A rewrite of the county’s current tenant-relocation guidelines aims to provide more privacy protections to impacted renters.
County staff have tweaked some proposed changes recommended by the Tenant-Landlord Commission, which had sought more specific information about people required to move out of apartments because of redevelopment.
Those tenants are required to fill out a profile form, providing information that is used to make them eligible for relocation payments and other support.
The commission’s intention to provide more specialized support for tenants was laudable, but it raised privacy and safety concerns, a county staff member working on the effort told commission members.
“The tenant profile is publicly available, because you all review it, so that is in the public record,” said Jennifer Daniels, a member of the housing staff with the Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development. “The [developer’s] relocation plan that comes to you is publicly available also.”
Her remarks came at the commission’s Sept. 10 meeting, where commission members appeared to accept the proposed staff changes without dissent.
The revised language that staff proposed was “very helpful,” said Sarah Lanford, a tenant representative on the commission.
The County Board will likely consider a final proposal in October, potentially amending tenant-relocation guidelines that have been in place since 2018.
Arlington has had some form of these guidelines on the books since the 1970s. As the name suggests, they are not requirements imposed on developers, but they largely guide what is expected of them should the property owner seek zoning changes.
Another change to the commission’s proposed language would make it easier for developers to move forward even when some residents are not interested in receiving benefits — or are scared of trying to take advantage of them.
The commission’s proposed language declared that no relocation plan would move forward “if the tenant profile is incomplete.” Staff is suggesting a more flexible statement.
“Sometimes folks don’t want to answer the tenant profile, so sometimes it is not going to be complete,” Daniels said. “We’re hoping that this different language gives it a kind of case-by-case option.”
“We just want to make sure it doesn’t hold up the project,” she said.
Arlington is not alone in working to update its tenant-relocation guidelines. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an update of their own policies on Sept. 9.
At the Arlington meeting, commission members narrowed down policy priorities they would like to see the County Board adopt as part of its 2026 legislative package.
If Democrat Abigail Spanberger wins the governor’s race this year, advocates for more tenant rights hope to advance several measures that, in recent years, have passed the Democratic-majority General Assembly but were vetoed by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Virginia law requires most tenants — except those on month-to-month leases — be provided at least 120 days’ notice before having to vacate. Arlington’s guidelines effectively extend that requirement to all tenants.
Arlington’s guidelines call on property owners to provide both cash payments of between $700 and $1,500 and other support services to smooth tenants’ transition to their next homes.
Residents falling under the federal government’s definition of very-low-income tenants are eligible for higher payments.
