Households of color face significant barriers to homeownership, according to a new report from Arlington County.
A division of Arlington’s planning division, Housing Arlington, conducted the study to understand trends in the local homeownership market. The report, released earlier this fall, was the first step in a multi-phase homeownership study that kicked off this summer.
While the pandemic prompted a well-documented exodus to, and development of, sleepy suburban and exurban towns, the Rosslyn Business Improvement District says it has identified a different Covid migration pattern.
About a quarter of Americans reported moving to cities where they could be within a 15-minute walk or bike ride of grocery stores, healthcare and parks, according to a national survey by the BID.
Arlington County is paying the contractor who built the Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center an extra $1.2 million to make up for project delays.
Despite this overage, the entire project is expected to come in at least $2 million under its overall budget.
County Courts Climate Kudos — “Arlington is one of 122 global cities and counties named a Climate Action Leader by Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) 2022 A-List, and one of just 36 cities in the United States with this distinction. CDP recognized Arlington County for ambition, leadership, and transparency on climate action. Only 12% of cities and counties that were scored in 2022 received an A score.” [Arlington County]
Rush Hour Chase on I-395 — From Dave Statter: “Brief @ArlingtonVaPD chase just before 5. BMW fled #police near the Fashion Center. Officer reported driver tried to run him over. Chase halted crossing into DC in the express lanes.” [Twitter]
Arlington County police are investigating a pair of vehicle thefts along the Langston Blvd corridor.
The incidents happened Friday night or early Saturday morning. Two thieves wearing facial coverings stole cars in Cherrydale and near Courthouse, according to an ACPD crime report. Both stolen vehicles were later located in Alexandria, police said.
Synetic Theater’s premiere of War of Worlds has been delayed after co-founder Paata Tsikurishvili suffered what are described as serious injuries in a vehicle crash.
In an update last Friday, the Crystal City-based theater company said that its co-founder and artistic director Tsikurishvili had been hospitalized for a number of days “as a result of injuries he sustained in a serious car accident.”
Developer Jair Lynch says it is exploring ways to make some units at the Barcroft Apartments even more affordable to families.
This comes as two organizations, Arlington Community Foundation and advocacy group ACE Collaborative, have put pressure on Jair Lynch to deepen affordability at the site over concerns of displacement.
Macy’s Redevelopment Approved — “On Saturday, Dec. 17, the Arlington County Board greenlighted a 16-story mixed-use building on the current site of the Ballston Macy’s, while also approving a residential density transfer that preserves 118 affordable housing units along Columbia Pike. The new building will feature 553 residential units above ground floor retail uses, including a grocery store, replacing the Macy’s and vacant office space above it.” [Arlington County]
W-L Star Heading to SoCal — “After a year of silence regarding his recruitment, Arlington (Va.) Washington-Liberty three-star defensive lineman Elijah Hughes committed to USC Saturday… Hughes ultimately commit to USC over Virginia Tech, but also had scholarship offers from Stanford, Duke, Maryland, Miami and Virginia. He is rated Virginia’s No. 16 player overall and he No. 69 defensive lineman nationally.” [247Sports, Twitter]
(Updated at 5:20 p.m.) The H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program in Rosslyn was put in “secure the building” mode after reports of a shooting threat phoned in to the school.
Police were first dispatched to the school at 1601 Wilson Blvd around 3 p.m.
A proposal to allow by-right development of “Missing Middle” housing in single-family-home neighborhoods will now head to the Arlington County Board for a first look.
A little after midnight yesterday (Thursday), the Planning Commission voted 7-2 to recommend the County Board advertise hearings on a series of proposed changes to the county’s zoning code, which would allow 2-8-unit buildings in Arlington’s lowest-density neighborhoods.
Plans to replace the nearly 70-year-old Mount Vernon Avenue Bridge are set to move forward with more than $17 million in state funding.
On Saturday, the Arlington County Board is slated to accept the state funding and adopt a resolution committing the county to pitch in local funding. The $28 million project is in an early design phase, according to the county’s project webpage.
A man allegedly exposed himself to four girls near Swanson Middle School in Westover.
Police are investigating the incident, which reportedly happened around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The girls told officers they heard a banging sound then saw an older man inside a residence exposing himself through the window.
