ARHA | ALXnow - Part 3

Alexandria housing authority tenants protest poor conditions, delayed repairs

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.

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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.

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ARHA tenants plan protest over delayed payments, service issues

By James Cullum

Published August 13, 2025 at 6:15PM | Updated August 15, 2025 at 8:40AM

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

Tenants from several Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority apartments will stage a protest next week at ARHA headquarters (401 Wythe Street) in Old Town.

The tenants are protesting “ongoing issues,” alleging delayed rental payments from ARHA to landlords, paperwork backlogs, caseworker abandonment, and more. The protest will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20.

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ARHA completes $56.8M purchase of senior facility for Ladrey residents

By Ryan Belmore

Published August 7, 2025 at 2:30PM

Alate Old Town, 1112 First Street (via Facebook)

The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority has completed its $56.8 million purchase of a senior living facility to house residents from a deteriorating high-rise, abandoning plans to demolish and rebuild the aging property.

ARHA closed Tuesday on The Alate Old Town Senior Living Facility at 1122 North First Street, which will house 110 age-eligible residents from the Ladrey Senior High-Rise at 300 Wythe Street. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development terminated operating support for Ladrey and issued vouchers to relocate its 168 residents.

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ARHA asks city to back loan for ‘Silver Fox’ senior housing complex

By James Cullum

Published June 11, 2025 at 7:45PM

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 City Council has mixed feelings about serving as a cosigner for the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s plan to keep its senior residents in the city.

Faced with a $40 million budget shortfall, ARHA abandoned plans to replace the aging 11-story, 170-unit Ladrey Senior High-Rise with a six-to-seven-story 270-unit L-shaped building. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development subsequently ended its operating support for building management and maintenance, issuing vouchers for the relocation of Ladrey’s residents by the end of the year.

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CEO of ARHA says deal to buy senior apartment building in Braddock neighborhood is ‘serendipity’

By James Cullum

Published June 10, 2025 at 1:20PM

Alate Old Town, 1112 First Street (via Facebook)

With 167 senior residents and a police officer being forced out of the Ladrey Senior High-Rise by the end of the year, Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority CEO Erik C. Johnson says there’s actually an opportunity to capitalize on the situation.

“This comes down to whether or not the city is going to support seniors the way that we want to support seniors,” Johnson told ALXnow. “We’re not asking the city to finance it, nor is the city taking a first position loss in the event that something goes wrong.”

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JUST IN: Ladrey Senior Hi-Rise redevelopment abandoned, HUD holds back funding and residents are being forced out

By James Cullum

Published June 6, 2025 at 1:15PM

A rendering of the Ladrey High-Rise on Fairfax Street (via ARHA)

Plans to redevelop the Ladrey Senior Hi-Rise in Old Town have been deemed “infeasible” by the property owner, the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has “terminated operating support for building management and maintenance” due to delays in the redevelopment, and now ARHA plans on moving more than 150 residents out of the 1970s-era building by the end of the year. Consequently, ARHA wants the city to back loans to acquire The Alate (1122 First Street), a recently built senior housing apartment building in the Braddock neighborhood, for the relocation of Ladrey Senior Hi-Rise residents.

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No bond for man who allegedly shot at fleeing car in Alexandria’s West End

By James Cullum

Published March 7, 2025 at 3:00PM

Alexandria police drive down E. Reed Avenue in Alexandria, Jan. 6, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

A 39-year-old Alexandria man is being held without bond and goes to court this month after allegedly firing a handgun at three people in a fleeing vehicle in the West End.

The chilling incident occurred on Jan. 6 – the same day as a snowstorm that shut down the city and closed the school system.

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Arrest made after man shot multiple times in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published December 23, 2024 at 8:30AM | Updated December 23, 2024 at 7:18PM

A man was shot at 300 Wythe Street in Old Town on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

A 32-year-old man was shot multiple times in Old Town Sunday night, and soon afterward the Alexandria Police Department arrested a person of interest and found a handgun hidden in bushes.

APD was called just after 8 p.m. for the report of a man shot multiple times in the area of the Ladrey Senior Hi-Rise at 300 Wythe Street.

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Alexandria’s Housing Authority needs toys for Winter Wonderland event this weekend

By Vernon Miles

Published December 11, 2024 at 2:50PM

Santa's Winder Wonderland 2020 (photo via Hearts of Empowerment/Facebook)

The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) is asking for help in making the holidays special for some local kids this weekend.

ARHA is collecting toys for its 15th annual Santa’s Winter Wonderland this weekend, in which children 17 and under who are members of ARHA households receive gifts from Santa.

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ARHA provides glimpse into Andrew Adkins redevelopment aims in new Five-Year Plan

By Vernon Miles

Published August 20, 2024 at 3:55PM

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

The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) — now with a new CEO — will be going public with ambitious expansion plans next month.

There’s a lot in ARHA’s FY 2025 Five-Year Plan. A lot of it is vague statements about reaffirming the organization’s commitment to providing public housing and continuing mixed-income partnerships, but the plan also provides details about some specific plans to expand the public housing authority’s footprint in the city.