Housing | ALXnow

ARHA appoints former longtime CEO as interim amid national search

Published July 17, 2026 at 1:45PM

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

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.

News

Alexandria average home price tops $850K as sales rise during 2026’s first half

By Scott McCaffrey

Published July 13, 2026 at 9:15AM

Real estate home interior (via Kenny Eliason/Unsplash)

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.

News

Alexandria apartment rents dip but remain well above pre-Covid levels

By Scott McCaffrey

Published July 2, 2026 at 9:15AM

Apartment living (via Brian Zajac/Unsplash)

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.

News

Alexandria’s rents up nearly 4% since start of year but remain lower than 2025 figures

By Scott McCaffrey

Published June 1, 2026 at 9:15AM

The Alexandria skyline (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

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.

Around Town

Italian restaurant and new café aim for early 2027 openings in Old Town North

By Katie Taranto

Published May 19, 2026 at 1:45PM

Rendering of redeveloped 425 Montgomery Street (via Carr Properties)

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.

News

Buyers, sellers active as Alexandria sees strong April home sales data

By Scott McCaffrey

Published May 13, 2026 at 11:45AM

Townhomes on the Potomac River in Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria real estate market saw a strong start to spring, with April sales up 33% year over year.

A total of 217 properties went to closing during the month, according to data from MarketStats by ShowingTime.

News

Median Alexandria rent grows from start of year but still lags 2025 figures

By Scott McCaffrey

Published May 4, 2026 at 9:15AM

Notch 8 apartments in Potomac Yard (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria’s median apartment rent rose for the fourth consecutive month in April but stands 3% lower than at the same point in 2025, according to new data.

The median apartment rental rate was $2,224 for the month — $2,040 for one-bedroom units and $2,506 for two bedrooms — according to new data from Apartment List.

News

Spanberger signs Alexandria legislators’ bills on guns, immigration, national popular vote

By Emily Leayman

Published April 14, 2026 at 12:30PM | Updated April 14, 2026 at 1:43PM

(Left to right) Virginia House Majority Leader Del. Charniele Herring (D-4th), State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39th) and Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3rd) at the Alexandria Democratic Committee's Labor Day Picnic at The Garden Alexandria, 5380 Eisenhower Avenue, Sept. 1, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Numerous pieces of legislation from Alexandria lawmakers are officially set to become law or are heading back to the General Assembly with amendments after action by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D).

Among the approximately 1,200 bills passed out of the 2026 session, legislation on guns, housing, the national popular vote, energy and immigration enforcement all came by way of state senators and delegates representing Alexandria. Most signed bills will take effect on July 1, 2026, unless otherwise specified.

News

Alexandria’s home sales stable, prices see mixed results in early 2026

By Scott McCaffrey

Published April 14, 2026 at 9:15AM

Real estate home interior (via Francesca Tosolini/Unsplash)

First-quarter home sales were flat across Alexandria while pricing data was mixed, according to new data.

A total of 401 city properties went to closing between Jan. 1 and March 31, up three homes — 0.8% — from the 398 transactions during the same period a year before, according to data reported April 11 by MarketStats by ShowingTime.

News

Alexandria’s apartment rents are rising again but remain below 2025 costs

By Scott McCaffrey

Published April 2, 2026 at 8:30AM

The Stratford apartment complex at Southern Towers (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria’s median apartment rental rate in March was up 2.5% during the first quarter of 2026 but remains 2.7% below where it stood a year ago.

The median citywide rental rate was $2,032 for one-bedroom units, $2,497 for two bedrooms and $2,219 overall, according to figures reported March 30 by Apartment List.

News

Gov. Spanberger signs first group of bills on housing, health care, energy

By Emily Leayman

Published April 1, 2026 at 8:30AM

Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs bills on March 31, 2026 (via Office of the Governor of Virginia)

After more than 1,200 bills passed in the Virginia General Assembly, Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed the first set of bills tackling several areas of affordability.

The governor’s action marks the first major set of bills signed from the 2026 General Assembly session. Spanberger had previously signed voter referendum legislation allowing mid-decade congressional redistricting to go before voters on April 21. The signed bills address housing, health care and energy.