Arlington’s Housing Commission is seeking more local leeway in addressing affordable housing and new formulas for determining the number of affordable units in new projects.
Commission Chair Kellen MacBeth included these recommendations in a letter to the County Board following a review of policies by the Affordable Housing Ordinance working group established earlier this year. County leaders are currently developing legislative priorities for the 2026 General Assembly session.
Candidates for Falls Church City Council seem to agree it’s time to pause and take stock of a recent spurt of new construction before moving forward on bigger projects.
The city’s skyline has changed dramatically over the past decade with the arrival of several new mixed-use projects. Contenders participating in a Sept. 25 forum said growth has brought both positives and negatives.
A major affordable housing provider plans to transition near-all of its Arlington properties to new management firms by the end of the year.
Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC) has hired two new management groups to oversee its D.C.-area properties, including 23 apartment buildings in Arlington. The nonprofit, which has faced complaints of poor living conditions at some of its Arlington communities, says it hopes to improve residents’ experiences.
Arlington’s “Missing Middle” ordinance may make a comeback after a new ruling in the Virginia Court of Appeals.
In a Friday decision, a panel of three judges returned to the court’s original stance that effectively put the zoning change back on the books in June, creating big obstacles for plaintiffs.
For the first time in months, the median rental cost for a two-bedroom Arlington apartment has dipped below $3,000.
That’s according to Apartment List, whose August report pegged the median cost of an Arlington one-bedroom unit at $2,473, a two-bedroom unit at $2,989 and the median for all sizes at $2,627.
One in every 280 apartments set for completion in 2025 nationally will be in Arlington, a rate higher than last year, according to new data.
The expected 1,806 new rental units to become available countywide before the end of the year represents 0.36% of the national total of about 506,300 new apartments, according to recent estimates from RentCafe.com’s annual apartment construction report.
New polling suggests broad support among Virginians for state-level legislation to support building more housing.
A survey of about 1,300 Virginia voters found that the vast majority of respondents — about 73% — believe that the state lacks enough homes that people can afford to rent or buy.
County staff are gearing up to start public outreach on potentially tighter regulations for impermeable surfaces in Arlington’s low-density residential neighborhoods.
Arlington County currently regulates lot coverage in these neighborhoods, but incremental changes to properties — such as adding patios and walkways — can cover more and more of a parcel with surfaces that don’t absorb water. This can increase the risk of flooding and more intense heat in surrounding areas.
After three years of construction, workers have placed the final beam on the J Rivelle, a pair of new apartment buildings in Rosslyn.
County officials and project leaders gathered yesterday (Thursday) to sign the steel beam at the project’s topping out ceremony. The finished product by Jefferson Apartment Group and CBG Building Company encompasses 422 housing units across two 27-story towers at 1901 N. Moore Street.
The Falls Church City Council has updated the city’s comprehensive plan with an increased focus on affordable housing.
A new policy document, unanimously approved after more than 18 months of discussion on how to align the city’s inclusive vision with fiscal reality, calls for a “dedicated, annual and indexed” source of city funds for affordable-housing efforts.
For $1,500 a month, Arlington residents can typically rent an apartment of just 476 square feet.
Not surprisingly, given the overall cost of rent in the county, this is one of the lowest square-footage totals for $1,500 to be found anywhere in the country.
The Arlington Housing Commission is considering a push to make it easier for houses of worship to redevelop their land with affordable housing.
A subcommittee of the full commission discussed whether to press the issue in advance of next year’s legislative session, which opens in January. Whether County Board members embrace the proposal remains to be seen.
