ACT for Alexandria has done it again. On Wednesday, Spring2ACTion, the biggest day of giving in Alexandria, raised more than $3.4 million for 198 area nonprofits.
Spring2ACTion is the main annual fundraiser for most participating nonprofits. ACT for Alexandria eclipsed its $2.5 million goal for the event, which drew participation from more than 7,000 donors, 198 nonprofits and more than 60 businesses.
Additional affordable housing units will come online soon in the city’s Arlandria and Eisenhower Avenue neighborhoods.
Housing Alexandria will open the wait list for the first phase of the Sansé affordable housing development from April 20 to 26. In August, 206 affordable units ranging from one to three bedrooms will be ready for occupancy at 3600 Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria-Chirilagua. A mix of 24 one-bedroom, one-bedroom-with-den and two-bedroom units will be accessible.
Alexandria City Council approved a $4 million loan yesterday (Tuesday) for Naja, the second and final phase of Housing Alexandria’s affordable housing project being built at the intersection of Mount Vernon Avenue and Glebe Road in Arlandria.
The $4 million City Housing Opportunities Fund loan is the final installment of the city funding package for Sansé and Naja, which will have 495 affordable housing units and more than 20,000 square feet of commercial space. City Council also approved $400,000 in rental subsidies for eight units at Naja. Before Tuesday’s approval, the city’s funding support for the project had totaled $79.7 million, according to a city staff memo.
Housing Alexandria is hosting a “laid-back gala” next month with music, games and food.
This year, the annual fundraising event will be held Thursday, Oct. 9, from 4 to 8 p.m. at The Garden Alexandria (5380 Eisenhower Avenue) and will celebrate the nonprofit’s completion of the Cardinal Path Homes project. The project provides 36 townhomes and condos to first-time homebuyers, available via lottery.
Alexandria is seeking feedback on its 15-year plan to address affordable housing issues. Once approved, the Housing 2040 Master Plan will provide City Council and staff with clear goals, strategies, and direction on the city’s housing plans. The city is hosting an open house this Monday (Sept. 8) to get feedback on Housing 2040 draft recommendations for landlord-tenant rights and resources, and homeownership programs in the city. The event will be held at the Minnie Howard Campus of Alexandria City High School (3775 W. Braddock Road) from 6 to 7 p.m., and registration is encouraged.
The current master plan is set to expire in 2025. The new plan will require a 2024 housing needs assessment from the city, and input from residents to “establish new housing affordability goals and examine housing policies, programs, and tools to support all Alexandria residents and workers,” according to the city.
Housing Alexandria recently hosted its annual summer garden celebrations at two Alexandria community garden sites, marking four years of community engagement and nearly a decade of urban food production.
The events took place at The Station at Potomac Yard and The Bloom at Braddock, featuring garden tours, family activities, refreshments, mural painting, and a petting zoo. Residents, volunteers, and staff gathered to celebrate the organization’s commitment to urban agriculture and food equity.
Housing Alexandria has rebranded its Seminary Road development as Cardinal Path, bringing 31 affordable townhomes to Alexandria with prices starting at $365,000 for qualifying first-time homebuyers.
The nonprofit announced Thursday that the development at 4575 Seminary Road will offer a mix of 16 two-bedroom, two-bathroom units priced at $365,000 and 15 three-bedroom, two-bathroom units at $395,000. The development also includes five single-story, elevator-accessible condominium flats, bringing the total homeownership units to 36.
Housing Alexandria, a nonprofit focused on affordable housing, has launched Rent Ready, a new online application system that makes it easier to apply for affordable housing.
The platform tackles common hurdles in the application process, such as confusing language, too much paperwork, and complex eligibility rules.
Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!
⛈️ Today’s weather: Showers, mainly before noon. High near 61 degrees. East wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. The chance of precipitation is 100%—new precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch are possible. Tonight – Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 1 a.m., then isolated showers between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Patchy fog after 9 p.m. Low around 56 degrees. East wind 5 to 9 mph becoming calm after midnight. The chance of precipitation is 80%—new precipitation amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, except higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms.
With nearly 900 existing affordable housing units and growing, Housing Alexandria is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
The nonprofit announced its 20th anniversary this week, a milestone for a city where expenses are otherwise high.
