Every other year, the City conducts a statistically valid survey of our residents. While not definitive, it is a useful tool in understanding the pulse of our community. In our 2020 survey, 86% of our residents rated the overall quality of life in our City "Excellent" or "Good."

In September of 2019, the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) unanimously adopted new regional housing creation targets. This was the first-ever regional commitment to accelerate the development of housing supply as a means to address our affordability crisis. 

In March of 2020, the City Council became the third jurisdiction in the region to endorse these targets. 

In 2013, while adopting our Housing Master Plan, City Council had set an ambitious goal to create or preserve 2,000 affordable units by 2025. We are on track to meet this goal.  

Over the last three years, the City has achieved the preservation or creation of just about 1,000 units of committed affordable housing.

The housing non-profit HAND has begun an annual report to measure the work that each jurisdiction in the region is doing to achieve our commitments. The HAND "Housing Indication Tool" report shows that Alexandria has made significant progress, with more work to do.

In the budget the City Council approved in May, we expanded the tax dollars we have committed annually to affordable housing. One cent from the real estate tax rate now goes to affordable housing, which generates $4.6 million annually. One percent of Alexandria's dining tax rate also goes to affordable housing, yielding another $4.9 million annually. Together this generates $9.5 million of annual revenue that is used to fund the creation and preservation of committed affordable housing, with an aggressive project pipeline planned years in advance.

During the summer, the City was awarded a grant of $60,000 from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, funded by Amazon's Housing Equity Fund, to explore two possible affordable housing developments, one on the site of the Van Dorn Metro station and another on property owned by WMATA next to their new office building being constructed in Carlyle.

For a few years now, our Interdepartmental Work Program has included a comprehensive review of zoning tools available to advance affordability. The so-called "Zoning For Housing" effort has been proceeding with findings intended to come to Council and the Planning Commission over the next few years. 

One of those proposals came to the Planning Commission in June, a proposal to expand the applicability of "Bonus Height." As structured today, this program allows a landowner to request additional height, up to 25 feet if a third of that additional housing is committed as affordable housing. This is similar to the City's "Bonus Density" program, which provides additional density in exchange for a third of affordable housing. Bonus height is today only allowed in a zone where the height limit is 50 feet. This proposal would apply the Bonus Height program where the height limit is 45 feet or higher.

Last month, the City Council unanimously endorsed an acceleration of the Zoning for Housing work program. For the next year, we will engage with residents to develop a package of specific land-use proposals in these areas:

This year, 15,732 students started in the Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS). That constitutes an increase of 255 students from the previous year and the first increase of enrollment since the beginning of the pandemic. 

As we return to student enrollment growth, we have seen enrollment increases in 14 of the last 16 years. During that period, ACPS added over 5,000 students. The last time we approached having this many children attending our schools was over 50 years ago in the early 1970s.

In July of 2021, City Council approved a request from our School Board to provide funding to support the ACPS purchase of 1703 N. Beauregard Street to be swing space for future rebuilds as well as eventually a permanent school. This building, an office building next to Ferdinand Day Elementary School, will provide an opportunity for another adaptive reuse of an under-utilized building.

In May, City Council unanimously approved a 10-year capital improvement program for the Alexandria City Public Schools including $497.8 million over the next decade. This provides the funding for both new and renovated facilities, as well as non-capacity infrastructure investments. Only 9 years ago, the 10 year capital improvement program for our Schools was less than half as much at $203 million. 

Three years ago, the City Council unanimously approved land-use modifications to allow the old Patrick Henry Elementary School building to be temporarily used at "swing-space" to facilitate a rebuild of Douglas MacArthur Elementary School. In September of 2020, the City Council unanimously approved the rebuild of MacArthur. That rebuild is under way with a new building scheduled to open in August.

In March, we broke ground on a rebuild of Minnie Howard campus of Alexandria City High School. This will be a new 350,000 square foot facility intended to house 1,600 students. The construction is expected to take 2.5 years and will open for the opening of the 2024-2025 school year.

In June of 2021, feasibility studies were released by ACPS to inform planning for the new school buildings for George Mason and for Cora Kelly. Both reports examined the question as to whether "swing space" will be required during the construction process.

Over nine years ago, the City convened the Joint Long Range Educational Facilities Work Group. The group was given the essential charge to understand our recent increase in student enrollment, better project enrollment growth in the future, and to decide what to do about it. 

In June of 2015, the City Council and the School Board adopted the Joint Long Range Educational Facilities Plan. The Plan is the culmination of the group's work in conjunction with the efforts of both ACPS and City staff. The Plan looks at each elementary school building in the City, assesses the facility's educational adequacy, and provides a roadmap for increasing capacity and addressing deficiencies. 

Three years ago, the Council and School adopted phase two of this effort, planning for additional capacity at the high school level and in pre-school. 

