affordable housing | ALXnow

Del Ray affordable housing completes long-awaited overhaul

Published July 19, 2021 at 9:45AM

Ribbon-cutting for the Bellefonte Apartment Community renovations, courtesy AHDC

The residents of Del Ray’s Bellefonte Apartment Community (11 East Bellefonte Avenue) are back after a pair of local non-profits announced they’ve finished extensive renovations to the affordable housing community aimed at caring for adults with special needs.

Sheltered Homes of Alexandria (SHA), Alexandria Housing Development Corporation (AHDC) spearheaded the renovation of 12 apartment units. According to a press release, the renovations included a complete interior gutting and redesign of the building; changing some units to be fully wheelchair accessible, improving the stormwater systems, and updating security at the building.

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ARHA documents outline affordable housing organization’s shift toward rental-assistance

By Vernon Miles

Published July 13, 2021 at 4:45PM

Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s (ARHA) newly released Annual Agency Plan outlines the public agencies ongoing efforts at modernization and acquisition of affordable units in Old Town, with a particular focus on being more involved in rental-assistance programs.

The plan outlines areas of change for the organization, with the organization required to explain new activities in the current fiscal year. This year, one of those categories involves changes in “Mixed Finance Modernization or Development”. In its explanation, the document explained that ARHA is continuing to work on demolition of older units under Housing and Urban Development code Section 18 and rental assistance demonstration — rental assistance that ensures existing low-income units remain affordable — of others.

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School Board Member Jacinta Greene faces reelection, wants race relations taught in ACPS

By James Cullum

Published July 13, 2021 at 1:15PM | Updated July 13, 2021 at 2:19PM

Alexandria School Board Member Jacinta Greene is seeking reelection. (via Facebook)

School Board Member Jacinta Greene thinks the history of race relations should be taught in Alexandria City Public Schools.

“Systemic racism and race relations should be taught in schools,” Greene told ALXnow. “What has happened to Black people and minorities in our country has been deplorable and when you don’t teach history, that’s when it repeats itself.”

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AHDC unveils new designs and specs for planned Chirilagua affordable housing

By Vernon Miles

Published July 8, 2021 at 2:30PM

Rendering for Mount Vernon and Glebe, via AHDC

As the Alexandria Housing Development Corporation (AHDC) moves forward with its plans to build a 482-unit affordable housing complex in Chirilagua-Arlandria, the local non-profit unveiled the first renderings for the site and stats that raised some eyebrows online.

The City Council approved a loan for the AHDC project in May as part of an ongoing effort combat gentrification likely incoming with Amazon’s arrival in nearby Crystal City. The new development will come at the intersection of Mount Vernon and Glebe Road.

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City Council approves massive high-rise project without affordable housing near Eisenhower Metro station

By James Cullum

Published July 8, 2021 at 1:00PM

The Alexandria City Council unanimously approved a massive high-rise apartment building project near the Eisenhower Metro Station in Carlyle, and none of the 1,414 units will be dedicated to affordable housing.

Instead, the applicant Carlyle Plaza, LLC, will contribute $6.1 million to the city’s Housing Trust Fund.

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Massive redevelopment of West End apartment building has neighbors worried about street parking impact

By James Cullum

Published June 23, 2021 at 9:55AM

Wesley Housing wants to convert the ParcView Apartments into a three-building complex with hundreds of new affordable units. (Courtesy Wesley Housing)

The proposed conversion of a West End apartment building into a three-building complex has neighbors concerned of potential parking issues.

The current surface level parking lot would be moved underground and expanded to 313 spaces, but neighbors are concerned that on-street parking will become a problem. The plans call for . With 385 units, that provides .81 spaces per unit, which property owner Wesley Housing says falls within the city’s parameters.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published June 17, 2021 at 5:00AM

The Tall Ship Providence sails on the Potomac River (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Twig donates $150K to Inova Alexandria Hospital — “During their annual luncheon Tuesday morning, The Twig (Together We Ignite Giving), the junior auxiliary unit for Inova Alexandria Hospital, presented a $150,000 check to the institution as part of its $1 million pledge to renovate the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit.” [Zebra]

Amazon and Metro announce $125M plan to make 1,000 affordable housing units near Metro stations — “This represents another return on the region’s extraordinary investment in mass transit, as the partnership with Amazon will accelerate transit-oriented development, grow ridership, and keep our region competitive with other global economic centers,” said Metro Board Chair Paul Smedberg. “Amazon is stepping up to the plate with an unprecedented commitment to affordable housing in the National Capital Region.” [WMATA]

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Wilson and Silberberg mayoral debate finale opens possibility of ‘tweaking’ Seminary Road Diet

By James Cullum

Published May 28, 2021 at 9:30AM

Mayor Justin Wilson and former Mayor Allison Silberberg in the Seminary Ridge mayoral candidate discussion on Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Image via Zoom)

With no more mayoral debates, now it all boils down to the Democratic primary on June 8.

Like the main event at a boxing match, Mayor Justin Wilson and former Mayor Allison Silberberg on Thursday night maneuvered through a series of questions in the final of four Seminary Ridge Civic Association candidate forums.

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City Council candidates talk Seminary Road Diet, colocating affordable housing on public school property (Part 1)

By James Cullum

Published May 19, 2021 at 4:45PM

A voter participates in the Super Tuesday primary at Mount Vernon Community School, March 3, 2020 (Staff photo by James Cullum)

The Seminary Road Diet took center stage Tuesday night, as City Council candidates met in the first of three West End forums.

City Council candidates Canek Aguirre (incumbent), Alyia Gaskins, Kirk McPike, Patrick Moran and Sarah Bagley were the first batch of candidates to speak at the Seminary Ridge Civic Association candidate forum.

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ARHA aims to convert Old Town public housing properties to resemble the mixed-use ‘Lineage’ development

By James Cullum

Published May 18, 2021 at 2:00PM

The CEO of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority says that significant changes in federal funding will lay the foundation to redevelop all of its public housing sites in the style of the recently unveiled Lineage development.

ARHA recently announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will convert the 213 units at three sites — Ladrey High-Rise, Park Place, and Saxony Square — from public housing funding to Housing Choice Voucher funding.

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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published May 14, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated May 14, 2021 at 4:21PM

What a week in Alexandria.

Our top story this week is on Gregory Elliott, a special education teacher at T.C. Williams High School. Elliot also goes by the name of “Sugar Bear” for the D.C.-based go-go band Experience Unlimited, and their song “Da’ Butt” from the Spike Lee movie “School Daze” was featured at the Oscars, along with actress Glenn Close dancing to it.