Additional affordable housing units will come online soon in the city’s Arlandria and Eisenhower Avenue neighborhoods.
Housing Alexandria will open the wait list for the first phase of the Sansé affordable housing development from April 20 to 26. In August, 206 affordable units ranging from one to three bedrooms will be ready for occupancy at 3600 Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria-Chirilagua. A mix of 24 one-bedroom, one-bedroom-with-den and two-bedroom units will be accessible.
Amenities at Sansé will include a community room, fitness center, family playroom, bike storage, playground, free basic Wi-Fi and limited free parking.
A lottery for the units will be held May 4. Selected applicants will be screened for eligibility, which includes income limits at 40%, 50%, 60% and 80% of the area median income.
Estimated rent prices are based on income and are subject to increase under federal guidelines. For example, a one-bedroom unit would cost $1,087 per month for a 40% AMI and $2,317 for an 80% AMI.
When completed, the Sansé and Naja apartment community will provide 495 affordable units. The second phase of Sansé will deliver 210 units in early 2027, according to the city. The building will include a food hub from nonprofit ALIVE! and flexible space for city departments serving the neighborhood.
The Naja building, part of the second phase, will provide the remaining 79 affordable rental units and more than 15,000 square feet of commercial space that will be used as a clinic by Neighborhood Health. Construction on Naja is expected to begin in mid-2026 and be completed in late 2027.
Community Housing Partners’ Witter Place Apartments, a new building at 2712 Duke Street in the Eisenhower Avenue corridor, will open applications May 14. It will offer 94 two-bedroom and three-bedroom affordable units, 10 of which will be accessible and two for visually and hearing-impaired residents. The units will be ready for occupancy by Sept. 1.
Amenities at Witter Place will include in-unit washers and dryers, a fitness center, community room, business center, indoor bicycle storage, Wi-Fi, telehealth office, and free underground parking for the first 65 tenants who register their vehicle.
Eligibility is based on income, with total household income required to fall within 40%, 50% and 60% of area median income limits.
Rent is based on area median income and is subject to change in May based on federal guidelines. The estimated rent for a two-bedroom unit would be $1,177 for 40% AMI and $1,832 for 60% AMI.
Starting May 14, prospective tenants should contact Witter Place at 703-344-7737 or email [email protected] to apply. Applications will be accepted via email and in person at 2712 Duke Street. Applicants must provide identification, proof of income, information about assets and application fee payments. The application fee is $32 per applicant, and the security deposit can range from $500 to one month’s rent depending on a credit check. Pet fees also apply.
After Alexandria lost 90% of its affordable housing stock between 2000 and 2017, the city is working to recoup it. The city exceeded its last Housing Master Plan goal of creating 2,000 affordable units by 2025 and is now proposing new goals through its draft Housing 2040 plan.
