(Updated at 4:00 p.m.) The five Democratic candidates running in a special election for the open County Board seat have weighed in on affordable housing in Arlington. The candidates submitted their essays to the Alliance for Housing Solutions, which asked all to answer the same three questions.
In short, the questions asked what the county’s priority should be for affordable housing, how the county can meet its goal of increasing affordable housing and what actions should be taken to preserve or increase affordable housing.
Libby Garvey is one of the candidates citing the issue as a top priority. She says the county should be concerned about the loss of two-thirds of its affordable housing since 2000, and increasing the supply is crucial to Arlington.
“If we are to preserve Arlington as a diverse and vibrant community we need to have people from all income levels living and working here,” Garvey said. “This is an increasingly large and difficult challenge in a community like Arlington.”
Most of the candidates didn’t believe Arlington had met its goals for affordable housing. Melissa Bondi says missing the goal shows the need for a change in strategy.
“The best response is not to change the target – rather, it is to increase the variety of existing, expanded and new tools that will be needed to meet the needs of Arlington residents across the full housing continuum,” Bondi said.
Peter Fallon suggested that developers should do more in terms of supporting affordable housing in Arlington.
“For profit developers have not accepted the business case for constructing affordable housing,” Fallon said.
Fallon is among the candidates who supports incentivizing production of affordable housing so it is more attractive to developers. Kim Klinger also supports looking into financial incentives. Additionally, she believes the county should investigate more programs for using existing properties, as opposed to only building new ones.
“Our commitment to affordable housing may also include the use of tools that address housing rehabilitation programs, multi-family improvement programs, great house concepts, and adaptive reuse,” Klingler said.
In regards to preserving or increasing affordable housing, Terron Sims says Arlington County has existing tools that can be used to increase the affordable housing supply.
“It is ultimately a policy question that involves tax subsidies, expenditure of tax revenue and, possibly, zoning changes,” Sims said.
The full readout of candidate answers is available on the Alliance for Housing Solutions website.
Recent Stories
Arlington’s response team for people in mental health and substance use crises is on track for a substantial buildout. An additional $478,286 in federal funds would allow Arlington to hire…
If you’ve gotten used to the current design of the ARLnow website over the past 5+ years, get ready for an adjustment. A new version of the site will be…
Latin food lovers will have two weeks to take advantage of some tasty deals from local restaurants. Latin Restaurant Week is coming to the D.C. area from May 3-17 and…
Business Awards Finalists — “The Arlington Chamber of Commerce has announced the finalists in its 38th annual Arlington Best Business Awards, with the honors to be bestowed next month.” [Gazette…
Unlike our competitors, Well-Paid Maids doesn’t clean your home with harsh chemicals. Instead, we handpick cleaning products rated “safest” by the Environmental Working Group, the leading rating organization regarding product safety.
The reason is threefold.
First, using safe cleaning products ensures toxic chemicals won’t leak into waterways or harm wildlife if disposed of improperly.
Second, it’s better for you and your family. Fragrant chemicals in surface cleaners can expose you to a similar amount of pollutant particles as a busy city road, New Scientist reported.
Northern Virginia Family Practice (NVFP), known for its comprehensive concierge healthcare, is thrilled to introduce Mark Sullivan, MD as the newest member of its family medicine team.
Dr. Sullivan brings a wealth of experience in family medicine, underpinned by a passion for delivering personalized, patient-centered care. He has a distinguished background in managing various medical conditions, emphasizing preventive care, health education and chronic disease management. Dr. Sullivan is adept at employing the latest medical research and technologies to enhance patient outcomes.
Beyond his medical expertise, Dr. Sullivan is committed to the well-being of his community, demonstrating this through his active engagement in local health initiatives and educational programs. His approach to medicine is holistic, focusing on integrating physical, mental and emotional health and patient education to achieve optimal patient wellness.
Dr. Sullivan is now accepting new patients at their newly established Arlington office at 2445 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA, 22206. The office, known for its patient-friendly amenities and state-of-the-art medical facilities, continues to provide the exceptional, personalized care NVFP is known for in its newly upgraded Arlington location.
ACFCU’s Free Homebuying 101 Webinar: Steps to Getting Pre-Approved
Are you ready to jump into homeownership, or have you started considering it but don’t know where to start?
Financial preparation is key when thinking about purchasing your first home and the first step to getting pre-approved. Join ACFCU for
Sweeney Todd
A victim of a gross injustice that robbed him of his wife and child, Sweeney Todd sets about exacting a terrible revenge on society.
