| Focus on Arlington's 2013 Budget
County Manager Donnellan's recommendations would increase AHIF | |
Last week County Manager Barbara Donnellan previewed the FY 2013 budget for the Arlington County Board. The budget will be posted next Tuesday, February 21. Budget recommendations for affordable housing include:
- Engage in a three-year plan to assess community housing needs and develop the next generation of housing goals and targets. Fund two additional housing planning positions to lead the multi-year study.
- Restore AHIF (Arlington County Investment Fund) to 2012 levels ($6.7 million) that includes replacement of the loss of federal HOME funds.
- Acquire the building at 2020 N. 14th St., in the Courthouse area to house a year-round comprehensive homeless center.
- Provide additional funding to Mary Marshall Assisted Living Residence to support the 52-bed supportive housing assisted living facility for low-income seniors with serious mental, intellectual/developmental and/or physical disabilities.
What is missing from the budget message is any increase in the Housing Grants program which provides vital safety net funding to some of our most vulnerable populations including low-income seniors, individuals with disabilities, working families with small children.
On February 14, the County Board voted to advertise a 2 cent increase in the real estate tax rate. (The County cannot legally exceed the advertised rate once it is set in April. The higher rate allows the Board the flexibility to hear from the community and receive final state and federal funding information.)
Stay tuned for further news on the budget discussions and the impact on affordable housing in Arlington. Click here to access the Manager's budget message. |
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Columbia Grove Holds Summer Camp Workshop
APAH residents learn of summer camp options for children |  Dulce Carrillo, Multicultural Outreach and Advocacy Manager, Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation, and Stacy Chouinard, Camp Coordinator, encouraged APAH residents to explore the more than 250 Arlington summer camp opportunities for children of all ages. Conducted in Spanish this popular program explains the different types of camps, camp locations and which camps fill up the soonest. APAH residents earning 60% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI) (about $65,000for a family of four) quality for a fee reduction. Residents appreciated learning about many camp options. |
Focus on State Initiatives -- Virginia Housing Trust Fund Advances
Delegate Alfonso Lopez champions bill to create state fund for affordable housing |
A bill to create a Virginia Housing Trust Fund is advancing in Richmond thanks to the efforts of new Arlington Delegate Alfonso Lopez. The Fund is a flexible source of funding for building affordable housing, down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers and homeless prevention. |
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Meet New APAH Board member
Bruce Case joins APAH Board |
Mr. Case is active in numerous academic and professional groups including Harvard University's Remodeling Futures Steering Committee and AARP's Universal Design Consumer Education Task Force. His undergraduate degree in Economics and Psychology is from Vanderbilt University and he received an MBA from George Mason University. He has certifications in remodeling, green building practices, franchising and insurance. He also serves on the board of CraftWorks at Cool Spring, a nonprofit committed to inspiring lifelong creativity and fostering deep connections with the environment and community. He and his family live in Arlington. |
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Arlington Independent Media Addresses Affordable Housing Issues APAH President/CEO Appears on Voice Box Program |  APAH President/CEO Nina Janopaul joined a panel of affordable housing advocates to discuss issues, models and goals for Arlington's affordable housing. Ms. Janopaul noted that in 2000, Arlington had 17,000 apartment units that were market affordable (affordable to individuals and families earning 60% of the Area Median Income or AMI). But in the last decade, we have lost 10,000 of those units. The robust discussion looked at cost effective tools to support affordable housing such as Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), the Arlington Housing Investment Fund (AHIF), increasing density and other tools to keep Arlington economically and culturally diverse. Ms. Janopaul noted that Arlington's $1 billion budget includes dedicated funding in AHIF of about $4 million, less than one percent of the budget. Affordable housing advocate and 2011 APAH Honoree, Charlie Rinker, noted that affordable housing benefits the community by encouraging small business, providing a source of employees for lower-wage jobs, reducing pollution caused by transportation/commuting while preserving Arlington's diversity. Click here to watch to the one-hour Voice Box program. |
Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Events
County and housing events encourage local participation | |
Northern Virginia Housing Expo - March 24, from 10:00 am-2:30 pm at Washington-Lee High School (1301 N. Stafford Street). Free and open to the public who are interested in both home ownership and rental opportunities throughout Northern Virginia. APAH will be among the exhibitors.
State of Affordable Housing - May 16. The Alliance for Housing Solutions announces their upcoming forum. More details will be available soon.
Open Door Monday - Every Monday evening (except government holidays) from 7:00 pm-9:00 pm at various locations. Arlingtonians are encouraged to participate in Arlington Chair Mary Hynes' PLACE -- Participation, Leadership and Civic Engagement -- Initiative. All residents are welcome to attend any session to speak to a County Board member. No appointments are needed. Come and speak about the importance of affordable housing in Arlington. |
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