News

Alexandria seeks resident input on Housing 2040 plan at Monday open house

By James Cullum
The Alexandria skyline (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria is seeking feedback on its 15-year plan to address affordable housing issues. Once approved, the Housing 2040 Master Plan will provide City Council and staff with clear goals, strategies, and direction on the city’s housing plans. The city is hosting an open house this Monday (Sept. 8) to get feedback on Housing 2040 draft recommendations for landlord-tenant rights and resources, and homeownership programs in the city. The event will be held at the Minnie Howard Campus of Alexandria City High School (3775 W. Braddock Road) from 6 to 7 p.m., and registration is encouraged.

The current master plan is set to expire in 2025. The new plan will require a 2024 housing needs assessment from the city, and input from residents to “establish new housing affordability goals and examine housing policies, programs, and tools to support all Alexandria residents and workers,” according to the city.

LAST MONTH: Alexandria seeks public input on new affordable housing goals for 2040

Housing affordability in Alexandria is a significant issue, as the city has experienced a 62% decline in market-affordable rental units between 2000 and 2021.

According to the city:

  • 57% of Alexandria residents are renters (43,000 people)
  • 44% of renters are housing cost burdened (19,000 people)
  • 82% of renters make less than $75,000 a year and are cost burdened (15,500 households)

Proposed landlord-tenant rights and resources improvements include:

  • Expand educational resources and outreach for tenants and landlords.
  • The city should advocate for state-level legislative reforms focused on enhancing tenant protections, including increasing the pay or quit notice (5 to 14 days), local authority to enforce habitability requirements and just cause eviction protection.
  • Support legislation that would help stabilize rental housing costs. For example: limits on pet rent, amenity fees, parking fees, application fees, holding fees, etc.

Proposed homeownership program improvements include:

  • Increasing assistance to $75,000 for lowest income tier and to maintain affordability of resales
  • Explore new funding opportunities to expand homebuyer options for households up to 120% AMI (area median income)

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.