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‘Faith in Housing’ bill on by-right affordable housing will require new ordinance in Alexandria

By Emily Leayman
Virginia State Capitol in Richmond (staff photo)

A bill allowing church-based by-right housing development and several other laws passed during the 2026 Virginia General Assembly will require or allow local action, according to a presentation to Alexandria City Council last week (May 12).

Wendy Ginsberg, the city’s legislative director, provided an update on key bills the city has been tracking or will be impacted by during City Council’s May 12 meeting. Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, which means localities can only use authority granted through state law.

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BPOL tax increase, no new ACPS funding in City Council’s add/deletes as budget vote nears

By James Cullum
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins in Council Chambers, April 8, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Council members have submitted their proposed additions — and one deletion — in their Fiscal Year 2027 budget deliberations.

The proposed additions to the budget include a 5-cent increase to the city’s Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL) tax; $200,000 for a jail operational efficiency study; and $350,000 for improvements to the pedestrian zone in the 200 block of King Street.

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

By Emily Leayman
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.

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City Council sets one-cent tax hike as ceiling for budget talks

By James Cullum
Alexandria City Council Member John Taylor Chapman (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria’s City Council set a one-cent ceiling for the city’s real estate tax rate on Tuesday night.

City Councilman John Taylor Chapman made the motion to increase the ceiling, which is not the final adopted tax rate. While City Manager Jim Parajon’s proposed $977 million Fiscal Year 2027 budget has no tax increase, the one-cent ceiling gives the city more options in crafting the budget, which is set for a final council vote on April 29.

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Alexandria residents fuel 3.4% rise in tax base, new assessments show

By James Cullum
A street lined with American flags in Old Town, Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

The gap between Alexandria’s residential and commercial tax bases continues to grow, with residents shouldering more of the city’s tax burden, according to the city’s released real estate tax assessments.

As of Jan. 1, Alexandria’s overall tax base increased by 3.4% in value, or nearly $1.7 billion, to reach $51.4 billion in 2026. The city’s residential tax base increased by 4.4% in value, or $1.4 billion, while the commercial tax base gained $334.8 million in value, up 1.9%, and the non-locally assessed tax base declined by $20.5 million, dropping 2.8%.

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News

Key legislator: Getting more transit funding from legislature may prove ‘hard sell’

By Scott McCaffrey
Alexandria Transit Company (photo courtesy DASH)

Northern Virginia’s local and legislative leaders are preparing for a full-court press — and perhaps an uphill battle — in wringing additional transit funding out of the General Assembly.

Aimee Seibert, a lobbyist for the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, said at the commission’s Dec. 4 monthly meeting that four different bills, two in each house of the legislature, are being prepared for consideration as part of an effort to add nearly a half-billion dollars annually in regional transit funding.

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Facing financial decline, Alexandria releases new draft plan for economic growth

By James Cullum
A 'Shop Local' sign in the 200 block of King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Facing a decline in job growth, a struggling commercial real estate market and a climbing population, today (Friday) Alexandria released the draft of its first economic development strategy in nearly two decades.

The 63-page ALX Forward draft plan makes a number of recommends to reverse negative trends, including leveraging economic opportunities in Old Town North, Eisenhower East, the West End, and Potomac Yard; retaining local businesses and attracting high-growth industries like artificial intelligence firms; and strengthening support for the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

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News

Sen. Ebbin scores victory as his transit-funding panel sends its plan to legislature

By Scott McCaffrey
Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-39, chairing last SJ28 Subcommittee meeting (screenshot via SJ28 Subcommittee)

For Sen. Adam Ebbin, the task of securing dedicated revenue streams for Northern Virginia transit is now 50% complete, as the region’s transit subcommittee approved a new spending package proposal this week.

In conversations with the Northern Virginia Growing Needs of Public Transit Joint Subcommittee, Ebbin (D-39) successfully shepherded near-unanimous support for the package, which calls for $400 million annually in new spending.

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Alexandria wants to increase rental fees at these city-owned facilities

By James Cullum
The swimming pool at Alexandria City High School's Minnie Howard Campus, May 29, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

It’s about to get more expensive to have fun at city-owned properties in Alexandria.

On Wednesday, April 30, the City Council will consider approving rental fee increases for several of the city’s Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities programs.

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