The city is requesting a $1.73 million in funding from Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to finance a wide series of programs aimed at improving the city’s affordable housing.
A release from the City of Alexandria said the funding would go to improvements under the Rental Accessibility Modification Program (RAMP). RAMP provides accessibility modifications to rental units occupied by low and moderate income tenants at no cost to the tenant or landlord.
Alexandria commemorated the 100 year anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment on Tuesday with a socially distant ceremony outside the Kate Waller Barrett Library.
Mayor Justin Wilson read a city proclamation that recounted the dozens of suffragists who were imprisoned, tortured and ultimately released from the Occoquan Workhouse after their case was thrown out in the federal courthouse in Alexandria.
Alexandria is hosting an online open house this Wednesday to try to connect local families with an affordable range of child care options.
A virtual open house is scheduled for August 19 from 7-8:30 p.m. on Zoom. Participants can register online to receive a link to the Zoom call.
The Alexandria City Council will receive a staff proposal next month on a community police review board, and Councilman Mo Seifeldein says he wants the body to have independent investigative authority and subpoena power in investigating police misconduct.
“Don’t abuse your power is what it comes down to,” Seifeldein said in a virtual meeting on Tuesday night. “The board could receive complaints that deal with abuse of power, serious misconduct… unnecessary force, unreasonable excessive use of force, use of racial, ethnic or sexual language/ remarks or just harassment, generally.”
U.S. Senator Kamala Harris was named Joe Biden’s vice presidential candidate on Tuesday, and some in the deeply blue Alexandria are celebrating.
Alexandria Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) said Harris is a powerful and historic choice.
(Updated 4:15 p.m.) After a week with two flood warnings, the city is reminding residents that a program is available for the city to cover half the costs for sewer backflow prevention — a source of much of the city’s flooding problems.
The Backflow Preventer (BFP) Assistance Program reimburses homeowners for up to 50% of the costs of installing a BFP device by a licensed plumbing contractor for up to a maximum of $2,000.
A series of new improvements to Alexandria’s Union Station — a Virginia Railway Express stop — proposed late last year are moving forward toward city approval.
The plan is to create new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant access with a grade-separated pedestrian tunnel and elevator access. The expansion will also allow the station to take two trains at any given time, with one at each platform. The change is part of a regional effort to reduce the system’s bottleneck around the D.C. area.
The City of Alexandria is back on the right track for the percentage of positive coronavirus testing, at least for now.
Percent positive — or the number people with a positive test result out of all those tested — is one of the more reliable ways of assessing the spread of the virus and the reach of testing, according to John Hopkins University. As the state began to consider reopening, a prolonged decrease in new cases was cited as one of the requirements for reopening.
Though narrowly missing historic records, Alexandria is still embroiled in a region-wide heatwave that has seen temperatures reach the upper 90s.
To help locals handle the heat, the City of Alexandria has announced that it is offering cooling centers to residents — areas where people can check-in and stay to avoid high midday temperatures.
It’s hard to argue that the implementation of accessory dwelling units (ADU) in Arlington was a resounding success, and as Alexandria looks to move forward with implementing its own new ADU policy it is hoping to avoid the mistakes of its northern neighbor.
Tina Stacy, a housing economist at the Urban Institute, said in a meeting on Tuesday that the city is gathering public feedback on hopes or concerns regarding ADUs. So far, there have been 240 responses from Alexandrians. Stacey admitted that conversation right now is largely driven by homeowners in the Seminary Hill area.
Temporary waivers granted to local businesses back in April will be extended — easing at least once concern while countless restaurants and retail locations struggle with low sales.
The extended waivers will allow local restaurants to operate delivery services, sidewalk vending, and more. These permits will now be valid until Nov. 22.
