June 2015

Call to Action:
Affordable Housing Study Advertised for Public Comment

On June 13, the Arlington County Board voted to set public hearings in September for the proposed

Affordable Housing Master Plan & Implementation Framework. The hearings are the culmination of a three-year housing study community planning effort.

Now is the time to be a leader in the community and get involved to support the next generation of housing affordability:

Contact the County Board: send an email to countyboard@arlingtonva.us.
Chat with a County Board Member at an Open Door Monday event (click here for schedule and locations.)
Speak during public comment at the beginning of a County Board Meeting on July 18 or 21 (click here for schedule) or submit a comment online here.
Volunteer to join the affordable housing advocacy team, contact Linda Kelleher at lkelleher@apah.org.

Key facts from the plan:

Arlington lost 13,500 affordable rental homes from 2000-2013 due to rent increases, demolitions & condo conversions.
Arlington has 17,000 low income households but only 9,500 homes affordable to these households. A gap of 7,500 low income families live in overcrowded conditions and/or are rent burdened in order to stay in Arlington.
53% of Arlington's committed affordable housing is located in North Arlington.
75% of households living in affordable units were already Arlington residents.
Affordable housing brings $3 into the County for every $1 from the Affordable Housing Investment Fund (AHIF), Arlington's revolving loan fund, to build affordable housing.

Learn more here.

National Honors & Local Recognition for Arlington Mill

Arlington Mill Residences received national recognition last month, being named as the Metropolitan/Urban Housing Winner at the 21st annual Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Awards. Hosted by the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition, the event recognized the Low Income Housing Tax Credit as an instrumental way for projects like Arlington Mill Residences to lift up the community and provide residents with a safe, stable, affordable place to call home. Arlington Mill and other winners were selected by a panel of five judges and were honored at a luncheon at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center.

At the June County Board meeting, APAH Board Chair Bobby Rozen paid tribute to Arlington County for our innovative public/private partnership that made Arlington Mill Residences possible. APAH presented the board with awards honoring Arlington Mill, including the Edson Award and honors from the Urban Land Institute - Washington, EarthCraft Virginia and the Virginia Governor's Housing Conference.

"APAH is a force for good," remarked County Board Chair Mary Hynes at the presentation. We are honored by the County's support and collaboration on this project to innovate and create affordable housing that will keep Arlington diverse and inclusive.

Summer Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteering with APAH's resident services program is a great way to have fun, meet new people and learn more about Arlington. Upcoming opportunities include:

Backpack & School Supply Drive, ongoing
Support the more than 400 children at APAH properties and their families by contributing backpacks, folders, notebooks and more; or host a supply sorting event with your friends, colleagues, church or other group.

Evening Child Care, Mondays & Wednesdays,
    6:00-8:30pm, Arlington Mill Residences
Supervise children during adult educational evening programs with games, crafts, computer access and other activities. Dinner provided.

Community Picnics, July 29 (Columbia Grove) or
    August 5 (Courthouse Crossings), 3:00-7:00pm
Meet your neighbors and help with activities like children's games, crafts, food/drink distribution and set up/clean up.

To participate or learn more, click the above links or contact Emily Button at ebutton@apah.org.

Founders Luncheon Welcomes Supporters, Partners

Last month, APAH hosted a special luncheon at Arlington Mill Residences honoring our founders and many of our loyal supporters. Attendees shared concerns about the dire need for affordable housing in Arlington and previewed APAH's upcoming projects.

In addition, APAH nonprofit partners Greenbrier Learning Center, La Cocina VA, Virginia Cooperative Extension and Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE) presented their work and engagement with APAH residents. And, we all shared a delicious meal prepared by students of La Cocina VA!

In This Issue

Call to Action: Arlington County Affordable Housing Study
Arlington Mill Honored

Summer Volunteer Opportunities
Founders Luncheon
Capital One Makes an Impact
Leadership Arlington Honors APAH
Volunteers at Arna Valley View
Arlington Interfaith Council

Leadership Arlington Honors APAH

L-R: Betsy Frantz, Leadership Arlington; Nina Janopaul, APAH; Brian Scull, Leadership Arlington. Credit: Leadership Arlington.

APAH was presented with the Leadership Arlington Nonprofit Legacy Award at a celebratory event that brought together more than 200 community leaders on May 20th at The Westin Arlington Gateway. Along with fellow award winners Bean, Kinney & Korman, P.C. and the Arlington Food Assistance Center, APAH was selected for demonstrating leadership in the community and supporting Leadership Arlington's mission to "enlighten, inspire and connect" community leaders.

Thank you to Leadership Arlington for this distinction, and congratulations to the other award winners!

Volunteers Honor Charlie Rinker at Arna Valley View

Credit: Michael Salamone.

Thank you to the more than 30 volunteers from Rock Spring UCC Church who helped out at our Arna Valley View Apartments last month as part of the church's Fifth Sunday program. Volunteers were hard at work planting new flower beds, painting, removing trash from the Four Mile Run trail and stocking 50 backpacks filled with school supplies for young APAH residents.

In addition, supporters gathered to honor Charlie Rinker, a long-time affordable housing advocate in Arlington, by planting a tree in his memory.

Click here for more photos from the day.

Thank You, Arlington Interfaith Council

This month, the Arlington Interfaith Council (AIC) held its final meeting after more than 50 years of service. AIC represents 48 Arlington faith communities and played a vital role in filling critical safety net gaps as many nonprofits began without permanent staff or other funding sources. At the June meeting, AIC awarded grants to APAH and 17 other Helping Hand agencies.

"APAH warmly recognizes the legacy of AIC's social justice work," remarked APAH President/CEO Nina Janopaul. "APAH and many other Helping Hand agencies have strong roots in Arlington's faith community."

Capital One Makes an Impact in

APAH Communities

A team of 24 Capital One volunteers recently participated in a community service project at APAH's Buchanan Gardens Apartments. Volunteers painted a hallway and two laundry rooms and assembled school supplies that will be distributed to school age children at the property as part of our Backpack & School Supply Drive.

APAH is honored to be awarded one of Capital One's first multi-year grants to create and preserve affordable housing. The Blueprints to Buildings Fund, initiated in 2015 by Capital One's Community Development Banking team, provides critical funding during the multi-year design, planning and review process for future affordable housing development.

Thank You to our 2014 Grand Sponsor

Stay Connected

Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing
www.apah.org | (703) 276-7444