affordable housing | ALXnow

ARHA Leadership Praised After COVID-19 Shutdown

Published June 16, 2020 at 3:15PM | Updated June 16, 2020 at 3:33PM

Residents have reportedly been threatened with eviction if they or their children play at an Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority park that has been sectioned off (staff photo by James Cullum)

After some early concerns and criticisms, the Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority‘s resident community praised the organization’s leadership and swift action through the pandemic, and vice-versa.

Kevin Harris, the president of the Public Housing Resident Association in Alexandria, praised ARHA’s leadership and CEO Keith Pettigrew in particular. Harris and Jeremy McClayton, an associate organizer with Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement, said it was a stark contrast to earlier experiences with ARHA.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published June 5, 2020 at 9:00AM

High School Student Assaulted Walking Home — “The assault occurred near the intersection of Russell Road and Rosecrest Avenue in the Del Ray/Rosemont neighborhood. The victim was a member of the T.C. Williams High School baseball team.” [Alex Times]

Officers Complain of Toxic Work Culture at Alexandria Police Department — “There are employees, including some who resigned after allegedly being subjected to retribution, who blame Chief Michael L. Brown for establishing an environment without discipline or accountability, where misconduct is swept under the rug. They say that under Chief Brown’s leadership, problems have gotten worse, which has fueled retirements and resignations from the department.” [Alex Times]

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Photos: Protestors in Arlandria Demand Rent Freeze

By James Cullum

Published May 1, 2020 at 6:50PM

Hundreds of Alexandria residents took to the streets of Arlandria early on Friday evening to protest against paying rent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lisa Hernandez lost her job two months ago, and can’t pay her $1,000 monthly rent for a small apartment that she lives in with her husband and young son.

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Tenants & Workers United Staging Anti-Rent Protest Today at 5 p.m. in Arlandria

By ALXnow.com

Published May 1, 2020 at 4:30PM

Tenants & Workers United will lead a rent protest in Arlandria today starting at 5 p.m., and the organization is asking low-income residents to make themselves heard by joining along in their cars or banging pots and pans from the windows of their residences.

The caravan is scheduled to assemble at 4:30 p.m. and will go through Arlandria with the message that rents in Virginia should be canceled during the pandemic. The protest is planned to last until 6 p.m.

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Alexandria Department Heads Lay Out Dire Needs, Recovery Path for City Services

By Vernon Miles

Published April 29, 2020 at 4:35PM

Alexandria City Hall (staff photo by James Cullum)

The City Council is figuring out who in Alexandria needs the most assistance through the coronavirus pandemic — and how to get them aid.

City Manager Mark Jinks is expecting roughly $20 million in federal assistance, all of which must be allocated to new programs not in previous budgets and must be spent this year. In a Tuesday night meeting, Council discussed grants and funding needs with various department heads, starting with some of the most basic necessities.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published April 29, 2020 at 9:00AM | Updated April 29, 2020 at 9:39AM

Tenants and Workers United Organizes Rent Protest in Arlandria Friday — “Join our Caravan. THIS FRIDAY at 4:30 P.M.” ️[Facebook]

Here’s an Updated List of Alexandria’s Nonprofit Needs — “This list is updated on a regular basis, so check back regularly to see the latest items needed to support our most vulnerable populations during this critical time. Thank you for caring for our community!” [Volunteer Alexandria]

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Waypoint at Fairlington Moves Ahead as Traffic Concerns Linger

By Vernon Miles

Published April 27, 2020 at 4:45PM | Updated May 1, 2020 at 10:13AM

As The Waypoint at Fairlington moves forward, some old traffic concerns and misconceptions about the project have resurfaced.

The Waypoint, and 81-unit affordable housing development at Fairlington Presbyterian Church (3846 King Street) was approved in 2018, but old criticisms of the project’s added density flooded the comment sections when the city applied for federal funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development HOME Investment Partnerships.

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Alexandria Dedicates $671K in CARES Act Funds to Rent Assistance

By Vernon Miles

Published April 22, 2020 at 3:15PM

Andrew Adkins, an affordable housing neighborhood in Braddock (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

The City Council voted on Saturday to direct $671,570 in federal funding to provide rent assistance for low-income families in Alexandria.

The catch, however, is that this funding will be used for rental assistance only for those living in the city’s assisted housing developments, like those managed by Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority, and including non-profits and set-aside affordable units the city received through the development process.

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Tenants and Supporters Protest for Rent Freeze at Southern Towers

By Vernon Miles

Published April 20, 2020 at 2:00PM | Updated April 20, 2020 at 4:41PM

Updated 4:40 p.m. — Adhering to proper social distancing protocol, tenants and other supporters rallied outside of Southern Towers in cars making slow circles through the parking lot with signs and chants of “No pay! No Rent!” and “No job! No Rent!”

“How are people going to be able to make a rent deferral plan work?” asked Sarah Jacobson, organizing director for UNITE HERE Local 23 DC, a food service workers union operating out of D.C. “Even if people went back to 100% employment tomorrow, that would be challenging. Uber drivers won’t be getting the kind of pay they had before.”

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COVID-19 Leaving City With $1 Million Affordable Housing Funding Loss in New Budget

By Vernon Miles

Published April 17, 2020 at 11:30AM

Tying affordable housing funding to meals tax seemed like a safe bet in 2018, but with restaurants facing a dramatic loss in revenue due to coronavirus, affordable housing is out $1 million in the new budget.

According to the budget:

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City Requests Federal Funds for Planned Affordable Housing Complex in Fairlington

By James Cullum

Published April 16, 2020 at 5:15PM

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

The Fairlington Presbyterian Church is another step closer to building an affordable housing complex in its parking lot.

City officials announced Thursday they will submit a request early next month for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development HOME Investment Partnerships funds for The Waypoint at Fairlington — a four-story, 51,000-square-foot development at 3846 King Street.