accessible and relocated from the site, Fani-González told Montgomery Fix.

The county’s outreach teams will continue working with them and others experiencing homelessness in the area, she said. “I know the outreach teams always offer services and shelter when they engage individuals who are unsheltered,” Fani-González said. “The county’s efforts to engage them and work toward housing will continue as long as they are experiencing homelessness in the county.”

Fani-González also thanked Montgomery Fix for drawing attention to the situation. “I thank you very much for bringing to light these critical issues in our community,” she told publisher Glenn Fellman.

Top: Trash lines the interior fencing at the corner of Viers Mill Road and University Blvd (2/14/2026, Montgomery Fix)
Bottom: Trash removed in conjunction with site security improvements (3/4/2026, Montgomery Fix)

With the underground structure now closed and secured, developers are moving through the final permitting stages. Wheaton Gateway construction is expected to begin in late summer or early fall of 2026.

Artist rendering of the future Wheaton Gateway development. (Image: PS Ventures / Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County)