ARHA | ALXnow

JUST IN: Mayor Gaskins rallies Alexandria church to settle $1M in ARHA back rent

Published March 19, 2026 at 2:45PM | Updated March 20, 2026 at 4:35PM

Mayor Alyia Gaskins speaks at the No Kings Rally at Market Square in Old Town, June 14, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Mayor Alyia Gaskins launched the “Fresh Start Initiative” today (Thursday), rallying the city’s faith and nonprofit leaders to pay approximately $1 million in back rent for nearly 450 residents living in the city’s public housing properties.

The initiative brings together the city, the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority, the Department of Community and Human Services and nonprofit fundraiser ACT for Alexandria to create a temporary charitable fund to “connect residents to financial empowerment resources, and to ensure improved systems at ARHA,” according to the city. Alfred Street Baptist Church has pledged to raise more than $1 million to cover the back rent. The initiative is solely funded through private donations.

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Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority board served with lawsuit by fired CEO

By James Cullum

Published February 25, 2026 at 9:45AM

Erik C. Johnson, former CEO of ARHA, asks City Council to back the Silver Fox plan, June 10, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority Board was served with a $4.5 million lawsuit by its former CEO Erik Johnson on Monday.

ARHA’s former board fired Johnson in September after it was revealed that he and his family were living in an ARHA property in Old Town. Johnson’s filing alleges that, with the blessing of the previous board, ARHA staff selected a moving company for his family, chose a hotel for them to stay in and renovated the property.

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ARHA bond agreement for Old Town apartment complex project receives approval

By James Cullum

Published December 23, 2025 at 1:15PM

Rendering of Block 1 of the Heritage Project, via City of Alexandria

A $20 million bond financing agreement by the Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority (ARHA) for the second phase of an Old Town affordable housing project is set to move forward.

City Council unanimously approved the bond agreement on Dec. 13, which will support the conversion of the 4.76-acre, 244-unit mixed-income “Heritage at Old Town” complex into three buildings with approximately 750 apartments across three blocks, according to a Nov. 24 board report from ARHA.

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Alexandria’s public housing authority struggles with budget uncertainty

By James Cullum

Published December 10, 2025 at 12:45PM

ARHA properties in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria’s public housing authority is struggling to put together its budget in the wake of the recent government shutdown.

The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority has a goal of submitting its budget to its Board of Commissioners next month, ARHA’s Chief Financial Officer Sheila White told the board on Monday night.

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Alexandria’s public housing authority suspends evictions amid reorganization

By James Cullum

Published November 25, 2025 at 3:45PM

ARHA properties in Old Town, Alexandria. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

In the wake of the restructuring of Alexandria’s public housing authority and its board of commissioners, the organization has temporarily halted eviction proceedings against its tenants.

Mark Jinks, the new chair of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority‘s board of commissioners, made the announcement at the board’s monthly meeting in Old Town last night (Monday). Jinks and five other board members were installed last month by City Council to reverse a “system failure,” as described by Mayor Alyia Gaskins.

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Living in mold and disrepair, ARHA tenants decry unsafe living conditions, neglect

By James Cullum

Published November 17, 2025 at 3:45PM

Asia Ford inside her home on Madison Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Past and present residents at Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) properties are continuing to speak out against years of neglect and unsafe living conditions at their homes.

Chronic mold and cockroach infestations, ignored maintenance tickets and denied rehousing requests are just some of the many grievances ARHA tenants described in conversations to ALXnow this month and during a protest last Wednesday.

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JUST IN: Fired ARHA CEO sues organization, alleging misleading statements over termination

By James Cullum

Published November 14, 2025 at 3:05PM

Erik C. Johnson, former CEO of ARHA, asks City Council to back the Silver Fox plan, June 10, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The former CEO of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority is now suing the organization for millions of dollars in damages, according to paperwork filed yesterday (Thursday) in the Alexandria Circuit Court.

ARHA fired Erik Johnson in September after it was revealed that he and his family were living in an Old Town ARHA property. In the new filing, Johnson alleges that ARHA facilitated his move into the property and was trying to protect itself by pleading ignorance when it sent ALXnow a statement claiming it was unaware he lived there.

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Project leaders break ground on Samuel Madden Homes affordable apartment complex

By James Cullum

Published November 12, 2025 at 3:45PM

Groundbreaking for the 204-unit affordable housing apartment complex Samuel Madden Homes, Nov. 12, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

City and public housing leaders joined developers today (Wednesday) to break ground on the Samuel Madden Homes affordable housing apartment complex in Old Town.

The project will replace the former 66-unit public housing apartment complex with 532 new affordable homes across two phases. The first phase, costing $120 million, will redevelop the site into 207 units of affordable and mixed-income housing, with an estimated completion date of fall 2027.

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Alexandria City Council appoints six new ARHA commissioners day after mass resignations

By Ryan Belmore

Published October 15, 2025 at 7:31PM | Updated October 15, 2025 at 8:13PM

Alexandria City Council holds a special meeting Wednesday night to appoint six new ARHA commissioners following the mass resignations of the previous board. (Ryan Belmore/ALXnow)

Alexandria City Council appointed six new commissioners to the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority board during a special meeting on Wednesday night, one day after eight of nine board members resigned under pressure from city leaders.

The emergency appointments aim to restore the functioning of ARHA’s governing board, which oversees more than 1,100 public housing units and serves over 2,700 residents through various programs.

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Morning Notes for October 15, 2025

By Ryan Belmore

Published October 15, 2025 at 7:15AM

Tall Ship Providence in Alexandria (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

On This Day: Alexandria’s Role in Creating Arlington National Cemetery — On this day in 1862, Alexandria leased land at the west end of Wilkes Street to the Federal government, establishing the nation’s first military cemetery. As Civil War casualties mounted, the cemetery filled rapidly—nearly 4,000 graves within a year, mostly soldiers who died while receiving medical care in the city. When burial space ran out, Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs proposed a solution that would become iconic: burying the war dead on the grounds of Arlington House, Robert E. Lee’s vacated estate. That decision gave birth to Arlington National Cemetery. [Historic Alexandria]

Eight ARHA Commissioners Resign Ahead of Deadline — Eight of nine Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority commissioners resigned Tuesday in response to a demand from Mayor Alyia Gaskins and City Council that they step down by today’s deadline or face formal removal proceedings. City Council will meet today at 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers to vote on an emergency ordinance amending the city code and make immediate appointments to the Board. [ALXnow]

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Eight Alexandria housing commissioners resign after Mayor, City Council demand their departure

By Ryan Belmore

Published October 14, 2025 at 7:27PM | Updated October 17, 2025 at 2:17PM

ARHA properties in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

UPDATE (Oct. 15, 7:35 p.m.): Alexandria City Council unanimously appointed six new commissioners to the ARHA board during an emergency special meeting Wednesday night, with three seats remaining open for future appointments. Read the full story here: Alexandria City Council appoints six new ARHA commissioners day after mass resignations

Eight of nine Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority commissioners resigned Tuesday in response to a demand from Mayor Alyia Gaskins and City Council that they step down by today’s deadline or face formal removal proceedings.