affordable housing | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published November 28, 2017 at 8:00AM

County Board Approves Affordable Housing Loan — At its meeting last night, the Arlington County Board approved a loan that will help preserve the 294-unit Park Shirlington Apartments as affordable housing. The $6 million loan from the county’s Affordable Housing Investment Fund will allow a pair of developers to buy the complex, rehabilitate it and preserve as much affordable housing as possible. [Arlington County]

Ten Die in Va. Thanksgiving Weekend Crashes — “With overall traffic fatalities already on the increase, the 2017 Thanksgiving holiday weekend proved to be a deadly one… on Virginia’s highways. During the holiday… traffic crashes claimed the lives of eight drivers, one passenger and a pedestrian.” [Virginia State Police]

News

Manager Recommends Surplus Go to Affordable Housing, Other ‘Near-Term Needs’

By Chris Teale

Published October 23, 2017 at 1:30PM

County staff said $11.1 million is left over, 1.4 percent of the county’s FY 2017 General Fund budget, excluding money appropriated to Arlington Public Schools.

The county collected just over $1.022 billion in revenue from property, business, sales taxes and other sources, having projected in April it would collect just over $1.004 billion. That is 1.8 percent more than projected.

News

Plan for Looser Accessory Dwelling Rules Moving Towards Board Vote

By Chris Teale

Published October 17, 2017 at 1:30PM

"Backyard cottage" accessory dwelling

A plan to make it easier for homeowners to add an “accessory dwelling unit” to their property could be set for an Arlington County Board vote as early as next month.

The proposal has been under discussion since earlier this year as the county looks to encourage more ADUs, also known as “granny flats” or “mother-in-law suites.”

News

County Considers New District to Protect Affordable Housing

By Katie Pyzyk

Published October 5, 2017 at 9:30AM

Westover garden apartment building (photo via Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing)

According to a presentation at The Alliance for Housing Solutions’ annual affordable housing forum last month, the concept for a preservation district has been built off of ongoing work for affordable housing in Arlington.

In 2015, the county adopted the Affordable Housing Master Plan and earlier this year it released a report about preserving market-rate affordable housing (MARKs). The County Board held a work session on the topic in April, and since that time work has continued on developing an HCD study and framework.

News

County Board Candidates Offer Differing Ideas to Add Affordable Housing

By Chris Teale

Published September 6, 2017 at 10:00AM | Updated October 17, 2022 at 11:27AM

County Board candidate Charles McCullough

The three candidates for Arlington County Board agreed on the need for more affordable housing at a forum Tuesday night, but offered differing methods on how to achieve it.

Speaking at a forum hosted by the Arlington County Civic Federation at Virginia Hospital Center, the traditional kick-off for the fall campaign season, Audrey Clement, Erik Gutshall and Charles McCullough all argued more can be done.

Schools

AHC Seeks Volunteers For After-School, Teen Tutoring Programs

By Chris Teale

Published September 1, 2017 at 4:45PM | Updated September 4, 2017 at 3:19PM

Local affordable housing provider AHC Inc. is still seeking volunteers to work in its education programs ahead of school resuming next week.

Spaces are still available to help in AHC’s After-School and Teen Tutoring programs, which help educate young people from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Around Town

Rosslyn, Clarendon Construction Projects in Various Stages of Completion

By Chris Teale

Published August 15, 2017 at 11:00AM | Updated August 16, 2017 at 10:40AM

Construction on a condo building at Key Blvd and N. Nash Street is ongoing

(Updated August 16, 10:40 a.m.) With the summer almost at an end, several construction projects in Rosslyn and Clarendon are moving along.

In Clarendon, despite a small fire in May that prompted a major response from the Arlington County Fire Department, the Ten at Clarendon apartment building is open for business on 10th Street N.

News

Clement Decries Further Affordable Housing Demolition in Westover

By Chris Teale

Published August 14, 2017 at 2:45PM

Demolition in Westover at 10th Road N. and N. Kennebec Street

Independent Arlington County Board candidate Audrey Clement criticized the recent demolitions of more garden apartments in Westover to make way for townhomes.

Clement, a frequent candidate for public office, said the demolition of two more apartment buildings in the neighborhood shows that not enough is being done to protect affordable housing, especially as they are replaced by what she described as “luxury townhomes.”

News

Plans for Va. Square Redevelopment Could Be Discussed by Commission This Fall

By Chris Teale

Published August 3, 2017 at 11:20AM

Arlington YMCA

Plans for the redevelopment of a seven-acre site in Virginia Square — which include a new apartment building, YMCA facility and affordable housing — are slated to come before the Arlington Planning Commission this fall.

The plans, for several properties around the intersection of Washington Blvd and N. Kirkwood Road, could result in a new six-story apartment building; a rebuilt, 100,000 square foot YMCA building; and a 161-home affordable housing project. The plans call for retaining American Legion Post 139 on the property.

Events

Police To Participate in National Night Out Events Tonight

By Brooke Giles

Published August 1, 2017 at 11:00AM

Police will take part in a number of activities with local residents, including block parties, cookouts, safety demonstrations, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more.

National Night Out aims to better relationships between the police and the communities they patrol. Many police departments around the country participate.

News

Affordable Housing Complex Breaks Ground on Columbia Pike Church Site

By Chris Teale

Published July 28, 2017 at 3:00PM | Updated July 28, 2017 at 3:42PM

Officials at the ground-breaking ceremony for Gilliam Place

Just feet from the demolition of the Arlington Presbyterian Church on Columbia Pike, officials broke ground Thursday (July 27) on the new affordable housing complex that will replace it.

Gilliam Place at 3507 Columbia Pike will have 173 affordable apartments, with 68 including two or three bedrooms. The ground floor of the property will contain nearly 9,000 square feet of space for retail and community use. It is named for Ronda Gilliam, a member of the church who volunteered in the community and opened a clothing donation center.

News

Accessory Dwelling Rules May Be Loosened This Fall

By Chris Teale

Published July 12, 2017 at 10:05AM | Updated July 12, 2017 at 10:30AM

(Updated at 10:20 a.m.) Homeowners could find it considerably easier to add an “accessory dwelling unit” to their property under changes set to be made to the ordinance in the fall.

Only 20 ADUs — defined as a second living space with a kitchen, a bathroom and a separate entrance — have been approved in Arlington since the ordinance first came into effect in 2009. Advocates have said they can help ease the county’s lack of affordable housing.