Four years ago, ACPS opened the first "net-new" school building in nearly two decades with the opening of Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School on the West End. Almost four years ago, ACPS opened the newly rebuilt Patrick Henry K-8 School. Both of these new buildings added badly needed capacity in areas of the City with rapidly growing enrollment. 

The Interim Superintendent has now proposed her Capital Improvement Program covering Fiscal Year 2024 through 2033. The School Board is now working to consider this proposal before formalizing this request to the City Council.

Last month, the City Council voted to commit the financial resources to support the first public-sector collective-bargaining agreement in Virginia since the 1970s. This new agreement, between the City and the Southern States Police Benevolent Association (SSPBA), covers the sworn personnel of the Alexandria Police Department and will apply to a 3-year period commencing July 1, 2023.

Alexandria remains a safe community. In 2021, we saw an overall decrease in Part 1 crime, as our community recovered from the pandemic. This recovery came as the City was being served with the fewest number of police officers on the streets of our City in recent memory. This agreement helps address these staffing challenges.

Nearly 46 years ago, the Virginia Supreme Court invalidated the collective bargaining rights of public sector employees in Virginia. At that time, 19 Virginia jurisdictions, including the City of Alexandria, had some form of collective bargaining with public sector employees.

Under legislation adopted by the Virginia General Assembly during the 2020 session, localities in Virginia can again allow their employees to collectively bargain on the conditions of their employment.

Last year, the City Council held a special meeting to consider a complicated ordinance that would make Alexandria the first jurisdiction in Virginia to bring back collective bargaining.

In June of 2018, property owners in Alexandria paid a Stormwater Utility Fee for the first time ever. The creation of this fee was driven by the need for additional revenue to comply with the City's MS4 Permit. The permit reflects Alexandria's obligations to reduce pollutants contained in storm run-off which makes its way to the Chesapeake Bay and other waterways.

Earlier this year, the City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance to again increase our Stormwater Utility Fee, to further increase the resources available for investments in our storm sewer infrastructure. This increase will mean a condo owner will pay $82.32 annually, a townhouse owner $123.48 annually, a small single-family homeowner $294 annually and a large single-family homeowner $490.98 annually.

Today the fee supports nearly half of a billion dollars of infrastructure, maintenance and operating expenses for water quality and water quantity initiatives over the next decade.

Faced with evidence last year that the credits were being rarely received by property owners, the City Council recently approved a new credit manual to expand the credits available, make the credits last longer and reduce the paperwork required.

Between now and February 15th, residential and commercial property owners can apply for a credit of up to 50% against their annual Stormwater Utility Fee. Please apply online to receive reductions for the efforts you are taking to improve stormwater handling.

In three months our City Manager will present the proposed Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2024 (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024) and the proposed Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for Fiscal Year 2024 through Fiscal Year 2033.

Last month, the City Manager presented his initial outlook for the upcoming budget to our annual Council retreat.

In Virginia, the structure of municipal finance is heavily reliant on real estate taxes. Consequentially, in Alexandria the real estate market, both residential and commercial, dictates our budgetary fate. Last year, we saw the healthiest growth in our real estate tax base in over 15 years. Yet, in the past year, mortgage rates have more than doubled. It's hard to imagine that such an increase will not eventually impact our real estate market.

To formally commence that process, the City Council adopted our annual budget guidance for the City Manager. Given the considerable uncertainty, the adopted guidance asks the City Manager to propose his budget without a tax rate increase, as well as a scenario that includes a rate increase.

The Planning Commission will be accepting public testimony on these applications on Tuesday December 6th beginning at 7 PM. Testimony is welcome in-person at City Hall or virtually.

Earlier this year, Foulger-Pratt, the private development partner spearheading the redevelopment of Landmark Mall began demolition on the existing site.

Construction activity will be beginning shortly, under the aggressive schedule they have presented to the community.

Late last year, the Alexandria Industrial Development Authority (IDA) closed on the purchase of an 11-acre parcel on the site of the former Landrmark Mall. The purchase of this property was immediately followed by IDA's issuance of a 99-year ground lease of the property to Inova Health System.

In July of last year, the City Council unanimously approved the plan to reshape the most significant redevelopment site in our City.

Long sought, this arrangement was named by the Washington Business Journal as the 2020 Real Estate Deal of the Year.

Days before Christmas 2020, the City joined with a few partners, some familiar and some new, to announce the future of the Landmark Mall site. The new development plan will move Inova Alexandria Hospital from its home for the past 60 years on Seminary Road to a new modern facility on the site of Landmark Mall.

The location, one of the largest sites inside the Beltway awaiting redevelopment, will see a billion dollars of new investment, including a new Level II trauma center, medical office buildings, residential, retail, parks, a new fire station replacing Fire Station 208, new committed affordable housing and a new transit hub anchoring the City's new bus rapid transit network, DASH and Metrobus.

A year ago, the City Council unanimously approved a master plan amendment and rezoning of the site of the existing Inova Alexandria Hospital. This land-use decision was the first legislative action required to bring this plan to reality.

