The acting director of Alexandria’s Office of Housing has been chosen to fill the permanent role.
City Manager Jim Parajon appointed Aspasia Xypolia as director of the Office of Housing, the city announced today (Sept. 10). The city had conducted a national search to fill the role after former director Helen McIlvaine announced her retirement at the end of April.
Despite a year-over-year decline, median Alexandria apartment costs remain 15% above pre-pandemic rates and 26% higher than the mid-Covid low, according to new data.
August’s median city rental rates were $2,019 for one-bedroom units, $2,481 for two bedrooms and $2,205 overall, according to figures reported Aug. 26 by Apartment List.
Home sales and average sales prices across Alexandria showed year-over-year stability in July, according to new data, but the figures point to potential softening.
A total of 170 properties went to closing last month, down slightly from 174 in July 2025. That’s according to figures reported Aug. 11 by the region’s multiple-listing service Bright MLS, based on figures from MarketStats by ShowingTime.
Average Alexandria apartment sizes are holding steady while newly built rental units nationally are gaining in size, according to new data.
The typical unit in a multifamily apartment building citywide constructed between 2016 and 2025 totaled 856 square feet, essentially unchanged from the 859 square feet for units built between 2006 and 2015.
A solar panel installation program championed by Virginia’s governor is gaining traction in Alexandria and other areas of the state as homeowners look for ways to address rising electricity costs.
Switch Together, a bulk purchasing initiative to connect residents to solar installers, was recently expanded from Northern Virginia to other parts of the state. It was previously only open in Fairfax and Arlington counties, with Alexandria joining the roster last summer.
Alexandria apartment rents have increased since the start of the year but remain below the market’s mid-2025 peak costs, according to a new analysis.
The median citywide apartment rent of $2,230 in July — $2,042 for one-bedroom units and $2,508 for two bedrooms — was down 2.7% from a year before, according to data released July 29 by Apartment List.
Roy Priest, the former longtime CEO of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority, has been named the interim CEO until a permanent successor is chosen, the organization announced this week.
Priest was CEO of Alexandria’s public housing authority from 2006 to 2017, and his temporary reinstatement follows last month’s resignation of interim CEO Rickie Maddox. Priest started work on July 7 and will act as interim CEO for five or six months until the ARHA Board fills the permanent CEO position, ARHA Board Chair Mark Jinks told ALXnow in an email.
Despite a relatively weak June report, Alexandria saw a 6.2% year-over-year increase in home sales during the first six months of the year.
A total of 1,063 residential properties changed hands from January to June, up from 1,001 in 2025, according to figures reported July 10 by MarketStats by ShowingTime.
While down year over year, Alexandria’s median apartment rental rate is still more than 16% above the onset of the pandemic and 28% more than during the worst of Covid-19.
The city’s median rent of $2,234 — $2,046 for one-bedroom units, $2,513 for two bedrooms — was down 3.1% in June from a year before, according to figures released June 30 by Apartment List.
Alexandria’s median apartment rental cost is up 3.7% since the start of the year and stands about 3.6% higher than the metro area’s median costs, according to new data.
The city’s median apartment rental cost of $2,239 in May — $2,050 for one-bedroom units and $2,518 for two bedrooms — was up 0.6% from April, another sign that the market ramped up as winter gave way to spring.
This story was updated with additional details and a new rendering from a Carr spokesperson.
Plans for a new Italian restaurant and a café are progressing in Old Town North, with both expected to open early next year.
