ARHA | ALXnow - Part 6

Samuel Madden development headed to BAR review with mixed reception in staff report

Published May 16, 2022 at 10:00AM | Updated October 11, 2022 at 10:42AM

Rendering of new proposed Samuel Madden development (image courtesy ARHA)

The Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority (ARHA) is getting ready to tear down a cluster of affordable garden apartments in Parker-Gray and turn the lots into a larger mixed-use development.

Samuel Madden Homes at 899 & 999 North Henry Street currently comprises 13 two-story garden apartments built in 1945 with 66 affordable housing units. The homes were build to house defense workers during WWII and were transferred to ARHA’s predecessor in 1947. The plan is to demolish and redevelop on the site with two new buildings with 500 residential units

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ARHA lays out plans for new North Old Town affordable housing development

By Vernon Miles

Published November 9, 2021 at 1:15PM | Updated November 10, 2021 at 1:50AM

Rendering of new proposed Samuel Madden development (image courtesy ARHA)

(Updated 1:50 a.m.) The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority announced some next steps as it works to transform the Samuel Madden Homes (921 N. Henry Street) in the Braddock neighborhood into a mixed-income, mixed-use rental community.

There are currently 66 public housing units in a neighborhood at the northern point of where Route 1 splits into N. Patrick and N. Henry streets. It’s an area overshadowed by the larger, higher-density developments to the east and west. A press release said the development would double the number of affordable units.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

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]

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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.

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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.

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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]

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‘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.”

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.