ARHA | ALXnow - Part 6

Morning Notes

Published July 20, 2021 at 5:00AM

Two ARHA residents receive $6,000 college scholarships — “Two Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) residents have been awarded $6,000 scholarships for the upcoming school year, thanks to the Resident Scholarship Program from the Housing Authority Insurance (HAI) Group. This is the second consecutive year Natasha Cross has been selected for the funding… Yonael Tekleberhan, a senior at Virginia Commonwealth University majoring in Business is the second awardee.” [ARHA]

Del Ray Citizens Association hosting community pizza party Thursday — Come on out and join us this Thursday July 22 from 5 – 7pm at Del Ray Pizzeria, where the DRCA will be hosting a Del Ray Citizens Association Meet & Greet Pizza Party! Hang out with your fellow Del Ray superfans and enjoy some pizza, salad, tots, fries, and special happy hour pricing. DRP has set us up in the bar space, so we can enjoy some much-needed air conditioning. For those who may feel more comfortable socializing outdoors, we’re also working to set up a ‘spillover’ table in the Lot behind the restaurant.” [DRCA]

News

ARHA documents outline affordable housing organization’s shift toward rental-assistance

By Vernon Miles

Published July 13, 2021 at 4:45PM

Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s (ARHA) newly released Annual Agency Plan outlines the public agencies ongoing efforts at modernization and acquisition of affordable units in Old Town, with a particular focus on being more involved in rental-assistance programs.

The plan outlines areas of change for the organization, with the organization required to explain new activities in the current fiscal year. This year, one of those categories involves changes in “Mixed Finance Modernization or Development”. In its explanation, the document explained that ARHA is continuing to work on demolition of older units under Housing and Urban Development code Section 18 and rental assistance demonstration — rental assistance that ensures existing low-income units remain affordable — of others.

News

ARHA aims to convert Old Town public housing properties to resemble the mixed-use ‘Lineage’ development

By James Cullum

Published May 18, 2021 at 2:00PM

The CEO of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority says that significant changes in federal funding will lay the foundation to redevelop all of its public housing sites in the style of the recently unveiled Lineage development.

ARHA recently announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will convert the 213 units at three sites — Ladrey High-Rise, Park Place, and Saxony Square — from public housing funding to Housing Choice Voucher funding.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published April 26, 2021 at 5:00AM

T.C. Williams completes comeback to win school’s first volleyball state championship — “For a moment, T.C. Williams sophomore Milan Rex was scared. The Titans were trailing Kellam two sets to one in the Virginia Class 6 championship Friday in Alexandria, and the chance at a perfect season seemed to be fading. Coach A.J. DeSain reminded the Titans they belonged in this moment, enabling Rex to lock in. She then powered T.C. Williams to a 23-25, 25-19, 18-25, 25-19, 17-15 victory — the program’s first state title. [Washington Post]

Mayor Wilson defends donation from Planning Commission Chair — “Planning Commission Chair Nathan Macek gave Wilson a donation the day after Wilson voted with the majority of council to reappoint Macek to his post. Macek’s employer, the engineering firm WSP, has played a leading role in numerous large projects in Alexandria, including the under-construction Potomac Yard Metro.” [Alex Times]

News

‘Lineage’ affordable apartment complex unveiled at former Ramsey Homes site in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published April 20, 2021 at 1:15PM

ARHA and the City of Alexandria host a ribbon-cutting event for the Lineage, a new 52 unit affordable housing complex on North Patrick Street. (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Four years of development came to a close Tuesday as the Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority cut the ribbon on Lineage, a 52-unit affordable apartment complex at the former Ramsey Homes site in Old Town.

“It’s about helping people that need affordable housing, and that’s the passion of mine, given that I’m a product of public housing,” ARHA CEO Keith Pettigrew said, adding that he thought the project would be easy when he started his job four years ago. “I was led to believe that Ramsey was easy, but it was anything but easy, and being in this industry for as long as I have I should have known better, but I didn’t.”

News

ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published April 9, 2021 at 3:35PM | Updated April 12, 2021 at 11:26AM

It was a historic week in Alexandria. Here are some of the highlights.

President Joe Biden visited the Neighborhood Health COVID-19 vaccine site at Virginia Theological Seminary on Tuesday, just before announcing that the date for adults to get access to the vaccine has been moved to April 19.

News

Crime increase prompts ARHA to install security cameras in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published April 7, 2021 at 4:45PM

Police car lights (file photo)

After a number of its Old Town properties were hit by bullets Tuesday night, the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority announced it is installing security cameras.

“We are installing cameras at our properties to send the signal that if you commit a crime at an ARHA site there’s a good chance a camera will capture it,” ARHA CEO Keith Pettigrew said in a statement. “During our regular virtual townhalls, residents raised their concerns. That’s when we decided to do two things, install more cameras and identify several residents at each property to join a committee to start sharing information with each other to improve their neighborhoods by getting more involved.”

News

90 Seniors Get Second Vaccine Doses at Ladrey Senior Highrise in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published February 23, 2021 at 3:35PM | Updated February 23, 2021 at 4:14PM

Ladrey resident received his second vaccine shot on Saturday, February 20, at a vaccination POD (point of dispensing) event at the high-rise’s community room. (Photo via ARHA)

A number of residents of the Ladrey Senior Highrise Apartments in Old Town received their second doses of the coronavirus vaccine on Saturday.

Delores Tyler was one of about 90 residents who got her second shot.

News

Affordable Housing Applications Flood in as ARHA Opens Waitlist

By Vernon Miles

Published February 22, 2021 at 11:45AM

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

Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority reopened its waitlist for affordable housing in the city and within two days the organization said around 45,000 individuals had applied.

The surge in demand for affordable housing comes after months of job loss and high unemployment. Those numbers are gradually recovering, but are still significantly higher than pre-pandemic figures. The opening also comes after almost a decade of the organization sorting through a backlog.

News

ARHA Reopening Public Housing Waitlist Next Week

By Vernon Miles

Published January 7, 2021 at 4:30PM

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

The Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority (ARHA) is opening the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) and Public Housing waitlists, according to a press release.

From Jan. 11-Jan. 13, Alexandrians can submit applications for public housing. due to the pandemic, ARHA will only accept applications electronically. Exceptions can be made for those who are disabled and unable to fill out applications electronically.

News

Alexandria Man Arrested for Car Theft, Roommate Admits Forging Check

By James Cullum

Published November 5, 2020 at 3:45PM | Updated December 30, 2020 at 4:27PM

A 33-year-old Alexandria man is being held without bond for stealing a car in the West End last month and being a fugitive of justice.

The woman that he lives with in Old Town also admitted to police that she forged a $300 check that the suspect gave her earlier this year, although she has not yet been charged.