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Small Business Focus: Three entrepreneurs, three stories, one unforgettable conversation

By Sponsor
Brunch and Business

This article is sponsored by Arlington Economic Development.

Join Arlington Economic Development’s BizLaunch team for an inspiring event — Brunch and Business: AANHPI Leadership and Their Unyielding Resilience — that honors the grit, passion and resilience of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) small business owners who turned dreams into reality — right here in our community.

The event takes place on Monday, May 5, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Hyatt Regency Crystal City, located at 2799 Richmond Highway, Arlington, VA.

You’ll hear firsthand how three founders preserved their culture, pushed through barriers, and built businesses that serve, uplift and thrive. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, an ally or simply curious about the power of local stories, this is a moment to connect, celebrate and be moved.

AANHPI entrepreneurship has deep roots in U.S. history. As early as the 19th century, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese and Indian immigrants opened farms, restaurants and laundries in the U.S. — often while navigating exclusionary policies like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Immigration Act of 1924.

The tide began to turn with the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, paving the way for a new wave of AANHPI entrepreneurs who would shape industries from tech and healthcare to retail and beyond. Today, the AANHPI population makes up 12% of Arlington, 7% of the nation, and 10% of all small businesses in the U.S.

Their stories are about more than just business success — they’re about courage, culture and building a future for the next generation.

RSVP today to secure your spot at this inspirational event: https://www.arlingtoneconomicdevelopment.com/News-Resources/Events/Brunch-and-Business-AANHPI-Leadership-and-Their-Unyielding-Resilience.

About BizLaunch

BizLaunch is Arlington Economic Development’s small business and entrepreneurial support network. Whether you’re launching a new venture or growing an existing business, BizLaunch provides free resources, one-on-one counseling, and educational events to help you succeed. To learn more or schedule a consultation, visit www.arlingtoneconomicdevelopment.com/bizlaunch or email [email protected].

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington: April 16, 2025

By Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price have been cut over the previous week. The market summary is crafted by Arlington Realty, Inc. Maximize your real estate investment with the team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6000 today!

Please note: While Arlington Realty, Inc. provides this information for the community, it may not be the listing company of these homes.

As of April 14, there are 171 detached homes, 30 townhouses and 217 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 33 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

1221 S Rolfe Street

Please note that this is solely a selection of Just Reduced properties available in Arlington County. For a complete list of properties within your target budget and specifications, contact Arlington Realty, Inc.

Ask Eli: Full recording of new build and renovation panel

By Sponsor

This regularly scheduled sponsored column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. If you would like to work with Eli and his team in Northern Virginia and the greater D.C. Metro area, you can reach him directly at [email protected].

Eli and his team believe that your real estate needs should be managed by advisors, not salespeople. Their mission is to guide, educate, and advocate for their clients through real advice, hands-on support, and personalized service.

On March 11, I moderated a panel discussion featuring a custom home builder, architect, renovation specialist, and construction lender to help homeowners and buyers better understand what it takes to build a new home or take on a major renovation or addition.

Our conversation covered a wide range of practical topics, including:

  • The key phases, timelines, and costs of remodeling and new construction
  • The role of an architect vs. design-build firm, and how to engage each
  • How to finance construction projects, including options that preserve your current mortgage
  • Differences between spec, semi-custom, and fully custom homes
  • The economics behind large new builds, $/sqft expectations, and demolition costs
  • A breakdown of common project costs like kitchens, bathrooms, pop-tops, and additions
  • Navigating zoning, setbacks, and stormwater regulations
  • Insights on value-adding renovation choices and how to decide between building new vs. renovating

We also discussed real-world challenges, such as managing neighborhood concerns, understanding today’s material costs, and aligning expectations with reality throughout the process.

The entire panel is available on YouTube, linked here, or Podcast, linked here.

Our panelists were fantastic and shared wide ranging, in-depth answers to my questions, without the fluff you often get from panel discussions. The panel was made up of the following local experts:

  • Chad Hackmann, Regional Partner/Owner, Alair Homes Arlington
  • Matt Rzepkowski, President/Owner, MR Custom Homes
  • Tripp DeFalco, President/Owner, DeFalco Home Design
  • Brad Pace, Wealth Management Mortgage Banker and Construction Builder Specialist, US Bank

If you’d like to discuss buying, selling, investing, or renting, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected].

