affordable housing | ALXnow

Community meeting planned for controversial Braddock redevelopment

Published October 11, 2022 at 10:50AM

Samuel Madden redevelopment rendering (image via Torti Gallas + Partners/City of Alexandria)

The Samuel Madden redevelopment project at the north end of the Braddock neighborhood is heading back to the community review process after a significant redesign.

The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) is planning on tearing down a dozen aging townhomes at the north end of the Braddock Neighborhood, where Patrick and Henry streets reform into Route 1. They will be replaced with a new 500-unit multifamily residential development that would act — as it was called in some of the earlier meetings — as a gateway into Old Town.

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New report examines progress on Alexandria’s housing and tourism goals

By Vernon Miles

Published September 27, 2022 at 2:45PM

As seen around Old Town Alexandria and Waterfront Park (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A new report, prepared for a City Council meeting tomorrow (Wednesday), looks back at the progress made on several priorities adopted earlier this year, from pandemic recovery to housing.

The mulit-part update tackles a dozen community-welfare topics identified as a priority early in 2022, with each of those broken down into a look at progress on individual initiatives. While some have been fully completed, others are still in their early stages.

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Old Town North affordable housing redevelopment moves forward

By Vernon Miles

Published September 19, 2022 at 9:50AM

Ladrey High-Rise in Old Town North (image via Google Maps)

The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) has announced some next steps for plans to redevelop Ladrey High Rise, a public housing building in Old Town North.

The current building is an 11-story, 170-unit high rise building housing seniors and residents with disabilities. The redevelopment plans will see that building and an adjoining property demolished for a new mid-rise construction. The new development is slated to be a one-to-one replacement of the units on the site.

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The Waypoint at Fairlington to open later this month

By Vernon Miles

Published September 6, 2022 at 1:30PM

Waypoint at Fairlington concept rendering (image via Wesley Housing)

Two years after it broke ground, The Waypoint at Fairlington (2451 Menokin Drive) is scheduled to have its grand opening later this month.

In an email, affordable housing developer Wesley Housing said the housing complex is scheduled to open on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

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Alexandria Mayor says Youngkin’s affordable housing reform comments are positive step forward

By Vernon Miles

Published August 22, 2022 at 9:50AM

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin speaks at the Safeway at the Bradlee Shopping Center on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022. (Photo via Eli Wilson)

Gov. Glenn Youngkin hasn’t always gotten the best reception in Alexandria, but recent comments about working with localities to establish better affordable housing zoning could help find some common ground with local leadership.

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson said a recent Washington Post article about a trip to Michigan included some promising comments about improving housing availability.

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All-affordable housing development in Fairlington to open this fall

By Vernon Miles

Published July 20, 2022 at 2:15PM

A conceptual rendering of The Waypoint at Fairlington (Image via Wesley Housing)

Nearly two years after the project broke ground, The Waypoint housing development (2451 Menokin Drive) in the Fairlington neighborhood is scheduled to open in September.

The project, led by affordable housing developer Wesley Housing, is scheduled to have a grand opening celebration on Sept. 28.

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St. Rita Catholic Church comes to agreement on construction of Arlandria affordable housing project

By James Cullum

Published July 5, 2022 at 1:00PM

The Alexandria City Council is poised to approve an amended plan to build a 473-unit affordable housing complex in Arlandria, now that St. Rita Catholic Church has signed off on the project.

Citing safety concerns for parishioners and children, St. Rita Catholic Church and the Catholic Diocese of Arlington sought legal action against the City and the Alexandria Housing Development Corporation when the development was approved in January.

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Wave of Del Ray protestors prompts Planning Commission to defer affordable housing height increase

By James Cullum

Published June 29, 2022 at 3:30PM | Updated June 29, 2022 at 3:52PM

What two additional stories looks like on a 45-foot-tall structure. (Via City of Alexandria)

After public outcry over a rushed plan, the Alexandria Planning Commission deferred a city staff proposal to allow developers to build affordable housing into new apartment buildings up to 70 feet in height in areas where height limits are 45 feet or more.

There were more than 30 speakers at the meeting on Thursday, June 23, mostly residents of Del Ray.

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ARHA headquarters to be named after local housing and civil rights activist

By Vernon Miles

Published June 22, 2022 at 9:45AM

ARHA headquarters (image via Google Maps)

The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) announced that later this year, the headquarters will be renamed in honor of activist and former ARHA Chairman A. Melvin Miller.

Miller, who died in 2015, was a civil rights activist and affordable housing advocate in Alexandria who, among his many positions in city and state leadership, served as chairman of ARHA from 1970 to 1977 and from 2001 to 2012.

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Preservation vs affordability in Parker-Gray neighborhood divides Alexandria BAR

By Vernon Miles

Published June 16, 2022 at 3:50PM

Samuel Madden homes (image via Google Maps)

Alexandria’s Board of Architectural Review (BAR) gave a thumbs up to the demolition of an Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority property, but not without a stern rebuke to the housing authority’s history of neglect.

ARHA is working through the city process to demolish the Samuel Madden homes at the north end of the Parker-Gray neighborhood. The homes were built as workforce housing during the Second World War and ARHA leadership said the properties have deteriorated beyond preservation.

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Alexandria hopes cutting parking requirements can boost city’s auxiliary dwellings

By Vernon Miles

Published June 15, 2022 at 3:45PM

Street parking on Main Line Boulevard in Potomac Yard (staff photo by James Cullum)

The City of Alexandria is considering increasing the number of auxiliary dwellings allowed in commercial buildings and nixing the parking requirements for most of them.

One of the biggest behind-the-scenes projects at City Hall has been an effort to make auxiliary dwellings — formerly accessory dwellings, we’ll get into that later — more viable in Alexandria.