Arlington County Board Adds Preventing/Ending Homelessness, Sustainable Development as Affordable Housing Goals

• New targets also added including:
  • Minimal displacement of low, moderate-income households
  • Linking persons in shelters, transitional and supportive housing with training, employment and other public service benefits

ARLINGTON, VA – March 15, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The Arlington County Board today voted to revise the County’s affordable housing goals and targets, adding the prevention/ending of homelessness and sustainable development as goals and adopting targets to meet those goals.

“Arlington has been, and will continue to be, a regional leader in preserving and expanding the pool of committed affordable units as market rate units become increasingly unaffordable for working people,” said County Board Chairman Christopher Zimmerman. “Today’s action by the Board further strengthens the County’s long-term efforts to ensure that Arlington remains a diverse community with homes affordable to persons with low-to-moderate incomes.”

Goals and Targets for 2015 adopted by the Board include:

• Preventing, ending homelessness:
  • Reduce the number of unsheltered homeless by half
  • Create a comprehensive homeless service center, including up to 50 year—round shelter beds
  • Increase the number of homeless individuals and families moving into permanent housing, increasing supply of permanent supportive housing units to 425
  • Permanent housing for at least 95% of sheltered homeless elder and families with children and for 65% of sheltered homeless persons with disabilities
• Sustainability in producing, converting and renovating committed affordable units (CAFs)
  • Reduce total energy use by an average of 15% in total supply of CAF multi-family properties
  • Track electric, gas and water utilities in 50% of all CAF rental properties
  • Reduce total water use by average of 10% in total supply of CAF multi-family properties
• Minimize involuntary displacement of low- and moderate-income households in complexes being renovated, converted or redeveloped with County assistance. For committed affordable units (CAFs), strive to house 60% of households onsite or nearby.
• Link at least 50% of persons in shelters, transitional or supportive housing to training, employment or enrollment in public assistance benefits.
• Strive to provide rental assistance (including Housing Grants) to 100% of the eligible households requesting rental assistance.

To view all the revisions, read the staff report, No. 30 on the County Board Agenda for the March 12 Board Meeting. The Board vote to adopt the revisions was 5-0.

Background:

The County first adopted goals and targets for affordable housing in 2003, a critical step in the County’s efforts to address an affordable housing crisis that jeopardized economic diversity. Targets were developed to plan for the needs of families; older residents; persons with disabilities; entry-level professionals, teachers, police, firefighters and other public employees and employees in the many jobs that support the County’s economic development.

The targets, reviewed every five years, guide the County in implementing its affordable housing goals.  To learn more about affordable housing programs in Arlington, visit the County website, search “affordable housing.”

The Housing Commission began its most recent evaluation of affordable housing goals and targets in 2008, meeting with nonprofit developers, housing service providers, housing activists, and County staff to discuss refining the housing goals and targets.

Committed Affordable Units

Committed affordable units are legally bound to remain affordable for a specified period of time – usually several decades. From 2003 through 2010, Arlington County Government added an average of 300 committed affordable units per year to the County’s housing stock.  To date, in partnership with non-profit organizations and private developers, the County has developed 6,000 committed affordable units – fully 14% of its rental stock.

Some of those units were renovated existing garden apartments and other existing apartment buildings. Others were new construction rentals and still others were homes available for purchase. The County helps finance purchase, renovation and construction of these units through its Affordable Housing Investment Fund (AHIF). Funded by both federal HOME money and local funds, AHIF provides financial assistance for the acquisition, development, or rehabilitation of affordable housing for low and moderate income households or for housing-related services assisting such households.

Arlington, Va., is a world-class residential, business and tourist location that was originally part of the “10 miles square” parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation’s Capital. It is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, occupying slightly less than 26 square miles. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use, and received the Environmental Protection Agency’s highest award for “Smart Growth” in 2002. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world – including the Pentagon – Arlington stands out as one of America’s preeminent places to live, visit and do business.

Contact:
Joel Franklin 703-228-7949 (voice) (TTY)