Alexandria City Council Approves Formal Partnership Agreement With Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority

Alexandria, VA., October 23, 2007 — Tonight, the Alexandria City Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding that establishes a partnership agreement with the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA). The City Council also authorized a $5.6 million bridge loan to ARHA for the redevelopment of the Glebe Park properties. The ARHA Board approved this agreement at its meeting last night.

“This agreement signals a new era between the City and ARHA,” stated Mayor William D. Euille. In order to improve the living conditions for the tenants of ARHA’s 1,150 public and subsidized housing units, the City and ARHA will work together to develop a strategic plan for the future of ARHA’s properties.”

“We look forward to this partnership,” said ARHA Chairman Melvin Miller. “As the federal government redirects more of its long-term historic obligation for funding housing authorities across the United States to agencies such as ARHA and their local governments, local entities will need to work more closely as partners to ensure that the housing ARHA provides is well maintained, safe and affordable for those least able to pay market rents.”

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) borrows from the best practices in many organizational areas such as budgeting, capital planning, organizational management, and performance management. It sets forth a process for better planning, coordination, and communication. The MOU includes City review of ARHA’s budget, the preparation of a multi-year ARHA capital budget, and the mutual sharing of information between the City and ARHA.

In conjunction with the MOU, City Council also approved the development site plan as the first step in the redevelopment of the 152-unit Glebe Park complex into a 102-unit mixed income community. The $5.6 million bridge loan will be used by ARHA to pay the existing HUD/FHA insured mortgage. Other elements of financing sought by ARHA include federal low-income tax credit financing and federal HOPE VI grant funds. ARHA has selected EYA as the developer of the Glebe Park and James Bland sites. ARHA, EYA and the City previously collaborated in the redevelopment of two blocks of public housing into the mixed-income, award-winning community, Chatham Square, in Old Town.