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A CURATED LIST OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENTS AND ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA, STATEWIDE AND NATIONALLY FOR
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August 2024 |
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This week, NVAHA hosted a Virtual Bus Tour during our Lunch & Learn session. A big thank you to our stellar speakers: Kim Hart, Ryan Nash, and Katharine Dixon! If you missed it, you can catch up by watching the recording here.
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Alexandria City |
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The Heritage at Old Town redevelopment will renew 140 affordable housing units for 40 years, subsidized by 555 market-rate units. After delays, the project is moving forward with new financing supported by the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority through a revenue bond. An award-winning density bonus initiative preserves and creates affordable housing for residents earning as little as 40% of the area median income without taxpayer dollars.
The City of Alexandria’s Office of Housing has published its 2024 Housing Resource Guide and the Affordable and Moderately-Priced Rental Housing Options guide. These guides provide comprehensive information on programs and services for renters, homeowners, landlords, and prospective homebuyers, available in multiple languages. The guides include details on income-restricted affordable housing options and a list of privately-owned rental communities with moderately-priced units. For more information, visit their webpage. |
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Arlington County |
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The Arlington County Board supported the Barcroft Apartments Master Finance and Development Plan at its July meeting. While the housing portion of the plan was already passed earlier this year, this final portion addressed planning issues such as additional green space, transit and walkability, a new amenities center for all residents, etc. The Plan envisions over 3,000 housing units across the 60-acre property - those will include 1,335 committed affordable units in a mix of both substantially-renovated and new construction units.
The Missing Middle/Expanded Housing Options (EHO) 5-day trial is now complete, with post-trial briefings due by August 1. Thereafter, we await the judge’s ruling, which could take weeks or months. Stay tuned for more information at www.ArlingtonWINs.org. The Arlington NAACP filed a 55-page Amicus Brief, which emphasized the case's significant implications for racial equity, arguing that single-family zoning has racist origins and that overturning the Missing Middle reforms would hinder our racial progress. The NAACP noted that these zoning laws historically worked alongside restrictive covenants to purposely (and legally) segregate neighborhoods.
The Arlington County Board has re-approved the Pentagon City Sector Plan, restoring a document that a state court declared void for procedural reasons earlier this year. The Plan which envisions a denser and less car-centric neighborhood with “ribbons” of tree- and plant-lined walking paths, also requires all developers to achieve at least LEED Gold certification and to set aside between 10% and 20% of on-site units as committed affordable units at up to 60% of the area median income (AMI).
On July 22, the Arlington County Board approved an agreement to convey the historic Reeves Farmhouse to Habitat for Humanity of Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia (Habitat DC-NOVA), concluding a decades-long process. The property, located in the Boulevard Manor neighborhood next to Bluemont Park, became a local historic district (LHD) in 2004. It will be preserved and rehabilitated to convert its residential portion into a shared home for individuals with developmental disabilities. The property also includes parkland, which will remain open for public use.
Are you interested in receiving Arlington-related news? You can sign up here for more specific content such as the Housing Action Arlington or Accessory Dwellings communication. |
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Fairfax County |
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Fairfax County will open a temporary overflow shelter for the homeless in Reston on July 29 at the North County Human Services Center. The shelter, operating nightly from 5 pm. to 7 am., will accommodate up to 99 people and provide services such as food, case management, and assistance with federal benefits through Cornerstones. This initiative is part of the county's plan to address homelessness, especially for those currently living in a nearby encampment, and is a precursor to the larger Reston Town Center North redevelopment project, which includes a new Embry Rucker shelter expected to be completed by 2029.
Fairfax County supervisors approved changes to the Workforce Dwelling Unit (WDU) policy, lowering the maximum-income levels for WDU eligibility from 120% to 100% of the area median income (AMI), with a new range set at 70-100% of AMI. The amended policy also expands WDU applicability to all county areas zoned for medium- to high-density residential use and includes specific minimum bedroom and living-room sizes. This change aims to increase affordability and ensure consistent living standards. The policy requires 12% of for-sale units in new projects to be affordable, divided equally among the 70%, 80%, and 100% AMI brackets.
