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Draft Affordable Housing Master Plan & Implementation Framework

Do you have feedback on proposed affordable housing policies and tools?

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72 responses on forum


Question: Is the 17.7% target for a sufficient supply of affordable rental housing appropriate?

Response Percent Response Count
Yes, this target is appropriate. 50.0% 36
No, this target is not appropriate. 38.9% 28
I am not sure. 11.1% 8

Comments (optional):

Answered
47
Skipped
25

Question: What are your thoughts regarding the approach to the geographic distribution of committed affordable housing?

Response Percent Response Count
I agree with the proposed policies. 31.9% 23
I agree with the proposed policies, but I would add other considerations (explain below). 34.7% 25
I do not agree with the proposed policies. 33.3% 24

Comments (optional):

Answered
53
Skipped
19

Question: Should Arlington County residents and workers receive a preference for committed affordable housing?

Response Percent Response Count
Yes, I agree that Arlington residents and workers should receive preference. 66.7% 48
I support preference for Arlington residents, but not for workers. 9.7% 7
I support preference for Arlington workers, but not for residents. 4.2% 3
No, I do not support giving preferences. 12.5% 9
I am not sure. 6.9% 5

Comments (optional):

Answered
31
Skipped
41

Question: Is it appropriate for this plan to address middle income ownership housing demands?

Response Percent Response Count
Yes, it is appropriate. 56.9% 41
No, it is not appropriate. 29.2% 21
I am not sure. 13.9% 10

Question: Should we be using public funds for higher-income households?

Response Percent Response Count
Yes, I agree. 15.3% 11
No, I do not agree. 63.9% 46
I am not sure. 20.8% 15

Question: Would it be more appropriate to address this demand through land use provisions rather than financing?

Response Percent Response Count
Yes, that is more appropriate. 46.5% 33
No, that is not more appropriate. 19.7% 14
I am not sure. 33.8% 24

Comments (optional)

Answered
28
Skipped
44

Question: Should opportunities for creating greater flexibility of housing types beyond the urban corridors that support both rental and ownership options be further studied?

Response Percent Response Count
Yes, I agree they should be further studied. 76.4% 55
No, I do not agree they should be further studied. 22.2% 16
I am not sure. 1.4% 1

Comments (optional):

Answered
36
Skipped
36

Additional comments on the Draft Affordable Housing Master Plan & Implementation Framework (optional):

Answered
46
Skipped
26
Name not shown inside Arlington
May 31, 2015, 3:37 PM
  • Question: Is the 17.7% target for a sufficient supply of affordable rental housing appropriate?
    • No, this target is not appropriate.
  • Comments (optional):

    I don't think it is responsible to increase the affordable housing goals until school, parking, hospital, and other community needs are scaled to meet the growing population. The current school capacity issues are escalating and serious and increased housing is not appropriate without plans to meet those residents needs.

  • Question: What are your thoughts regarding the approach to the geographic distribution of committed affordable housing?
    • I do not agree with the proposed policies.
  • Comments (optional):

    I am very concerned about increasing housing units without first solving the community issues around schools, roads, sidewalks, etc.

  • Question: Should Arlington County residents and workers receive a preference for committed affordable housing?
    • Yes, I agree that Arlington residents and workers should receive preference.
  • Comments (optional):
    No response.
  • Question: Is it appropriate for this plan to address middle income ownership housing demands?
    • I am not sure.
  • Question: Should we be using public funds for higher-income households?
    • I am not sure.
  • Question: Would it be more appropriate to address this demand through land use provisions rather than financing?
    • I am not sure.
  • Comments (optional)

    I think that the county should first be addressing the needs of current residents (schooling, etc.) before getting involved in building or subsidizing more housing.

  • Question: Should opportunities for creating greater flexibility of housing types beyond the urban corridors that support both rental and ownership options be further studied?
    • Yes, I agree they should be further studied.
  • Comments (optional):

    I agree, but I believe that walk in basements and converted garages are more appropriate than duplex type adjustments.

  • Additional comments on the Draft Affordable Housing Master Plan & Implementation Framework (optional):

    I don't believe that housing should be permitted where the Safeway on Wilson Blvd currently sits, and if another grocery store is going in at Glebe and Wilson, I don't see any need for another store just .5 miles away.

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Question 1 of 5: SUPPLY OF RENTAL HOUSING

Objective: Produce and preserve a sufficient supply of affordable rental housing to meet current and future needs. Preserve the economic and social diversity of our community.

Proposed Target: By 2040, have 17.7% of the housing supply affordable to households earning below 60% AMI. 

Background: Preserving the economic and social diversity that Arlington currently has is important for the long-term sustainability of our community. Current gaps in affordable housing needs and supply threaten our community’s ability to maintain our diversity.

Based on the study’s housing needs analysis, the greatest area of unmet need was rental housing for households with incomes below 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI). 60% AMI is equal to a family of four with income up to $65,520 or a single-person household with income up to $45,900.

Today, 17,000 households (16.4% of Arlington) are renters with incomes at or below 60% AMI. There are only 9,500 apartments affordable to that income group. By 2040, forecasts show 17.7% of households in Arlington will be renters at or below 60% AMI. The Plan proposes to close this affordability gap and meet the forecasted need.

Current Affordability GapProposed Target

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How many units is that? Forecasts show that 17.7% of the housing supply will be equal to 22,800 units in 2040. To meet the proposed target, the share of housing considered affordable includes both market rate apartments and committed affordable units (CAFs). If the private market does not provide units at this affordability level, these households will depend on the County’s CAFs. Today there are approximately 7,000 CAFs in the County.

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