affordable housing

Increased building heights, more housing areas considered in Duke Street Land Use Plan

Published May 27, 2026 at 3:45PM

Traffic on Duke Street in Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

Increased building height allowances and new areas for housing and open space along Duke Street are among the changes Alexandria staff plan to propose in the updated Duke Street Land Use Plan.

Alexandria City Council received an update Tuesday (May 26) on the plan, which will guide city officials in the development of the Duke Street corridor from the former Landmark Mall to Alexandria Union Station. The proposal includes areas deemed “opportunity sites” in industrial areas that city staff wants to redevelop, adding more housing supply and open space, with building heights of up to 150 feet.

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Alexandria releases draft Housing 2040 Plan ahead of public hearings

By Emily Leayman

Published May 26, 2026 at 11:45AM

As seen at the 204-unit affordable housing apartment complex Samuel Madden Homes, Nov. 12, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria has released its draft Housing 2040 Plan, which will set new housing goals for the next 15 years, ahead of June public hearings.

The Housing 2040 Plan is slated to replace the city’s current Housing Master Plan, which was first approved in 2013. That plan had a goal of producing and preserving 2,000 affordable housing units by 2025, and the city exceeded that goal when counting units under construction.

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‘Faith in Housing’ bill on by-right affordable housing will require new ordinance in Alexandria

By Emily Leayman

Published May 18, 2026 at 3:45PM

Virginia State Capitol in Richmond (staff photo)

A bill allowing church-based by-right housing development and several other laws passed during the 2026 Virginia General Assembly will require or allow local action, according to a presentation to Alexandria City Council last week (May 12).

Wendy Ginsberg, the city’s legislative director, provided an update on key bills the city has been tracking or will be impacted by during City Council’s May 12 meeting. Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, which means localities can only use authority granted through state law.

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Tenants sought for affordable units at two apartment complexes in Alexandria

By Emily Leayman

Published April 15, 2026 at 2:45PM

Concept rendering of Sansé and Naja development in Arlandria (courtesy of Housing Alexandria)

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.

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Gov. Spanberger signs first group of bills on housing, health care, energy

By Emily Leayman

Published April 1, 2026 at 8:30AM

Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs bills on March 31, 2026 (via Office of the Governor of Virginia)

After more than 1,200 bills passed in the Virginia General Assembly, Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed the first set of bills tackling several areas of affordability.

The governor’s action marks the first major set of bills signed from the 2026 General Assembly session. Spanberger had previously signed voter referendum legislation allowing mid-decade congressional redistricting to go before voters on April 21. The signed bills address housing, health care and energy.

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City Council approves $4M loan for last phase of Arlandria affordable housing project

By Emily Leayman

Published March 25, 2026 at 11:45AM

Concept rendering of Sansé and Naja development in Arlandria (courtesy of Housing Alexandria)

Alexandria City Council approved a $4 million loan yesterday (Tuesday) for Naja, the second and final phase of Housing Alexandria’s affordable housing project being built at the intersection of Mount Vernon Avenue and Glebe Road in Arlandria.

The $4 million City Housing Opportunities Fund loan is the final installment of the city funding package for Sansé and Naja, which will have 495 affordable housing units and more than 20,000 square feet of commercial space. City Council also approved $400,000 in rental subsidies for eight units at Naja. Before Tuesday’s approval, the city’s funding support for the project had totaled $79.7 million, according to a city staff memo.

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JUST IN: Alexandria housing director Helen McIlvaine to retire

By James Cullum

Published March 24, 2026 at 3:30PM

Helen McIlvaine (via City of Alexandria)

Alexandria’s Office of Housing director Helen McIlvaine will retire at the end of April, the city announced today (Tuesday).

McIlvaine joined the city in 2006 as the deputy director of housing and has been housing director since 2015. Starting on May 1, Deputy Director Aspasia Xypolia will serve as acting housing director.

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City Council considers $4M loan for last phase of Arlandria affordable housing project

By James Cullum

Published March 24, 2026 at 1:45PM

Concept rendering of Sansé and Naja development in Arlandria (courtesy of Housing Alexandria)

Tonight (Tuesday), Alexandria’s City Council will consider providing a $4 million loan to Housing Alexandria to build the second and final phase of its Sansé and Naja affordable housing project at the intersection of Mount Vernon Avenue and Glebe Road in Arlandria.

The Sansé and Naja project represents Alexandria’s most “significant affordable housing investment” to date, according to a city staff memo to City Council. The development will deliver 495 affordable rental units to the 3.2-acre site and could be fully occupied by 2028.

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‘Faith in Housing’ bill helps churches build affordable housing, Alexandria pastor says

By Emily Leayman

Published March 20, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated March 20, 2026 at 4:33PM

The Waypoint at Fairlington site in September 2022 (via Wesley Housing/Facebook)

A bill that would make it easier for churches to pursue affordable housing development on their properties is on its way to Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D). An Alexandria church leader whose church brought affordable housing to its property says the bill would help churches that have faced greater challenges with getting local approval.

The “Faith in Housing” bill would remove the rezoning step for faith-based organizations and other tax-exempt organizations seeking to develop housing on their land. Under the bill, the developments must be at least 60 percent affordable units for a minimum of 30 years. Church-based developments would be subject to property tax unless the locality chooses to exempt them.

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Alexandria joins N. Va. opposition to bill that would allow by-right housing in commercial zones

By Emily Leayman

Published March 3, 2026 at 3:45PM

Virginia State Capitol in Richmond (staff photo)

Despite opposition from Alexandria and other Northern Virginia localities, bills permitting by-right multifamily development in commercial zones are advancing in the Virginia General Assembly.

HB 816 by Del. Dan Helmer (D-10) and SB 454 by state Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-16) would require local zoning ordinances to permit by-right multifamily and mixed-use residential development on a portion of commercial or business zoning district land. The amended bills calls for localities to allow by-right development on at least 50% of commercially zoned land, which is less than the 75% originally proposed.

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Independent candidate Alison O’Connell turning in signatures to join City Council special election

By James Cullum

Published February 27, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated February 27, 2026 at 4:53PM

Alison O'Connell (courtesy photo)

With today’s 5 p.m. deadline fast approaching, Alison O’Connell is working to submit 125 signatures needed to file an independent candidacy to run for Alexandria City Council.

O’Connell, a founding member of Alexandria for Palestinian Human Rights, is hoping to run for City Council with platform issues that include affordable housing, ethical investment and anti-immigration enforcement measures. She and her team have been collecting signatures and turning them in throughout the day to the city’s registrar’s office, she told ALXnow this afternoon (Friday).