Upcoming (pre-market) ERG Listings, Details and Additional Listings Available by Request

  • Arlington Ridge/Aurora Hills – 3BR/2.5BA/2,450sqft – Detached Single Family (1961) – S Grove St Arlington VA 22202
  • Ballston – 2BR/1BA/919sqft – Condo (2005) – 1001 N Randolph St Arlington VA 22201
  • Rosslyn 2BR/2BA/1,600sqft – Condo (1986) – 1530 Key Blvd Arlington VA 22209
  • Courthouse – 3BR/2BA/1,400sqft – Condo (1992) – 1276 N Wayne St Arlington VA 22201
  • Tara Leeway Heights – 7BR/7.2BA/7,500sqft/half acre/pool – Detached Single Family (2026) — 1500 N Harrison St Arlington VA 22205
  • Highland Park/Overlee Knolls – 6BR/5.5BA/5,000+ sqft – Detached Single Family (2025) – 22nd Rd N Arlington VA 22205

Most and least expensive condos sold in Arlington (March 2025)

By Sponsor
1881 N. Nash Street #1404 | The Redux Group, EXP Realty

This recurring Most and Least Expensive Home feature is sponsored by The Eli Residential Team. Their mission is to guide, educate, and advocate for their clients through real advice, hands-on support, and personalized service. This week’s post is written by Jean Ropp.

Here in Arlington, real estate is a spectator sport. Let’s take a look at some of the most and least expensive condos sold last month (March 2025).

Most expensive condos sold

Least expensive condos sold

*Minimum home value of $200,000 set to exclude certain land sales, retirement condos, properties with expiring ground leases, etc.

If you have any questions regarding these listings, or would like to schedule a private showing for a similar condo, please reach out to Jean Ropp.

Open houses this weekend: April 11, 2025

By Sponsor
618 S Taylor Street S

This recurring Open Houses feature is sponsored by The Eli Residential Team. Their mission is to guide, educate, and advocate for their clients through real advice, hands-on support, and personalized service. This week’s post is written by Jean Ropp.

If you can manage to escape the Master’s viewing parties this weekend, check out these open houses!

Single Family Homes

Townhomes

Condos

Want to beat the crowds? Let’s set up a private tour with Jean of Eli Residential Group!

Let Eli and his team expertly guide you through the unique market dynamics in Arlington. Start by filling the form below. It will support ARLnow’s local news mission and you’ll get some perks in the process.

Statutes of Liberty: Immigrant, report for fingerprinting or don’t!

By Sponsor

This sponsored column is by Law Office of James Montana PLLC. All questions about it should be directed to James Montana, Esq., Janice Chen, Esq., and Taryn Druge, Esq., practicing attorneys at The Law Office of James Montana PLLC, an immigration-focused law firm located in Falls Church, Virginia. The legal information given here is general in nature. If you want legal advice, contact us for an appointment.

On March 12, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security reactivated a long-dormant part of the United States Code – the Smith Act, also known as the Alien Registration Act of 1940.

The Smith Act required that all aliens in the United States register, and be fingerprinted, at a local post office. With war looming in 1940, the U.S. government was concerned about the presence of foreign nationals in the United States, and so it sought to collect information about those present.

Attorney General Robert Jackson promised immigrants that they would not be punished for registration – he stated, in a radio address, that those with “irregularity connected with their entrance” would “receive all consideration” for immigration relief if they registered, and the Justice Department followed through on that promise by waiving the deportation of thousands of registrants. After the war, the fingerprinting requirement fell into desuetude but was never removed from the ever-growing corpus of federal law.

The Trump administration, in Executive Order 14159 (“Protecting the American People Against Invasion”), directed the Department of Homeland Security to institute procedures to reactivate the Smith Act’s fingerprinting and registration requirement. On March 12, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security issued a regulation (technically, an Interim Final Rule) with the following requirements:

  1. All aliens 14 years of age and older who are not previously registered and fingerprinted must do so within 30 days of entering the country.
  2. Parents or legal guardians must apply for similarly situated alien children.
  3. Any similarly situated alien who turns 14 must register within 30 days.

The registration process starts online, with the submission of a new form (Form G-325R) followed by an appointment at a local application support center (ASC) for fingerprinting.

In theory, the registration process kicks off on April 11th – that’s tomorrow! – but we expect that the requirement, like so many other Trump administration immigration innovations, will be enjoined. On March 31, 2025, plaintiffs sued the Department of Homeland Security in the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the new registration requirement from going into effect, and a declaration setting aside the new registration requirement as illegal.

In essence, the plaintiffs argue that the Trump administration failed to comply with the Administration Procedure Act, and, by that failure, is attempting to promulgate a highly consequential regulation illegally.

