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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
April 16, 2015, 12:29 PM
  • Question: Is the 17.7% target for a sufficient supply of affordable rental housing appropriate?
    • No, this target is not appropriate.
  • Comments (optional):

    The target for affordable housing percentage should be based on how many households at that income level that we WANT or NEED to meet our diversity and economic development goals not based on how many are forecast to be here.

  • Question: What are your thoughts regarding the approach to the geographic distribution of committed affordable housing?
    • I agree with the proposed policies, but I would add other considerations (explain below).
  • Comments (optional):

    These policies must be paired with concrete plans and tools to expand the provision of affordable units in areas not zoned for large-scale multi-family dwellings. A simplified accessory dwelling ordinance is one excellent step in this direction. Allowing stacked flats that fit the character of our single family neighborhoods IN our single family neighborhoods would be another good step.

  • 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):

    YES, YES, YES.

  • 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?
    • No, I do not agree.
  • 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):

    Yes, this is VITAL to disbursing affordable housing throughout the county and allowing existing residents to age in place.

  • Additional comments on the Draft Affordable Housing Master Plan & Implementation Framework (optional):
    No response.
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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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