affordable housing | ALXnow

City leaders break ground on Arlandria massive affordable apartment complex

Published October 19, 2023 at 3:30PM

Alexandria leaders break ground on Housing Alexandria's new massive affordable housing complex in Arlandria, Oct. 18, 2023 (Courtesy Housing Alexandria)

City leaders broke ground on Housing Alexandria‘s 474-unit affordable apartment complex in Arlandria on Wednesday, capping off the largest project of its kind in Alexandria history.

It will be 2026 by the time residents start moving into the two-building, 36,000 square-foot complex, Housing Alexandria said in a release. The buildings, named Sansé and Naja, will be located near the corner of W. Glebe Road and Mount Vernon Avenue. The property will include a large underground parking garage and 34,000 square feet of commercial space, which will include childcare and health care services, according to Housing Alexandria.

News

Southern Towers residents decry response after building floods over weekend

By James Cullum

Published October 17, 2023 at 4:20PM | Updated October 18, 2023 at 4:03PM

The Sherwood apartment building at Southern Towers in Alexandria's West End. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

(Updated at 4 p.m. on Oct. 18) For at least five weeks, Loren DePina and her family will be forced live in a one-bedroom apartment until flooding damage in her three-bedroom Southern Towers apartment is fixed.

DePina’s and 13 other apartments at Southern Towers’ Sherwood building (5001 Seminary Road) were significantly damaged early Sunday morning by a water leak that worked its way from the eighth floor of the 15-story building all the way to the first floor. Video of the damage showed residents wading through inches of water in apartments and hallways and flooded elevators.

News

Alexandria staff break down behind-the-scenes limits of massive zoning overhaul

By Vernon Miles

Published October 4, 2023 at 3:10PM

Single-family homes in Alexandria's Seminary Valley neighborhood (image via Google Maps)

Alexandria staff returned to the Planning Commission one month after Zoning for Housing/Housing for All’s debut, but city leaders remained tepid in their support for the project.

Of note during the work session, however, was a concise breakdown of how Zoning for Housing/Housing for All might affect the city’s housing stock.

News

Next Zoning for Housing discussion scheduled for next week

By Vernon Miles

Published September 18, 2023 at 9:55AM | Updated September 19, 2023 at 9:39AM

Old brick row houses in Old Town Alexandria

(Updated 9/19) The next public discussion for Alexandria’s Zoning for Housing/Housing for All is coming next week.

The second of three fall community meetings is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 28, from 6-8 p.m.

News

City of Alexandria takes its zoning reform proposal to public review next week

By Vernon Miles

Published September 8, 2023 at 3:05PM

House display outside an Old Town business, staff photo by Vernon Miles

A little over a week after the City of Alexandria debuted its new Zoning for Housing/Housing for All plans, the city is inviting the public to the first community feedback session.

City staff presented the draft recommendations earlier this week at a City Council-Planning Commission work session. The big headline recommendation was ending single-family-only zoning, though beyond that city leaders were skeptical about the plan’s ability to make a substantial impact on affordable housing supply.

Opinion

Poll: What do you think of the new Zoning for Housing/Housing for All proposals?

By Vernon Miles

Published September 6, 2023 at 3:55PM

Alexandria house in the fall (staff photo by Kalina Newman)

The Zoning for Housing/Housing for All proposals were finally unveiled last night and opinions have been decidedly mixed.

The plan focuses on incremental changes in zoning policy that weren’t quite as ambitious as some hoped and others feared.

News

Arlandria residents cry foul over ‘drastic’ rent increases

By James Cullum

Published September 6, 2023 at 1:30PM

A child holds a sign against rent hikes outside the Potomac West Apartments in Arlandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

Residents of an Arlandria affordable apartment complex say the new owner is drastically, and illegally, raising rent and not notifying tenants within 60 days.

Potomac West Apartments LLC bought the four-building, 60-unit apartment complex in June. Last month, residents with expiring leases were notified via letter of a rent increase.

News

JUST IN: Alexandria zoning overhaul gets lukewarm reception from city leaders at public debut

By Vernon Miles

Published September 5, 2023 at 10:05PM

City Council and Planning Commission members reviewing Zoning for Housing/Housing for All proposal (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

The Zoning for Housing/Housing for All project turned out to be less of a revolution in Alexandria’s zoning and — for better or worse — more of a gradual evolution.

After extensive build-up and public discussion, Director of Planning Karl Moritz debuted zoning changes to a mixed response from city leaders.

News

Despite flurry of new apartments, experts say Alexandria has a housing shortage

By Vernon Miles

Published August 30, 2023 at 11:15AM

Marion M. McFadden, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (image via City of Alexandria)

The bottom line at a panel on housing last night: housing is unaffordable in Alexandria and likely won’t get cheaper without more construction.

Last night, the City of Alexandria hosted a panel of experts to discuss the state of housing in the city — from a look back at the evolution of the city’s zoning code to projections and trends in the housing market. The panel is part of the city’s ongoing Zoning for Housing/Housing for All project, which aims to reshape zoning in the city to be more accessible, affordable and available.

News

Alexandria residents rally against controversial Zoning for Housing plan

By James Cullum

Published August 29, 2023 at 10:45AM

Roy Byrd, chair of the Coalition for a Livable Alexandria, speaks at a rally at City Hall on Aug. 28, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Dozens of protestors rallied against Alexandria’s zoning for housing plan in front of City Hall on Monday.

The rally was spearheaded by The Coalition for a Livable Alexandria, a group founded this year by residents to talk about complex issues. If approved, the zoning plan overhaul would reshape a number of zoning ordinances, including a bonus height amendment that incentivizes developers to add affordable housing to projects in exchange for two additional stories of construction in areas where height limits are 45 feet or more.

News

Group opposing Alexandria zoning reform hosting rally tonight in Old Town

By Vernon Miles

Published August 28, 2023 at 10:00AM

Alexandria City Hall (staff photo by James Cullum)

It wouldn’t be Alexandria without a contentious fight over zoning and density.

As the city begins to roll out plans for zoning reform to create more housing and affordability ahead of City Council review this fall, a new group opposing some of the new proposals is hosting a rally in Market Square (300 King Street) tonight (Monday).