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.
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.
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.”
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:
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.
City Releases Multi-Language Coronavirus Fact Sheets — “The Alexandria Health Department has made multiple resources available regarding the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (now called “COVID-19″), and the Department of Community and Human Services encourages residents to read and share this information, especially in communities where languages other than English are primarily spoken, and with vulnerable residents, including those who may not have access to traditional media.” [City of Alexandria]
ARHA Looks to Redevelop Affordable Housing Properties — “Alexandria is now looking to redevelop five of its public housing communities, putting out a call for developers to replace 288 affordable homes around the city while building new “mixed-income communities… The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority recently issued a request for qualifications for interested developers on the projects, renewing a similar effort launched more than six years ago.” [Washington Business Journal]
After months of confusion, the city and Alexandria City Public Schools plan on creating a committee to evaluate the co-location of affordable or workforce housing on the grounds of public schools slated for renovation.
“I feel like as a board that we’re being kind of we’ve been already left behind in this process. And and so I think that that we need to try to remedy that in some way,” School Board Chair Cindy Anderson said at a joint budget work session on Wednesday night.
Alexandria is looking to study a new accessory dwelling unit (ADU) policy in Alexandria with some community input.
ADUs are defined by the city as secondary, independent living units with a separate kitchen, sleeping area and bathroom, in converted garages or new structures detached from a primary residence.
Alexandria is a little ahead of schedule increasing the number of affordable housing units in the city, and two new deals are getting it closer to meeting its regional housing goals.
On Saturday, Council unanimously adopted proposals to increase the number of affordable housing units in Eisenhower East by the hundreds, and to add nine affordable units in a new mixed-use Aspire Alexandria development in Braddock.
Among the benefits of the new Aspire Alexandria project headed to the City Council this Saturday (Feb. 22) are a handful of new homes that could meet a critical need in the city.
Aspire Alexandria is a new housing development at 1112 First Street, where Tony’s Auto Service is today, aimed at offering independent senior living. The anticipated move-in age is between 77-82, but the facility will not offer direct assistance with daily living activities or memory care needs.
It’s widely accepted that localities throughout Virginia face an affordable housing crisis, but is the new Democratic majority in Richmond missing the mark on addressing the issue?
Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson said that a swath of bills addressing the issue hurts rather than helps. Wilson, in a recent op-ed in the Alexandria Gazette Packet, instead recommended an increase in state funding for affordable housing instead of bills forcing localities to meet development and zoning benchmarks.
