Landmark Land Use and Zoning Amendments Target Workforce Housing
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The ULI Terwilliger Center for Workforce Housing, together with the Fairfax County government, addressed questions at a summit at the Tysons Corner headquarters of Capital One.
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While essential public and service sector workers are "priced out" of living in most major metropolitan areas, affordable workforce housing is a priority in the official plan to redevelop Tysons Corner. With 26 million square feet of office space and the nation's 11th largest shopping mall, Tysons is a quintessential "edge city" just outside Washington, D.C. Fairfax County, where Tysons Corner is located, recently adopted a landmark set of comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance amendments to permit and facilitate Tysons Corner's transformation from a sprawling, auto-dependent office park to a walkable, green urban center served by four new Metrorail stations scheduled to open in 2013.
One of the most controversial provisions within the 20-year plan is a requirement for 20 percent of new housing units to be permanently designated workforce housing. In return, residential developments can have significantly more density. But how can developers achieve the new workforce housing requirements, given the cost of building high-rise structures with expensive underground parking? And what role will major employers play in creating the county's workforce housing vision?
The ULI Terwilliger Center for Workforce Housing, together with the Fairfax County government, brought together some of the best minds in the business to address these questions at an early December summit at the Tysons Corner headquarters of Capital One. Panelists included J. Ronald Terwilliger, Chairman Emeritus of Trammell Crow Residential; Henry G. Cisneros, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; F. Barton Harvey III, former Chairman of Enterprise Community Partners; developer Thomas S. Bozzuto, CEO of The Bozzuto Group; J. Douglas Koelemay, Vice President, Community Relations, SAIC; and John McClain of George Mason University's Center for Regional Analysis.
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Affordable Housing in NOVA: Diverse Communities Celebrate Collaborative Results
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- Cochairman of the Fairfax County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee
- Serves on the Governing Board of the County's program to prevent and eliminate homelessness.
- Past President and CEO of the National Housing Conference
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- Executive Director of the Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance
- Serves as Chair of the Housing Advisory Board to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors
- Assists nonprofit organizations and local governments on housing and land use policies.
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As members of the Board of Housing Virginia, we are pleased to be involved in the important work and mission of the organization, and to represent the interests of housing organizations across Northern Virginia. For this issue of START HERE!, Housing Virginia is featuring one specific region of the Commonwealth. Our hope is that through a more detailed look at our region-Northern Virginia-- we will gain a better understanding of the housing challenges that we all face, and benefit from sharing best practices that could serve the housing needs of families throughout the Commonwealth.
This March issue looks at Northern Virginia, the largest and most diverse region in the state, encompassing dense urban areas, suburban neighborhoods, and sparsely populated, rural communities. Our challenges in addressing our unmet housing needs, and the solutions we adopt, are as varied as the communities that make up our region. However, one key principle that guides all of our efforts is the importance of collaboration with other stakeholders in the region who interests align with ours.
Whether it's smart growth proponents who support integrated land use and transportation policies, the business community who needs affordable housing near job centers to advance employee recruitment and retention, or faith communities engaged in preventing and ending homelessness, our success if often dependent upon our ability to form a strong network of compatible interests.
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Business Community Steps Up to
Combat Homelessness
The Fairfax-Falls Church community is one of the most affluent in the country. And yet, this past year alone, 3,076 people experienced homelessness in the community. Low incomes and expensive housing are often times the main reasons for the homelessness of families and single adults in the Fairfax-Falls Church area. Simply put, it is impossible to pay for an apartment when earning minimum wage - even if you work 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
With the help of the Federal stimulus funds, the Fairfax-Falls Church community has been able to enhance its responsiveness to the needs of their most vulnerable neighbors. However, these funds have now been exhausted and the community partnership has begun an aggressive campaign to engage businesses and other funders to identify and cultivate alternate resources. This past year, many businesses including Google, Northrop Grumman, Target and Freddie Mac Foundation, stepped up to the plate this past year to help raise awareness and donate time, talents and funds.
Since the implementation of the Fairfax-Falls Church 10-Year Plan, homelessness has decreased over 14 percent. And now, for the first time, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness is able to provide a snapshot of data (made possible through participation of 18 organizations and 121 programs) to reflect the outcomes on the community's 10-Year Plan to end homelessness; their collective successes and challenges; and the tremendous need that exists in the community. Some of the key highlights from the past year include:
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Local Jurisdiction Investments Drive Strong Partnerships with VHDA
Facing major housing losses in recent years and in one of the strongest real estate markets in the country, developments are facing complex challenges recognizing the need for a preservation/new construction mix, seeing benefits of mixed income, providing access to transportation and jobs-along with adapting to stringent "green" requirements. Local jurisdictions and developers continue to rely on VHDA as a major financing force supporting the development and preservation of affordable/ workforce housing in Northern Virginia. If you have visited Clarendon in Arlington County lately, it would be difficult to not notice the construction of The Views at Clarendon coming out of the ground. The Church at Clarendon property is being redeveloped by the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing and financed by VHDA and Arlington County. When completed, it will deliver 70 affordable and 46 market rate apartment homes within half a block from a Metrorail station. Read More... |
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Give to Housing Virginia
Your generous gift helps Housing Virginia to make the case for increasing the supply of affordable housing options across the Commonwealth. Your tax-deductible donation may be sent to: Housing Virginia P. O. Box 4658 Richmond, VA 23220 Or you can make a secure online donation here.Housing Virginia also participates in the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign. Please use CVC code # 3690. |
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Calendar
NLIHC's 2011 Annual Housing Policy Conference and Lobby Day in Washington, DC - March 27-30, 2011
Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) 101, Enterprise Community Partners - March 30,2011
SOURCEBOOK Webinar
9:00-10:00 am - April 5, 2011
SOURCEBOOK Webinar
4:00-5:00 pm - April 13, 2011
Richmond Affordable Housing Awareness Week - April 25-30, 2011
Virginia Beach Round Table Housing Affordability Week Luncheon - April 28, 2011
Virginia Association of Housing Counselors, 2011 Annual Spring Conference and Certification, "Building Partnerships for Better Housing" - May 1-5, 2011
Roanoke Regional Housing Network - Regional Symposium - May 4, 2011
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