Dear Friends,

Since I last wrote to you on County Board work, we have taken many actions and I am working hard to protect Arlington values in the challenging new circumstances we face since the new Administration took office. I will share additional thoughts over the coming weeks as we respond.

Today I write to summarize the January County Board actions as well as prior Board meetings from the end of last year. I am sorry to be later than I would like in reporting to you on County Board work; the work has been all-consuming. I invite you to write me if you have questions on specific items.
The Historic Reeves Property Groundbreaking was a wonderful event. L'Arche of Greater Washington and Habitat for Humanity are building accessible units for individuals with disabilities with County support.
The January Board meetings included action on a use permit on a school, child-care, pickleball courts at Walter Reed Community Center, senior assisted living in Cherrydale, and discussion of a climate resolution that we will adopt at the February 22nd of 25th meeting. The Board also has been working to help serve our most vulnerable residents, including our immigrant community. So many of us are concerned about our neighbors in light of the Administration's fearmongering.

On the school, the Board approved a use permit to allow a private school in Lyon Park to expand from 40 to 80 students, allowing expansion in part due to the school's commitment to be a good neighbor.
I closed out 2024 as Chair of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission with remarks at the Legislative Forum. My work to secure long-term, sustainable funding for Metro continues via DMV Moves
On child-care, the Board moved to allow small sites to serve additional young children, changing the use permit requirement from 10 students to 13, a step that will give staff the ability to oversee small centers without requiring Board level use permit review.

On pickleball, the Board approved a contract for construction of 6 courts at Walter Reed. The current 9 courts are deteriorating. The sound barriers we put up have had a positive effect. This was a compromise that will move the courts further from some of the nearby neighbors.

On health care for our seniors and those who fall ill, the Board took an important step. By extending our agreement with the Cherrydale Rehabilitation Center, we will support a facility that helps seniors and those in need of intensive health care near the end of their lives. Our community is aging--more of us are living longer. We must have good care for the end of our lives. Investing in the Cherrydale facility, with a few key added safeguards on deliveries to the facility, is key.

This action was particularly important to me because I last saw one of our dear friends, Cragg Hines. at this facility. Investing in the facility felt like a very small step to honor Cragg's life and commitment to caring for people at all stages of life.

On climate, the Board shared a draft resolution that addresses one of the defining issues of our time: the rapid changes in our environment that threaten our planet, our country, our Commonwealth, and Arlington. I am grateful to Chair Karantonis for leading this work with the help of Board Member Cunningham. To see the draft resolution go here:draft-cb-climate-action-resolution.pdf ([link removed]) To offer thoughts on the resolution in advance of the February meeting, go here: Arlington County Climate Action Resolution - PublicInput ([link removed])

For a press release of Board actions at the January meetings, go here: January 2025 Arlington County Board Wrap-up ([link removed])
The entire County Board joined the Leadership Center of Arlington for the MLK Day of Service.
In perhaps our most important action in January, the Board appropriated funding at our Tuesday recessed meeting on January 25th related to our most vulnerable residents and immigration. Specifically, the Board appropriated $250,000 to the Arlington Community Foundation for the purposes of legal know your rights training and legal representation of immigrants. The action is fully legal and fully aligned with the values on which I ran for the Board. We will comply with the law and we will live Arlington values, notwithstanding the fearmongering by this Administration. To that end, We are working with Arlington Public Schools to protect our community, to the maximum extent possible under the law.

As we work on immigration, I want to highlight a step the County Board took last November that you may have missed. The Board adopted an update to our Trust Policy on immigration. The updated policy reiterates that Arlington County does not enforce federal immigration law. We comply with the law, but we are not the leads on federal law. We are an inclusive community and will continue to be. I go to sleep many nights thinking about how we can best protect our immigrant communities and we will be persistent in our focus on this.

Arlington has a long history of caring for and engaging with our immigrant community. The Chair of our Board, Takis Karantonis is himself an immigrant. Immigrants are what has made America thrive and embody the best of the American spirit and Arlington's ideals. To see our policy on immigration, go here: Resources For Immigrants – Official Website of Arlington County Virginia Government ([link removed])
With Saul Reyes and Sushmita Mazumbar at Studio Pause, an art gallery and studio on Columbia Pike
The Board also took key actions late last year that I want to summarize for you. In October, our key action was approving "recovery residences." The term refers to homes for those who are recovering from substance abuse disorders. This led to significant conversation in Arlington. I believe that we must be a community that recognizes that we all know those in recovery and our zoning code should allow for such residences, with reasonable and appropriate oversight that addresses safety concerns.

To see the summary of the October Board meetings, go here: Arlington County Board Wrap-up for October 2024 Meetings ([link removed])

[link removed]
This 6 minute 36 second video summarizes County and Community from 2024

The November meetings focused on our economy, a policy to transform outdated buildings, adoption of budget closeout funding from last year, funding for hunger, and our deer management plan. On our economy, we adopted an adaptive re-use policy that will serve as a key tool in addressing our office vacancy challenge via CMRI 2.0. Go here to read more about how we are streamlining our processes appropriately to convert office buildings to residential: Arlington Adopts Adaptive Reuse Policy to Transform Office Vacancy ([link removed])

On hunger, the Board appropriated $750K in closeout budget funding from last fiscal year to address the spike in hunger over the past year. I was proud we acted, but I remain concerned that hunger is such a challenge after COVID. To read about the budget closeout in November, the towing ordinance, deer management, and all of our actions at the November Board meetings, go here: Arlington County Board Wrap-up for the November 2024 Meetings ([link removed])
I joined NOVA Salud and our staff to speak on World Aids Day on November 29th. There is hope for affordable cures to a degree I had not known. All we need is awareness: HOME | nova-salud ([link removed])
December was also busy, with approval of Gateway Park in Rosslyn as our most important action. There were also a series of other events and actions, including the swearing in on our new Board Member, JD Spain. For a full summary of our December Board meeting, go here: Arlington County Board Wrap-up for the December 2024 Meetings ([link removed])

