Changes to Arlington County’s affordable housing regulations might bring some improvements, but they’re unlikely to solve larger affordability issues, people studying the topic say.
“Tempering expectations is really important,” said Bryan Coleman, who chairs a working group set up by Arlington’s Housing Commission to study potential changes in the county’s Affordable Housing Ordinance.
At the panel’s meeting on Tuesday, Coleman said government efforts will probably help around the edges, but won’t significantly increase housing stock.
“We have to be clear and honest,” he said. “There is a significant dearth of affordable housing, and this is not going to solve it.”
The panel met for two hours, receiving briefings from several county staff members.
“There’s only so much you can do,” said working-group member Jason Schwartz. “I’m not sure it will necessarily be felt.”
Still, panel member Eric Berkey argued that policy changes could be a net benefit. He described a situation where “you’re not quite sure how you’re going to get there, but you just have to move forward.”
“If you have enough persistence and determination, you’ll find a way,” he said.
The working group’s 14 members include six from the Housing Commission and eight representing the public. The panel is likely to issue recommendations both for changes that are currently feasible, and those that could happen if localities get more power.
Virginia’s local governments are constrained in their actions on affordable housing not just by economic reality, but by restrictions imposed from Richmond.
An undercurrent at the meeting was that having Democrats in charge of Virginia’s executive and legislative branches in 2026 would allow for expansion of affordable-housing powers at the local level.
“If we don’t have a change in the [Republican] administration, we won’t have the opportunity for this,” Coleman said. “It will depend on whether or not a Democrat wins in November.”
According to county data, Arlington ended Fiscal Year 2024 with 11,355 housing units with commitments to long-term affordability. That figure represents about 9% of the county’s entire housing stock.
The number of committed-affordable units has increased, but the number of market-rate affordable units has declined as many lower-cost options have been redeveloped as pricey new housing.
Joseph Ventrone, a member of the Housing Commission and president of the North Rosslyn Civic Association, said the county needs to improve its communications with the public if it wants to gain buy-in on housing issues.
“We need to have better engagement, better transparency — communication [on] what we’re doing, so people understand,” he said.
The working group will next meet on Tuesday, June 17, to compare Arlington’s affordable housing policies with those of Fairfax County and the City of Alexandria.
Each of those communities has received more affordable-housing powers from Richmond than Arlington has.
Meetings of the working group are scheduled through late October.
