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Draft Affordable Housing Master Plan & Implementation Framework

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

This topic is closed

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
Marjorie Green inside Arlington
May 7, 2015, 4:39 PM
  • Question: Is the 17.7% target for a sufficient supply of affordable rental housing appropriate?
    • Yes, this target is appropriate.
  • Comments (optional):
    No response.
  • Question: What are your thoughts regarding the approach to the geographic distribution of committed affordable housing?
    • I agree with the proposed policies.
  • Comments (optional):
    No response.
  • 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?
    • Yes, it is appropriate.
  • 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?
    • Yes, that is more appropriate.
  • Comments (optional)
    No response.
  • 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):
    No response.
  • Additional comments on the Draft Affordable Housing Master Plan & Implementation Framework (optional):

    As a member of VOICE, I know from talking with many people in the community how broad and deep the concern is about affordable and workforce housing. The Implementation Framework must be adopted as proposed to ensure the County has the greatest number of tools from which to choose to meet demand. Co-location of affordable housing with community facilities (not on County-designated green space) MUST be one of those tools; with appropriate community input, it can work well as a cost-effective way to achieve different, but compatible, community goals.
    Geographic distribution of affordable housing is desirable; however, location of affordable housing should take into account adequate transit options for residents, as well as the County's longstanding land-use plans that, appropriately, concentrate more dense development around high-traffic corridors.
    Concerns about impact on schools are understandable, but should not derail this plan. The majority of school growth is coming, not from multifamily rentals, but from single-family neighborhoods. In rental communities, reliable affordable housing adds to family stability, in turn helping to ensure student success.

Open Arlington is not a certified voting system or ballot box. As with any public comment process, participation in Open Arlington is voluntary. The responses in this record are not necessarily representative of the whole population, nor do they reflect the opinions of any government agency or elected officials.

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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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