Last month, NVAHA hosted a Lunch & Learn session on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). If you missed the session, you can watch the recording here. Additionally, we created an Accessory Dwelling Unit Matrix, which outlines the differences in ADU regulations across Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax.

If you know or work with someone who would be interested in our newsletter, please invite them to sign-up here.

Alexandria City Council granted rezoning and a special use permit for Snell Properties to demolish an office building near the former Landmark Mall site in Alexandria and construct a seven-story, 270-unit apartment building. Of the 270 apartments, 23 units will be affordable, with rents capped for households earning 40-60% of the area median income.

Wesley Housing has submitted a Melwood site plan for a 105-unit affordable rental building on its 23rd St. South parcel. The project aims to provide affordable, inclusive housing by maintaining Melwood's job training programs and reserving 30% of the units for people with disabilities. 

The final Barcroft Apartments Master Development and Finance Plan (MDFP) will be heard by the Planning Commission on July 8th and voted on by the County Board on July 22 (new meeting date) or July 23. No additional affordable units will be negotiable under this new plan, since it will fall under the Columbia Pike Neighborhoods Form Based Code and all future requirements will be fulfilled from within the 1,335 affordable units already preserved units.

In June, Amazon announced the contribution of an additional $1.4 Billion to its Housing Equity Fund. These new funds will help create and preserve an additional 14,000 affordable units across its three regions, one of which is Arlington and the DMV, for a total of 36,000 units.

Arlington County has won a nearly $1M federal EPA grant from the 

Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Grant Program to facilitate and expand energy-performance upgrades in older model residential and commercial buildings. NVAHA will partner with the County to identify affordable housing that may be eligible for funds. 

To dig deeper into Arlington issues, join a NVAHA~Arlington group!

Housing Action Arlington Group, or 

Accessory Dwelling Discussion Group.

And join ArlingtonWINs to follow Missing Middle / Expanded Housing Options updates.

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted 9-1 on June 11 to approve a comprehensive-plan amendment for the Judicial Complex redevelopment. The 20-year redevelopment plan includes up to 2 million square feet for public facilities, 300 housing units, retail space, and parks. 

Fairfax County plans to add Reston's Lake Anne and the Huntington Metro station to its Economic Incentive Program (EIP) to stimulate redevelopment in these areas. The EIP offers developers a 10% reduction in site plan fees and partial tax abatements for up to 10 years, following successes in districts like Bailey’s Crossroads. The new EIP areas, set to begin January 1, 2030. Public hearings and further evaluations are planned to finalize these additions.

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on June 12, 2024, for Comprehensive Plan amendment For-Sale Workforce Dwelling Unit (WDU) Policy. The amendment aims to better serve low-moderate income families by shifting the affordability range to 70%-100% of Area Median Income (AMI). The Board of Supervisors public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.

Fairfax County is seeking community input, open through July 26, as part of the Fairfax Center Area Planning Study and Government Center Visioning process. The study aims to update the long-range land use plan for a 5,500-acre area including the Government Center, Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax Corner and surrounding developments, focusing on creating a transit-ready, mixed-use, walkable community.

Fairfax County has approved a comprehensive plan amendment to support a supportive housing project proposed by Cornerstones. The "Fair Ridge Residential at West Ox" project will include 33 units designed for one-person households. A planning commission public hearing on the rezoning application is set for September 25. 

Loudoun County approved rezoning for an affordable multifamily project, as a part of a pilot program aimed at fast-tracking applications for attainable homes. The project, developed by Good Works LP, includes 80 below-market rate units on 3.1 acres in Sterling near Northrop Grumman’s campus.

Lovettsville Town Planning Commission had proposed allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as a by-right use in most zoning districts. However, due to concerns about potential strain on the town's water and sewer systems and increased population, the council decided to retain the requirement for a conditional use permit and impose additional regulations. The revised ordinance limits ADUs to 30% of the main dwelling's floor area, down from 40%. Occupancy will be restricted to 2 people.

The Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for its Rental Housing Acquisition and Preservation Loan Program (RHAP). The RFQ closes on August 1, 2024. Interested developers must submit the required documentation to be considered. 

Prince William County has launched the 2024 Community Survey to gather resident input. Polco, an independent research firm, sent surveys to 6,000 randomly selected households. Residents not selected can now participate in an open online survey. Results will guide strategic decisions and planning by the Board of County Supervisors and county departments. 

Prince William County Board of County Supervisors, other staff and community organizations, including NVAHA, joined Senator Mark Warner for a roundtable discussion on affordable housing. We emphasized the potential of using land owned by faith-based organizations for affordable housing, citing successful examples in Arlington, Alexandria, and Winchester. We also stressed the need for diverse housing types, including permanent supportive and rental housing for those earning below 60% of the area median income.

Amazon announced an additional $1.4 billion for its Housing Equity Fund, replenishing the fully committed $2.2 billion fund. The fund, which provides below-market rate loans and grants, has already helped create or preserve 21,000 affordable units in D.C., Seattle, and Nashville. The new funding is expected to support an additional 14,000 homes. Initially launched in 2021, the first round of funding was expected to take five years to allocate but was fully committed in less than four years.

An analysis by the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service shows that migration away from major metropolitan counties remained high in 2023, with a notable increase in moves to rural counties and small metro neighborhoods. Previously, people leaving D.C. often moved to nearby counties like Loudoun or Culpeper, but now they are moving even further, to places like Berkeley County, West Virginia, where housing is more affordable. 

MWCOG has been awarded a HUD PRO Housing grant. This funding will help communities update housing plans, revise land use policies, streamline permitting, and fund construction to address local housing barriers. With over 175 applications received, HUD will make an additional $100 million available for the second round of funding later this summer. More information, including a fact sheet on the grantees, is available here. 

A list of housing-related bills that will be in effect today, July 1, 2024, can be found here.

Virginia Housing is hosting a Community Resource Connection Series webinar on “Virginia’s Housing Authorities Today” on July 11, 2024, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. This interactive session will explore the role of redevelopment and housing authorities in Virginia's affordable housing landscape, featuring insights from the Virginia Association of Housing and Community Development Officials (VAHCDO). Register here, if interested.

Power Forward Communities has been awarded a $2 billion National Clean Investment Fund grant from the EPA to support residential decarbonization, particularly in low-income and disadvantaged communities. Led by organizations like Enterprise Community Partners and Habitat for Humanity, the initiative aims to create healthier, more affordable homes by providing financing for energy-efficient upgrades. The program is expected to support an additional 14,000 affordable homes and will begin its rollout this fall.

• Updated 2024 Arlington Population & Demographic Estimates Dashboard, Arlington County

• The Connections Between Rental Deserts, Segregation, And Restrictive Zoning, JCHS

• Housing Costs Strain Owners And Renters Alike; Millions Priced Out Of Homeownership, JCHS

• Fairfax County scraps planned ‘green bank,’ shifts funds to new residential program, BizJournal 

• Plan To Loosen Single-Family Zoning Advances In Montgomery County,  Bisnow