An automated system that adjusts the timing of traffic signals when buses are running late is helping to improve transit reliability along Langston Blvd.
Since late summer, county transportation officials have been using “transit signal priority” along the 5-mile corridor from East Falls Church to Rosslyn. The system extends green lights and shortens red lights when ART buses are behind schedule — resulting in a small but measurable impact.
Update on Fatal Stabbing — “he deceased has been identified as Jonathan Alexander Diaz Chavez, 32, of No Fixed Address. He sustained multiple sharp-forced injuries during the incident, and his official cause and manner of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. One of the hospitalized subjects has been released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. The second subject remains hospitalized and is in stable condition.” [ACPD]
County Continuing Equity Grants — “Arlington County has reaffirmed its support for the “Opportunities Grant,” formerly the “RACE to Rebuilding Trust & Community” grant program, which is now accepting proposals. The program is continuing to invest in local organizations working to address critical community needs… Last grant cycle, in FY 2026, Arlington County awarded a total of $1.8 million to 23 nonprofits delivering a wide range of human services.” [Arlington County]
‘Miracle on 23rd Street’ Returning — “On Friday, a Christmas festival with a focus on inclusivity for those with disabilities will take over a few blocks in Arlington, Virginia, to bring on the holiday fun. Melwood has been hosting “Miracle on 23rd Street” for around 40 years… The real main attraction for the kids, of course, is Santa and Mrs. Claus, who drive down the street on a fire truck at 6:10 p.m.” [WTOP]
It’s Thursday — Expect a mostly sunny day with highs around 42 degrees, as northwest winds increase to 8-13 mph in the morning and gust up to 24 mph. The evening will be partly cloudy, with lows near 23 degrees. Northwest winds of 5-10 mph will become light and variable after midnight, with gusts potentially reaching 18 mph. [NWS]
This regularly scheduled 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].
Question: How much of an impact do you think the ROAD to Housing Act will have on housing affordability in Arlington?
Answer: The Road to Housing Act became law ten days ago, with the stated goal of improving housing affordability in the United States.
I don’t see many policies in the Act that will improve affordability in the Arlington/Northern VA/DC Metro markets, outside of incentives for more affordable multi-family housing, but there are policies that should improve affordability in other markets that are more saturated with institutional investors that own swaths of single-family homes (e.g. Atlanta and Phoenix) and for manufactured/mobile homes.
The Local Conversation Needs to Change
If we are going to improve affordability in our market, most of the change has to be done locally/regionally, not nationally, but it requires a paradigm shift in how we discuss and solve for housing affordability.
Affordability Disconnect: Near Term Expectations Not Realistic
A disconnect between housing affordability expectations and reality prevents the right community and political conversations from happening. We expect/demand housing affordability immediately, ignoring the difficulty, and consequences, of achieving it that quickly.
Stable and healthy housing affordability is a long-term process requiring gradual change over a 10-15+ year period.
Demand-Side Solutions Won’t Work
Demand-side solutions, such as lower interest rates or easier financing, artificially inflate home values, as seen during the COVID-era housing boom and early 2000s. They are not a good long-term solution to affordability because they push values even higher (along with your property taxes) and affordability gets worse when rates/lending normalize and no longer provide artificially low monthly payments.
Supply-Side Solutions Are Not Immediate
Most policy discussions focus on supply-side solutions: building more/faster and denser housing (e.g. Arlington’s Missing Middle/Expanded Housing Option), incentivizing more existing home sales, or disincentivizing concentrated ownership by companies and individuals. Econ 101 tells us that more supply = lower prices = affordable housing (winner winner!).
This is the only path to stable, long-term housing affordability…BUT, at current interest rates, prices must drop 30-35% in the United States to become affordable, at current income levels. A 30-35% drop in home values would devastate the economy, so a supply-side solution won’t (shouldn’t) provide immediate affordability. (more…)
Good Wednesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Dec 3, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect a mostly sunny day with highs around 42 degrees, as light northwest winds increase to 8-13 mph in the morning and gust up to 24 mph. The evening will be partly cloudy, with lows near 23 degrees. Northwest winds of 5-10 mph will become light and variable after midnight, with gusts potentially reaching 18 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.”
– George Addair
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to post it as a letter to the editor on our new forum.
Arlington County has started preparations for a chance of wintry conditions Friday.
Several brine trucks were out on the streets today, working to pretreat major roads, hills, bridges and “trouble spots” in advance of any ice accumulation.
Join the Rosslyn BID and Arlington Arts at the 34th Rosslyn Jazz Fest 2026 featuring live jazz, food trucks, local vendors, and family-friendly activities in the heart of Rosslyn! This year’s lineup is bringing a diverse mix of performers and bands redefining the jazz music genre including Plena Libre, Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars, Parlor Greens, and Dogo du Togo & the Alagaa Beat Band.
A drop in occupancy rates at Arlington hotels is raising concerns about how long a rebound might take and the ripple effects it will have across the county’s overall economy.
Vacancy rates are “the biggest challenge” among local economic indicators at the moment, said Kate Ange, acting director of Arlington Economic Development.
There is some of the same, but also much is different, about the Yorktown Patriots’ boys basketball team compared to last season’s record-tying, 20-win high-school squad.
Just one full-time starter returns from a Yorktown team that finished first in the Liberty District standings in 2024-25 before falling in the semifinals of the 6D North Region Tournament.
An Arlington writer, conservationist and tour guide has launched a campaign to challenge U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D) as a Republican.
Luke Nathan Phillips, a self-described “bipartisan activist” and “avid outdoorsman,” seeks to take on Arlington’s longtime congressman with a platform focused on crossing political divides and protecting public land.
A new option for Mexican cuisine plans to open soon at Falls Church’s Founders Row.
Fish Taco will begin serving diners Baja-style dishes, with a particular emphasis on seafood, “within the next two weeks” at 930 W. Broad Street, a spokesperson told ARLnow.
County Board members didn’t need to look far to find their next county attorney.
Board members voted 4-0, with Julius “JD” Spain, Sr., absent, to appoint Ryan Samuel to the post yesterday (Tuesday). Samuel has served in the county attorney’s office since 2018 and, since the departure in September of his predecessor MinhChau Corr, was acting county attorney.