The Gateway Park approval was due in part to community benefits received from the CoStar agreement. This Park needs rebuilding to be a better space for Rosslyn and a better attraction for Arlington. County Board Approves Gateway Park Master Plan – Official Website of Arlington County Virginia Government ([link removed])

On towing, I spent a significant amount of time working on this issue in 2024. We adopted an ordinance that allows the County, finally, to regulate towing better via a permitting process. Towing has long been a challenge in Arlington, with some conduct unacceptable. The ordinance will take effect March 1 and I am working with our Delegates and Senators in Richmond to pass local laws and keep towing fees as low as reasonable and possible.

The opening of our new bus facility, the ART Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility was the County's most important infrastructure step in 2024. This moves us out of a facility in Alexandria down 395 and into an energy efficient space in Green Valley. Arlington’s New State-of-the-'ART' Facility Unveiled ([link removed])
The inside of our ART Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility
On November 19th, the County Board acted to appeal the Expanded Housing Options ruling invalidating the ordinance which has been the subject of vigorous community debate since 2022. I support the decision to appeal because I continue to believe the policy is sound and because I believe changes to zoning are a critical part of housing affordability over the coming years.

Opponents of appeal have argued that the cost of appeal is too great and that the issue is divisive. With respect to the cost of appeal, I acknowledge that the cost is not insignificant. I believe that the cost is worthwhile. It is public record that the cost of appeal has already exceed $800K, but I firmly believe we cannot subsidize the supply of the additional housing types we need.

Townhomes, affordable ownership, and affordable rental housing units with additional bedrooms will not be created through our Affordable Housing Investment Fund (AHIF), nor should they. AHIF is meant for rental units that serve those earning 60% or less of the Area Median Income (roughly 70K or less for a household of 3 people). I do not believe we should financially subsidize housing for those who earn more than 100% of the Area Median Income.

Furthermore, comparing the cost of appeal with other expenditures, we have spent significantly more money buying properties to address our stormwater system and prevent flooding, a separate and also valid policy. I believe, respectfully, that those who oppose appeal do so primarily because they oppose expanded housing options as a whole.
Our Daughter turned one in December. The days are long, but the years are short.
With respect to civility and expanded housing options, and the argument that the policy is divisive, I respect that point but see this issue as one of affordability that we must address via zoning change. If we do nothing, the exclusivity of single-family zoning will, as I see it, lead to only the very, very rich being able to live on 70% of the land in Arlington. I think that is not acceptable and thus the concerns about the policy from some in our community should not prevent us from appealing.

Supporters of the policy urge the County to make tweaks to the ordinance and proceed. I do not agree that would be the best approach legally. The Circuit Court judge has ruled that the policy is "void ab initio." That means it is not a policy that we can simply redo. Further, I believe it appropriate to respect the Court's ruling and let the appeal fully play out.

To learn more about the appeal and where things stand, go here: Expanded Housing Option (EHO) Development – Official Website of Arlington County Virginia Government ([link removed]) For a broad brush discussion of the importance of housing supply, go here: Opinion | Virginia and other states need to say yes to more housing - The Washington Post ([link removed])
Homelessness is a key priority for me this year, so I went by PathForward's health equity fair and met with Kasia Shaw and Liz Nohra, leadership team members.
The Human Rights Commission was in the news quite a bit last summer. I am happy to announce that the County Board appointed 7 Commissioners at our January 25th Board meeting, including one former Commissioner. The reconstituted Commission is diverse in terms of professional experience, it is committed to Arlington's overall vision of being a welcoming community where every person is valued. JD Spain and I are the liaisons. We ask you to watch as we rebuild this important body.
A few other important updates:
* Stephanie Hopkins, our Food Security Corordinator, led the work to finish and publish our 2024 Food Security Report: 2024 FSC Annual Report ([link removed]) For a thoughtful analysis of where we stand now on hunger, this ArlNow article is worth reading: Arlington food pantries face uncertain future, despite boost in county support | ARLnow.com ([link removed])
* The County has begun planning for our transportation future, with community engagement underway: County Begins Planning for Arlington’s Transportation Future ([link removed])
* We completed our tree canopy study, which shows a more accurate picture than our last one in 2014. There is more work to do. Tree Canopy Study Shows Modest Gains ([link removed])
* The Arlington 2050 Initiative concluded with a report: Arlington 2050 – Official Website of Arlington County Virginia Government ([link removed]) Email if you have questions on this.
* Nature Center hours have been expanded: Expanded Nature Center Hours Begin Today ([link removed])
* Caroline Haynes, an inspiring parks volunteer leader was honored: Caroline Haynes has been named winner of the 2023 Bill Thomas Award ([link removed])
* Our tourism industry is back and we have had a record year for our economy: Arlington Visitor Spending Hit Record $4.5 Billion in 2023 ([link removed])
* Arlington was recently analyzed and ranked as the safest city in America: How Arlington, Virginia, Became the Safest Place in America - Bloomberg ([link removed]) Not perfect, but we are a safe place.
* The Board provided budget guidance for the Manager, who will present a budget later this month: _2 - Item Attachment - BUDGET GUIDANCE - 28278678.pdf ([link removed])

I hope this summary is helpful. I will write over the coming weeks on protecting federal workers and our ongoing response to the chaos and actions of this Administration, which I find wholly inconsistent with Arlington ideals and the best of our country. In the meantime, I ask that you please know I am working as hard and smart as I can to serve you well.

Sincerely,

Matt

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