Arlington County Board member JD Spain Sr. is throwing his support behind a state bill to accelerate affordable housing development on church properties.
Spain joined the Rev. Alice Tewell of Clarendon Presbyterian Church — which put its affordable housing proposal in Lyon Village on pause last year amid rising costs coupled with a lengthy approval process — in testifying on behalf of State Sen. Jeremy McPike’s (D-29) Faith in Housing Act.
Arlington officials say they’ve exhausted all options to settle up to half a million dollars in debts from Arlington Independent Media (AIM) after the organization’s operational collapse.
Local leaders have “spent a lot of time and energy” to make sure there is no replication of the situation with other grantees, County Manager Mark Schwartz said at a Jan. 22 meeting of the county’s Audit Committee.
When your home no longer feels quite right, it can be hard to know what to do next.
Maybe your family needs more space, your layout no longer works, or your 1940s Cape Cod is simply ready for a modern update. Deciding whether to remodel, rebuild, or move requires thoughtful planning and a clear understanding of the costs, timelines, and trade-offs involved.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Every home, lot, and family is different, which is why working with an experienced local builder can help you make a more informed decision.
Here are four key questions to ask before you decide.
For many Arlington homeowners, the neighborhood is the reason they bought the home in the first place. If your neighbors, schools, walkability, or favorite local spots make Arlington feel like home, remodeling or rebuilding may be worth exploring before deciding to sell.
If you plan to stay for the next five years, a thoughtful remodel or addition can help preserve the location and character you love while improving the home’s functionality. However, if you truly see this as your “forever home”, a larger renovation or a teardown-and-rebuild might be a better option to give you the space and comfort you need, without trying to force an older home to work around its existing limitations.
Some homeowners choose to phase renovations over time. That approach can work well, as long as you start with a clear master plan to ensure each stage supports the next and avoids costly rework later.
On the flip side, if you plan to sell soon, a smaller-scale remodel, such as a kitchen renovation, might make more sense to avoid overinvesting in a project that may not recoup its full value.
Arlington is unique because much of a home’s value comes from the land and location. This means that, in general, Arlington property values will always support just about anything you would like to do to your house or property. The real question is how much you want to invest.
A major renovation, addition, or new custom build may affect appraisal and financing differently. New construction often appraises higher initially than a similar remodeled home, but over time, a well-executed renovation can ultimately be worth more than a newly built home.
As you plan a renovation, you may reach a point where building new makes more sense than continuing to work around an older home’s limitations. A new build can provide a more functional layout, better efficiency, and stronger long-term value. On the other hand, some homeowners considering new construction may find that a thoughtful remodel and addition can accomplish everything they need while making their dollars go further.
That is why understanding the numbers early matters. (more…)
Black History Month Events — “This February (and all year long) there are countless ways to celebrate Black history and culture in Northern Virginia. Visit a historic site or museum, catch a performance highlighting famous African Americans, witness a traditional “broom-jumping” marriage ceremony and celebrate Black culture as an essential part of the American story.” [Arlington Magazine]
Courthouse Library Still Closed — “Due to a water pipe leak and heating issues at Courthouse Library, the location will remain closed as of Monday, February 2 until further notice as repairs are evaluated. Please continue to check the Library’s website for the Courthouse Library’s status this week.” [APL, APL/X]
Body Found Near Bridge — “[Firefighters] are on the Potomac recovering a body on the ice discovered a short time ago just north of the 14th Street Bridge complex. Only one lane is getting by to the left on the George Mason Bridge, carrying the outbound main lanes.” [Dave Statter/X]
Car Chase in Pentagon City — “@VSPPIO chased a vehicle twice through Pentagon City. The first time, around 1:15 a.m., the driver got away as they passed the Fashion Center. About 15 minutes later, it showed up at S. Joyce and Army Navy, passing an @ArlingtonVaPD officer and making a path to DC via the I-395 express lanes.” [Dave Statter/X]
Gov’t Shutdown Ends — “President Donald Trump signed a roughly $1.2 trillion government funding bill Tuesday that ends the partial federal shutdown that began over the weekend and sets the stage for an intense debate in Congress over Homeland Security funding. The president moved quickly to sign the bill after the House approved it with a 217-214 vote.” [Associated Press]
Indecent Exposure in Rosslyn — “On February 2, police received an online report for a late exposure. It was determined at approximately 5:35 p.m. on January 30, the female victim was walking in the area when she observed the male suspect expose himself.” [ACPD]
County’s New Service Dog — “Arlington County’s public safety agencies are proud to welcome Wellness K9 Dottie, a 15 m/o Black Lab, to the team! Dottie joins our Office of Public Safety Wellness from @HeelingHouse & will provide comfort & support to our first responders. Say hi if you see her out & about!” [ACPD/X]
New Legal Notice — Restaurant applying for on/off-premises wine, beer, and mixed-beverage license. [Public Notices]
It’s Wednesday — Expect partly sunny skies and a high of 33 degrees with a north wind at 9 mph. Wednesday night brings a 20% chance of snow before 10 pm, followed by mostly cloudy skies that will gradually clear up. The low temperature will be around 17 degrees. [NWS]
This year’s Very Godly VBS, inspired by The Titan’s Curse, invites children into the world of Camp Half-Blood to explore faith, courage, belonging, and community through storytelling, music, crafts, games, science, and reflection in a fun and welcoming environment for all.
Location: The Falls Church
Good Tuesday 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 — Feb 3, 2026.
Here is what’s going on Wednesday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect partly sunny skies and a high of 33 degrees with a north wind at 9 mph. Wednesday night brings a 20% chance of snow before 10 pm, followed by mostly cloudy skies that will gradually clear up. The low temperature will be around 17 degrees, and the north wind will be blowing at 5 to 7 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“It is kind of fun to do the impossible.”
– Walt Disney
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.
*Mamistad Groups meet IN PERSON-only the introductory Zoom call is virtual. :)
Pregnancy and new mom groups are a lifesaver when it comes to normalizing those feelings we just can’t be prepared for.
The following in-depth local history feature was supported by the ARLnow Press Club. Join to support local journalism and to get an exclusive version of our afternoon newsletter, plus an early look at what we’re covering each day.
This week marks the 67th anniversary of the integration of Arlington’s Stratford Junior High School by four Black seventh-grade students: Lance Newman, Michael Deskins, Gloria Thompson and Michael Jones.
Arlington Public Schools will open on a two hour delay Wednesday, the school system just announced.
It’s the second consecutive delay, after five snow days following the previous weekend’s winter storm. While today offered some above-freezing temperatures and melting, many sidewalks remain snow- and ice-covered in Arlington, prompting continued caution by school administrators.
The future of increased parking rates along Arlington’s commercial corridors is expected to go before the County Board later this month.
The Board is on track to decide whether to eliminate the “performance parking” pilot project or make the rate changes for about 4,500 parking spaces permanent.
A discount grocery store coming to Falls Church plans to mark its grand opening next week with money-saving festivities.
Grocery Outlet Bargain Market intends to open its doors at 500 S. Washington Street at 7 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, offering gift cards worth varying amounts to the first 100 customers. The top prize is $500.
Arlington residents and businesses with icy sidewalks may begin hearing from the county starting today (Tuesday).
County Manager Mark Schwartz ended a pause on enforcement of Arlington’s snow removal ordinance at 9 a.m. today, dispatching code enforcement inspectors to begin ensuring compliance. Parking enforcement will also resume “on a limited basis” this week, according to a press release.
