Four years of development came to a close Tuesday as the Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority cut the ribbon on Lineage, a 52-unit affordable apartment complex at the former Ramsey Homes site in Old Town.
“It’s about helping people that need affordable housing, and that’s the passion of mine, given that I’m a product of public housing,” ARHA CEO Keith Pettigrew said, adding that he thought the project would be easy when he started his job four years ago. “I was led to believe that Ramsey was easy, but it was anything but easy, and being in this industry for as long as I have I should have known better, but I didn’t.”
ARHA was awarded tax credit financing for the project at 625 N Patrick Street in 2017, and also received a $2 million loan from the city.
The four-story apartment building includes 15 homes for city residents earning up to 30% of the area median income ($25,500 for a household of one to $36,400 for a household of four) and 37 new units to households earning up to 50% and 60% AMI. It is located across the street from the Charles Houston Recreation Center and the Alexandria Black History Museum.
Mayor Justin Wilson said approval of the project was not easy, running the gamut from community concerns over historic preservation and open space to density and housing.
“This was not easy at all,” Wilson said. “The struggle is worth it for 52 families who now have a place to live.”
Lineage resident Maria Ledbetter says she’s sleeping better.
“I really, really love my apartment,” Ledbetter said. We have really nice appliances, a very nice view from the window, and I’m sleeping very well at night. I think you really came through with this development.”
The property was first developed as permanent housing for 15 Black defense workers and their families during World War II. The 15 units were redeveloped into the new Lineage project, which added 37 new units to the city’s affordable housing inventory. The new apartments range from 323 to 1,301 square feet. Each apartment includes a washer and drier, heating and air conditioning and “hardwood-style” flooring.
“This was a hard-fought victory for housing advocates and those who care about affordability in the city,” said City Councilman John Taylor Chapman.
Alexandria is currently experiencing an affordable housing crisis, and the city has pledged to produce or develop 2,000 affordable housing units by 2025. The city has also agreed to produce an additional 1,950 units by 2030 in order to meet its regional housing goal set by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, which aims for the region to produce 320,000 affordable housing units.
Recent Stories
A major redevelopment of deteriorating townhomes on upper King Street in Old Town is heading to the Planning Commission. Dechantal Associates LLC wants to convert the five dilapidated townhouse properties…
The Office of Historic Alexandria will celebrate Marquis de Lafayette, the acclaimed Hero of Two Worlds, with a concert and lecture marking 200 years since the city first threw its…
It could’ve been curtains for all those free prom dresses this year at Alexandria City High School.
Good Tuesday morning, Alexandria! ⛈️ Today’s weather: Showers and possible thunderstorms after 2pm, with patchy fog clearing by 9am. Mostly cloudy, high near 80, with a calm easterly wind around…
Finding a gift for moms can be difficult. Google “Mother’s Day gifts,” and you’ll scroll through endless lists of beauty products, candles and fuzzy robes. Sure, those are sweet, but sometimes it’s fun to surprise loved ones with something a little more, well, practical!
Here’s one idea: Give her a gift certificate for a home cleaning from Well-Paid Maids. It’s the perfect “thank you,” “I love you” or “you’ve got this” for any mom. She can schedule the home cleaning at her convenience and breathe easy knowing she has one less thing to do.
Our cleaners will take care of everything, including vacuuming and mopping as well as cleaning and dusting countertops, tables, mirrors, appliances and more. Sinks, toilets, showers and appliance exteriors also get a good scrub.
Plus, when you buy a gift certificate from Well-Paid Maids, you’re supporting a living-wage cleaning company. That means cleaners get paid a starting wage of $24 an hour and get access to benefits, like 24 days of PTO and health insurance.
Good news, D.C. area. You can save money on your next home cleaning with Well-Paid Maids. It’s easy!
We offer a discount when you set up recurring cleans — and the discounts just increased this week!
For weekly cleans, get $30 off each cleaning.
Alexandria NAACP, Shiloh Baptist Church, DPC to hold City Council…
The Alexandria Branch of the NAACP, Shiloh Baptist Church, and The Departmental Progressive Club to hold the City Council Candidate Forum for ALL Candidates in the City of Alexandria Virginia. The event is Free of Charge and Open to The