Conquering those obstacles requires a unique partnership and financial arrangement. A local firm, Foulger-Pratt is leading a joint venture in partnership with Howard Hughes Corporation, the current owner of the mall site, and Seritage Growth Properties, the owner of the Sears site. They were able to bring Inova Health System into the arrangement to anchor this redevelopment.

Five years ago, the City Council adopted our Vision Zero Action Plan, with a vision to end deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 2028.

The City has invested millions of taxpayer dollars to improve pedestrian safety throughout our community. Those resources have included improving pedestrian access to schools,   building and improving sidewalks, crosswalks, traffic calming efforts, bike lanes, new signalization, and more. 

For instance, the first phase of the King Street Complete Streets effort involved the removal of parking, narrowing of travel lanes, improved crosswalks, signage, new bike lanes, etc., to reduce speed and improve safety. The initial analysis showed that the project has reduced speed, reduced crashes and improved safety.

The second phase of the work on King Street was an even more dramatic overhaul of the corridor, including reductions of travel lanes, pedestrian islands, crosswalks, etc.  When the City Council and Traffic & Parking Board received the initial analysis of those changes, as with the first phase, crashes have been reduced and average speed has been reduced. 

On Seminary and Quaker, the City reduced speed limits to improve safety.  When that action was reviewed, it also indicated a reduction in speed and crashes.

On Seminary Road, the road was narrowed, safer crossings for pedestrians created and new areas for pedestrians and bikers created. While the pandemic delayed the data collection and analysis, last month the City released a similar analysis of those changes. The report showed what we expected:

We have also looked at signalization efforts that can improve safety. At a few problem intersections, the City created a "Leading Pedestrian Interval" to allow residents to get a head-start crossing before traffic can move. Over the past two years, we have implemented these changes at numerous intersections around the City.

We have also explored the creation of additional "pedestrian scrambles" to create an "all pedestrian" phase at problematic intersections. 

We have HAWK (High Intensity Activated crossWalK) signals in place to ensure high visibility of pedestrians in high traffic corridors. A new one was installed last year on W. Braddock Road near Minnie Howard School.

Our Vision Zero Dashboard shows that while we have made progress, the data indicates the need for more work.

The research shows that speed is closely linked with the lethality of a pedestrian crash. Lowering speed limits where appropriate will likely continue to be in our toolbox around the City. Our Traffic & Parking Board approved such a speed limit reduction on 5 high-crash corridors around the City.

Allowing right turns on red was pushed by the Federal Government during the 1970s as a response to the energy crisis.   Some communities in the country are banning right turns on red to improve pedestrian safety by reducing complexity at intersections. 

For this fiscal year, our Action Plan includes safety audits, a neighborhood slow zone, new restrictions on right on red and beyond.

We have officers that participate in training designed to address implicit bias in policing. 

In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, our Police Department and our Sheriff's Department provided summaries of use of force guidelines, procedures and practices for public review and comment.

At various points over the years, I have written in this newsletter attempting to relate the national conversation on policing to our experiences in Alexandria. 

At the end of 2020, the City Council received the initial feedback from our staff on Council efforts to explore alternative response techniques, focused on efforts to use non-police response for quality-of-life complaints, homelessness, behavioral health crisis, intoxication and beyond.

Last September, the City launched the Alexandria Crisis Intervention Co-Responding (ACORP) Pilot Program. This program pairs a behavioral health clinician with a trained behavioral health police officer to respond to calls for service regarding residents in need of behavioral health crisis intervention. This program provides residents in crisis with more specialized services to ensure safety of the individual in crisis and the community.

Shortly after the launch of ACORP, the City Council received an update on the implementation and success of this new program. The City Manager's proposed budget includes funding for a second ACORP team, and the City Council added funding for a third team in the budget adopted in the spring.

A year and a half ago, the City Council worked to refine civilian oversight, with the creation of an Independent Community Policing Review Board. At the end of last year, the Council appointed the new members of this board, and they are now working to get organized and prepare for their important role.

As part of that effort, the Board assisted City Council in a hiring process to choose our first-ever Independent Policing Auditor. This month, Kim Neal will originate this role for Alexandria, as she has done in Fort Worth, Texas. I am confident that Ms. Neal brings the experience and judgement to serve in this very important position.

In November of 2020, our staff brought to the Council a study on the costs for implementing a body-worn camera program for the City's public safety agencies. While there has been support on the Council to implement such a program, the funding required has been difficult to prioritize.

With a more modest implementation plan, and Federal dollars advanced by Congressman Beyer, the City is now moving ahead to implement this important transparency and accountability measure.

The City Council's approved budget also included five additional positions within the Police Department focused specifically on weapons violations, to continue the progress the City has made in quelling a spike in firearm-fueled violent crime. These new resources will also serve to reduce the strain that these incidents have had on our limited patrol staffing.

Alexandria's annual leaf collection began last month and continues this month! We make three passes on each street. Check online to learn your collection date.