On Tuesday this week, Judge Trevor McFadden – a Trump-appointed federal district court judge – held a hearing to consider the request for a preliminary injunction. Press coverage of the hearing suggests that Judge McFadden was skeptical of the government’s position. He called the reinstitution of the fingerprinting requirement “a big switcheroo” and suggested that the government had “skipped a lot of steps” which might be required under the Administrative Procedure Act. Judge McFadden indicated that he will issue a decision on the preliminary injunction before the program goes into effect tomorrow.

We predict that that Judge McFadden will issue that injunction, and the new fingerprinting requirement will not go into effect pending further litigation. As so frequently, the Trump administration has chosen speed over efficacy in its federal litigation,

If the fingerprinting requirement goes into effect, it is not easy to say whether immigrants should register or not. We decline to take a general position here, because the answer will differ according to each individual situation. Many immigrants – including green card holders, those with pending asylum applications, those who have pending immigration court cases, and visaholders who were fingerprinted before arrival – do not need to register anyway under current rules. We advise anyone who thinks that they need to register to consult with an attorney first.

As always, we are grateful for your questions and comments, and will do our best to respond.

Arts Focus: Arlington Art Truck project helps you beautifully hand letter your family tree!

By Sponsor
1/4

This column is sponsored by Arlington Arts/Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

Genealogy has become a national pastime — fueled by online tools like Ancestry.com and shows like “Finding Your Roots.” Now, Arlingtonians can dive into their own family history in a creative, hands-on way.

The Arlington Art Truck returns this spring with its first activation: HAND LETTERING A FAMILY TREE, led by Arlington-based calligrapher Felicia Brice McFail. This interactive experience blends art, history, and storytelling — inviting you to explore your roots while learning the basics of calligraphy.

Choose from beautifully illustrated family tree templates by Arlington artists Melanie Kehoss and Christiann MacAuley. Add in your family name(s) using your handwriting or our beginner-friendly calligraphy guide. As the final touch, Felicia will hand-letter your family name at the top, transforming your piece into a personalized work of art.

Arlington Public Library is the community partner for this activation. Library staff will be onsite to introduce you to the Charlie Clark Center for Local History and demonstrate how to access free genealogical tools at the library. Need a library card? You can sign up on-site.

Upcoming Art Truck Activations:

*Update — the Green Valley Farmers Market is cancelled for Friday, April 11 due to inclement weather*

  • Friday, April 11 | 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
    Green Valley Farmers Market
    John Robinson Town Square, 2406 Shirlington Road
  • Sunday, April 13 | 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
    Columbia Pike Farmers Market
    2820 Columbia Pike

The Arlington Art Truck will be popping up across the county through May 17, helping neighbors connect with their personal histories — and each other — through art and storytelling.

For updates and the full schedule, visit the Arlington Art Truck page on our website and follow along on Instagram.

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington: April 9, 2025

By Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price have been cut over the previous week. The market summary is crafted by Arlington Realty, Inc. Maximize your real estate investment with the team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6000 today!

Please note: While Arlington Realty, Inc. provides this information for the community, it may not be the listing company of these homes.

As of April 7, there are 171 detached homes, 31 townhouses and 201 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 36 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week, including:

3722 N. Wakefield Street

Please note that this is solely a selection of Just Reduced properties available in Arlington County. For a complete list of properties within your target budget and specifications, contact Arlington Realty, Inc.

Ask Eli: Buyer Workshop and market conditions overview

By Sponsor

This regularly scheduled sponsored column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. If you would like to work with Eli and his team in Northern Virginia and the greater D.C. Metro area, you can reach him directly at Eli@EliResidential.com.

Eli and his team believe that your real estate needs should be managed by advisors, not salespeople. Their mission is to guide, educate, and advocate for their clients through real advice, hands-on support, and personalized service.

On Monday, April 28 I’ll be hosting another Ask Eli Home Buyer Workshop with a special focus on how federal job and spending cuts by DOGE are changing the local housing market. I’ll be joined by my business partner, Jean Ropp, and local Loan Officer, Matt Ropp, with Atlantic Coast Mortgage. Food and drinks will be provided!

The workshop is a free and will cover:

  • How federal job and spending cuts by DOGE are changing the local housing market
  • New(ish) laws affecting buyer agent representation and commission
  • How to use data and strategy to maximize your home purchase
  • How to use market trends to your advantage
  • The latest on interest rates and mortgage programs/products
  • Common mistakes to avoid and some tips for success

Who is it for?

  • Any buyer type from first-time buyer to experienced buyers
  • Ready to purchase now or planning 12+ months out
  • Home buyers in Northern Virginia, DC, or the Maryland Suburbs
  • You or anybody you know who would benefit

Where and When?

