ARHA | ALXnow - Part 2

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

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.

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ARHA board terminates CEO amid ongoing investigation into public housing residency

By Ryan Belmore

Published September 12, 2025 at 9:53AM

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 of Commissioners voted during a special meeting on Wednesday to terminate CEO Erik Johnson, effective immediately, ending a weeks-long controversy over his unauthorized stay in a public housing unit.

The decision comes as an independent investigation into Johnson’s actions continues, according to a statement released by the board on Friday.

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ARHA deputy director takes over as interim CEO amid controversy

By James Cullum

Published September 4, 2025 at 11:45AM

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

While its current CEO is on probation and under investigation for living in a public housing property under his management, the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority is being led by an interim CEO, ALXnow has confirmed.

Last month, ALXnow reported that ARHA CEO Erik Johnson was living in an ARHA property, prompting the Alexandria City Council to call for an independent investigation. ARHA has since confirmed that its Deputy Executive Director Rickie C. Maddox is currently working as the organization’s interim CEO.

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GSA searching for Alexandria office space leads this week’s top stories

By James Cullum

Published August 29, 2025 at 3:30PM

National Science Foundation at 2415 Eisenhower Avenue in Alexandria's Carlyle neighborhood (via NSF)

It’s been quite a week in Alexandria. Here’s a rundown of our most-read stories.

Our top story is on the General Services Administration launching an official search for office space in Alexandria to relocate the National Science Foundation after the agency was displaced from its Eisenhower Avenue headquarters. In a presolicitation notice, GSA announced it needs between 240,000 and 280,000 square feet of Class A office space for a 48-month lease, with occupancy required by the end of November.

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ARHA board places CEO on probation, hires law firm for investigation

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 27, 2025 at 9:44AM | Updated August 27, 2025 at 3:07PM

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 of Commissioners took decisive action Wednesday morning, voting to hire an independent law firm to investigate CEO Erik Johnson and placing him on probationary status with a final warning.

The board convened a special meeting at 8 a.m., one day after Mayor Alyia Gaskins sent a letter on behalf of City Council demanding a third-party investigation into Johnson’s residency in public housing.

News

City Council demands ARHA investigation ahead of emergency board meeting

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 27, 2025 at 6:00AM | Updated August 27, 2025 at 11:10AM

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 will convene a special board meeting this morning at 8 a.m. to discuss a personnel matter in executive session, one day after Mayor Alyia Gaskins sent a letter on behalf of City Council demanding a third-party investigation into CEO Erik Johnson’s residency in public housing.

In a four-page letter sent Tuesday to ARHA Board Chair Anitra Androh, Gaskins called for an independent investigation into three specific areas: Johnson’s actions, ARHA’s compliance with all applicable laws related to properties the authority owns and manages, and ARHA’s finances, including an independent financial audit.

News

ARHA to hold special board meeting Wednesday for personnel matter

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 25, 2025 at 10:00AM

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

The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority will convene a special board meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 8 a.m. to discuss a personnel matter in executive session.

The meeting will be held virtually only via Zoom, according to a public notice posted on the city’s calendar system. The session is scheduled to run until 10 a.m.

News

Woman found dead during eviction tops week’s news in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published August 22, 2025 at 3:30PM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

It’s been an intense week in Alexandria. Here’s a look at our top stories.

Our most-read story is on a woman found dead outside her apartment during an eviction process on Wednesday, Aug. 19. The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office reported on social media that deputies were conducting an eviction at an apartment at 400 Madison Street at around 9 a.m., when they found the adult woman dead outside the building. The woman’s identity and the circumstances surrounding her death have not been released.

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Alexandria council member calls for investigation into housing authority CEO living in public housing

By James Cullum

Published August 20, 2025 at 2:45PM | Updated August 21, 2025 at 1:18PM

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

A member of the Alexandria City Council has called for an immediate investigation into how Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) CEO Erik Johnson lived in a public housing property with his family in Old Town.

Johnson confirmed Wednesday that he moved into a property on Cook Street in July and is in the process of moving out. Johnson said that he was alerted that it was an issue by an ARHA Board member. Johnson was hired a year ago and started work in Sept. 2024.

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Alexandria housing authority tenants protest poor conditions, delayed repairs

By James Cullum

Published August 20, 2025 at 1:50PM | Updated August 21, 2025 at 4:37AM

Former City Council Member and Congressional candidate Mo Seifeldein shouts at ARHA CEO Erik Johnson at a protest outside the public housing authority's headquarters, Aug. 20, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

More than a dozen current and former Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) tenants protested unfair treatment from their landlord at ARHA headquarters (401 Wythe Street) Wednesday, Aug. 20.

The protestors held signs and shouted at ARHA CEO Erik Johnson and his staff. Johnson, who made a statement addressing resident concerns last week, told ALXnow that he inherited the organization’s problems when he started the job 11 months ago. He also acknowledged that residents have faced challenges, including delayed rental payments from ARHA to landlords, paperwork backlogs, caseworker abandonment, and more.

News

ARHA CEO responds to tenant complaints, acknowledges past challenges

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 15, 2025 at 8:47AM

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

Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority CEO Erik C. Johnson issued a lengthy statement Thursday morning acknowledging “valid” tenant concerns and detailing reforms implemented since he took the helm in September 2024.

The statement comes two days after ALXnow reported that tenants plan to protest on Wednesday, Aug. 20, at ARHA headquarters over delayed payments, service issues, and other problems.