The latest Fairfax County demographics report is now available, which takes a deep dive into data about the county’s population, household and housing unit estimates.
The Board of Supervisors adopted the FY 2025/2026 Zoning Ordinance Work Program. The adopted FY 2025-2026 Work Program has 14 topics, including both new and carryover items. It is anticipated that many of the topics currently under review will be completed over the next two-year cycle. The Work Program also includes a Priority 2 list that is focused on updates to the Zoning Ordinance that will continue to reflect current and future trends and priorities of the Board and community. |
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Loudoun County |
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We are thrilled to announce a new partnership between the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties and the Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance (NVAHA). A recent grant of $50,000 provided to NVAHA through one of the Community Foundation’s funds, Loudoun Community Cabinet, will strengthen our efforts in addressing affordable housing challenges in our community through an expansion of our Workforce Housing Now program. We are hiring for the Loudoun Affordable Housing Policy Director position.
Loudoun County has opened the application process for its FY25 Affordable Multi-Family Housing Loan Program. For-profit and nonprofit developers can apply for loans to develop long-term, affordable rental units, to be used alongside the Virginia Housing Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program and/or HUD's 221(D)(4) Program financing. Applications are competitive, scored on consistency with county housing needs, project design, readiness, experience, and budget. A pre-application meeting will be held on August 15, 2024, and complete applications are due by October 1, 2024. More details are available at loudoun.gov/housing.
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors authorized reallocating over $2.2 million from the county’s federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to support various community recovery efforts including $1.5 million for rental assistance.
The Board of Supervisors approved an affordable housing rezoning project using an accelerated timeline, completing the entire process in approximately 6 months, compared to the typical 12-18 months. Good Works’ Atlantic Boulevard Residential Rezoning, LEGI-2023-0101 (PDF), rezoned approximately 3.12 acres to allow for 80 multi-family attached affordable residential units. The Department of Planning and Zoning is now working to formalize a process for expediting reviews of fully affordable housing applications, aiming to streamline the legislative review so that the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors may consider such projects more quickly. The effort is intended to address the objectives included in the county’s Unmet Housing Needs Strategic Plan, which includes 8,200 new affordable housing units by 2040.
Loudoun County has released the 2024 Loudoun County Apartment Guide and an accompanying online map. The guide provides information on market-rate and affordable rental options, including details about affordable rental properties, accessibility features, and communities for older adults. |
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Prince William County |
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The Prince William Area Continuum of Care (PWA CoC) will be hosting a virtual information session regarding the CoCBuilds Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Notice of Funding Opportunity on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at 1:30 PM. This session aims to engage housing developers and providers who may be interested in applying for this funding opportunity. We will provide a comprehensive overview based on the information released by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). To register for the information session, please follow this link.
During a recent work session, the Prince William County Board discussed key issues for the 2025-2028 strategic plan. Results from resident’s input highlighted the county’s strength, such as beautiful open spaces, diverse educated population, as well as concerns regarding data center development and lack of affordable housing. Phase 3 of the strategic plan development is scheduled to conclude in November 2024. |
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Northern Virginia |
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Congratulations to the 5 NoVA projects winning allocations of Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) in 2024 AHC’s Goodwill Redevelopment in Arlington, APAH‘s Crystal House-3 in Arlington, Lincoln Avenue Communities’ Residences at Government Center 2 in Fairfax, Wellington Development’s & Cornerstones’ Old Arcola School Project in Loudoun, and People Inc.’s Manassas Veterans Housing and Post Center (additional credits). For a list of all applicants and awards, visit Virginia Housing and scroll down to announcements. |
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DMV |
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MWCOG was awarded a Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing or PRO Housing Grant from the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to make housing more affordable and to accelerate implementation of housing production strategies, particularly through addressing local land use restrictions. The program achieves to aim four goals:
Despite a pandemic, supply chain crisis and run-up in interest rates, Washington, DC has accomplished its 36,000 new housing units and 12,000 affordable units housing production goal set by Mayor Muriel Bowser. |
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Articles and Tools of Interest |
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