Add military conflict in the Middle East to the list of issues impacting real estate in Arlington.
A new analysis of February sales data warns that “buyers and sellers are moving with extreme caution,” dampening activity in localities including Arlington. The county’s home sales for the month totaled 142, down slightly from 146 in February 2025, according to figures reported by MarketStats by ShowingTime.
To maintain services amid falling commercial real estate values, Arlington may end up reaching even deeper into homeowners’ pockets in the years to come.
At a March 11 forum sponsored by Advance Arlington, County Manager Mark Schwartz warned of even more pressure to raise taxes on homeowners due to a drop in the assessed valuation of commercial properties.
The Arlington Housing Commission has gotten its first look at a redevelopment proposal expected to bring nearly 400 apartment units to a site across the street from Courthouse Plaza.
Trammell Crow Residential will seek County Board approval later this spring for “Alexan at Courthouse,” a 15-story residential building proposed to replace a 40-year-office building at 2000 15th Street N. As currently planned, the project calls for 394 units totaling about 412,000 square feet of interior space.
A bill seeking to permit by-right multifamily development in commercial zones was defeated in the Virginia Senate yesterday (Thursday) despite limitations proposed by Arlington’s state Sen. Barbara Favola (D-40).
The Senate voted 17-22 on HB 816 by Del. Dan Helmer (D-10). The House did not vote on the companion bill SB 454 by state Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-16) but referred it back to the House Counties, Cities and Towns committee.
The Arlington County Board has voted to advertise a 2-cent increase to the real estate tax rate, slightly higher than the rate proposed in this year’s budget draft.
If enacted in its entirety, the jump would increase the county’s tax rate to $1.053 per $100 assessed valuation, adding a further tax burden on homeowners already facing higher assessment values.
Plans for a 249-unit affordable housing building off of Langston Blvd are up for County Board consideration this weekend.
Planning Commission members voted 9-2 on Feb. 9 to support True Ground Housing Partners’ proposal to replace 40 garden-style apartments at the Leckey Gardens complex (2031-37 N. Woodrow Street) with a 10-story affordable apartment building.
Time is running out for 30 residents in Culpepper Garden’s assisted-living wing to find other housing before its planned closure this summer.
With the wing still at 40% capacity, officials at the apartment complex for low-income seniors say they are working with each of those residents to determine the best course of action.
Arlington’s economic development efforts may need to do more with less over the coming year.
“This is a budget [year] that is very lean. There’s going to be a lot of discussion about that,” acting Arlington Economic Development (AED) director Kate Ange said at the Feb. 10 Economic Development Commission meeting.
County Board members voted unanimously on Saturday (Jan. 24) to approve redevelopment of the vacant Inn of Rosslyn motel site for new apartments.
“We are facing a housing crisis. This crisis is today,” Board member Takis Karantonis said in support of the proposal by Monument Realty to construct an eight-story building totaling 141 units, including 13 committed-affordable units.
Arlington government leaders appear willing to fill financial gaps if the federal government reduces housing grants to support vulnerable populations — but they don’t know how big those gaps might be.
“We’re not going to not find a way to fund it. We’re not going to let that all fall apart,” Board member Maureen Coffey said at the Housing Commission’s Jan. 15 meeting, which looked at impacts of current and future budget cuts to federal housing funds.
Northern Virginia Democrats were in high spirits at the inauguration of Gov. Abigail Spanberger this weekend, looking toward new opportunities for a variety of bills held back by the previous administration.
Legislators and political observers expect fewer vetoes and more collaboration with Democratic policymakers — including those in Northern Virginia — under Spanberger, a centrist Democrat who emphasized bipartisan solutions to issues like housing and health care costs on the campaign trail and in her inauguration speech.
A plan to consolidate and then subdivide three parcels in Falls Church to build 15 townhomes is heading to the Planning Commission.
The commission will be briefed on Madison Homes’ plans for the parcels at 701, 703 and 705 Park Avenue, just north of W. Broad Street, on Wednesday.
