AFFORDABLE HOUSING (1986,1999, 2012, 2013, 2019, name update 2022)
The League of Women Voters of Arlington and Alexandria City supports:
Efforts in Arlington and Alexandria City to retain and expand affordable housing geared primarily towards those with incomes 60- 80 percent of the median income or below.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING (1986,1999, 2012, 2013, 2019, 2022 name change) The League of Women Voters of Arlington and Alexandria City supports:
The Affordable Housing Master Plan (AHMP), adopted by the Arlington County on September 2015, and its annual review.
Development and continued support by Arlington County and Alexandria City of sources of funding and financing for low-income housing, such as: a fund dedicated to affordable housing development commensurate with current housing values; expanded use of the Industrial Development Authority as a housing finance source; and full participation in local, state, and federal grant and tax credit programs for affordable housing. This includes support of the existing Affordable Housing Investment Fund (AHIF), the Virginia Housing Trust Fund, and public-private partnerships in support of affordable housing.
Affordable Housing for Whom –
Efforts in Arlington and Alexandria City to retain and expand affordable housing geared primarily towards those with incomes 60- 80 percent of the median income or below.
Expansion by the County and Alexandria City of methods and programs to protect elderly residents with limited resources from displacement.
Increased emphasis by the County/City on programs to enable low-and-middle income households to purchase homes.
The development by the County/City of additional low-cost rental housing for the mentally and physically disabled.
Efforts to reverse historic systemic racism in zoning practices.
Housing Where/The Impact of Affordable Housing
County/City consideration of great residential density zoning in in currently lower density areas.
The County/City offering benefits such as increased density and
other incentives to for-profit developers who provide affordable housing on or off the site of their development. Such incentives should be proportional to the number of affordable units on site
and the length of the commitment to providing affordable housing, preferably 60 years or more. The County/City enforcing previous incentive agreements with for-profit developers.
Funding to make improvements to the general neighborhood atmosphere of areas with large concentrations of "market affordable" housing. The League supports the use of increased bond funding and expanded use of other resources (such as the:
The Arlington Apartment Conservation Fund, Neighborhood Conservation Fund and other sources) to make improvements such as curbs, sidewalks, parks, etc. those neighborhoods.
The allocation of Arlington County and Alexandria City resources, such as the Arlington Affordable Housing Investment Fund (AHIF), exclusively to nonprofit groups or nonprofit/for profit [EE1] partnerships that specialize in developing housing for low-and-moderate income households. Nonprofit groups or nonprofit/for-profit partnerships that receive County/City resources should agree to maintain the housing at affordable levels for the longest term possible, 60 years or longer.
Programs by the County/City giving high priority, for the purchase of County/City-owned land by nonprofit groups that specialize in developing housing for low and moderate-income households. Preservation of Existing/Decent Affordable Housing.
The County/City placing more emphasis on and allocating resources to code enforcement as a tool to ensure that housing is safe and decent for all residents.
In order to preserve existing market rate affordable housing, the League supports the County/City being more pro-active in identifying "at-risk" affordable housing resources and working collaboratively with owners, developers, residents and neighbors to achieve an appropriate solution such as Arlington County’s Housing Conservation District initiative. The County/City should provide a safety net (such as a larger tenant assistance fund or expansion of the housing grants program) for low-income renters who might be displaced by redevelopment of older properties or code enforcement.