  • Monday, April 28 from 6-7:30 p.m.
  • Arlington Central Library (1015 N Quincy St), Bluemont Room

Registration is now open and space is limited. Click the graphic below to RSVP.

Ask Eli Buyer Workshop

Bring your appetite and your home buying questions! I’d love to see you there. Feel free to email me at [email protected] with any questions about the event.

Sears home: Listed for sale for the first time in nearly 80 years

By Sponsor
1/10

This recurring real estate feature is sponsored by The Eli Residential Team. Their mission is to guide, educate, and advocate for their clients through real advice, hands-on support, and personalized service. This week’s post is written by Carolanne Korolowicz.

In an area so transient, it is almost hard to believe that one Arlington couple called a single Maywood house “home” for almost 80 years.

2114 N. Oakland Street, presented by Nancy Murphy, Weichert, has hit the market for the first time since the original owner’s purchased, what was then ‘new construction’, in 1932.

Nestled behind beloved Cherrydale Hardware, this Clifton Model Sears home was once described ‘as practical and up to date as it is beautiful and unique’ by the 1930s Sears Roebuck and Company catalog. The bungalow still features oak floors, arched doorways, original kitchen cabinetry and five-foot tall craftsman style windows — all things difficult to order off our modern catalog, Amazon! The home’s element I appreciate the most is the owners’ obvious care that they placed into their lifelong abode.

Houses often trade hands over decades, or meet their end: a bulldozer, but like 2114 N. Oakland, there are plenty of homes that have currently hit the Arlington market for the first time in generations.

One thing these properties all feature — a charm only found in a well-loved home.

In a world of Real Estate Tik-Tok tours, “Giant White Houses”, and muted paint colors, it is refreshing to see homes that are noticeably lived in. That’s the main point of owning a home, right? A place to gather your family and friends, make your own and let memories build up its foundation.

But, it is often difficult for people to see where they “fit” amongst decades of design choices and outdated fixtures. So, I challenge buyers to see it as “what can I add?” to make this house my home, rather than “what do I need to strip of its past?” I find the exercise far less daunting, and a lot more fun.

If you are currently struggling to find homes that you see yourself living in, especially within your budget, let’s chat. A creative eye and smart approach can make any house a dream one — even for 80 years!

If you have any questions regarding these listings, or would like to schedule a private showing, please feel free to contact The Eli Residential Team or reach out to Carolanne Korolowicz.

Open houses this weekend: April 4, 2025

By Sponsor
6559 24th Street N

This recurring Open Houses feature is sponsored by The Eli Residential Team. Their mission is to guide, educate, and advocate for their clients through real advice, hands-on support, and personalized service. This week’s post is written by Carolanne Korolowicz.

April showings bring May closings!

Check out these market-fresh listings’ open houses this weekend.

Detached Homes

2536 S. Walter Reed Drive #D

Townhomes

2001 15th Street N. #410

Apartment-Style

Want to beat the crowds? Contact me at [email protected] to schedule a private showing!

Let Eli and his team expertly guide you through the unique market dynamics in Arlington. Start by filling the form below. It will support ARLnow’s local news mission and you’ll get some perks in the process.

Legal Insider: Fighting RIFs issued by federal agencies

By Sponsor

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq

We have been representing and advising numerous federal employees regarding the Reductions-in-Force (RIF) that have recently been issued by several different federal agencies.

As most people have started to realize, these RIF actions have not been thought out very well and have been designed for speed as opposed to accuracy or compliance with the meaning of law and regulation. The question now is what to do if you receive an RIF.

What is a Federal Employee RIF

Federal employee RIFs are simply notices which start the separation process for federal employees. RIFs are supposed to be issued due to restructuring, department elimination, or lack of funding or work. RIFs are also supposed to follow laws, rules, and regulations. A federal employee is also supposed to be given 60 days’ notice before separation.

What We Have Been Seeing Lately

In many of the cases we have seen, most federal employee RIF notices simply state that their entire competitive areas have been eliminated. These mass RIF actions were never anticipated when the laws and regulations governing them were issued. The rules were supposed to be based not on speed but rather on a thoughtful process of eliminating positions that were no longer needed when government funds were low or when an agency needed to restructure.

In reality, the RIFs appear to simply be a means of getting rid of as many federal employees as quickly as possible based on a directive from the President. In most of the notices we have seen, there has been no consideration for performance ratings, years of service, or prior military service. The federal agencies directed to conduct these RIFs have simply looked at cutting numbers and not needs or proper reorganization. This is extremely unfortunate.

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