[Archived] New Alexandria Housing Development Corporation Names Executive Director

City Press Release


	City of Alexandria, Virginia Office of the City Manager Alexandria City Hall 301 King Street, Suite 3500 Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3211 www.alexandriava.gov Telephone: 703.838.4300 Fax : 703.838.6343

For Immediate Release
September 14, 2004
PIO 219-04/rdo

New Alexandria Housing Development Corporation
Names Executive Director

Daniel Abramson, President of the Board of Directors of the new Alexandria Housing Development Corporation (AHDC), today (Sept. 14) announced to City Council the selection of Martha Paschal to serve as the organization’s executive director. Ms. Paschal was most recently employed as Director of Development for the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing.

Incorporated by five individuals named by City Council in February of this year, the AHDC was incorporated as a private entity in May, and will focus on serving low and moderate income families and individuals through preservation of existing rental apartments and the creation of new affordable rental and for sale housing.

“As a diverse and lively community, Alexandria must include those hard working families and individuals who want to live here and be part of the community fabric, but find the pressures of housing costs to be too great,” said Abramson. “The Board of Directors is excited about the prospects for tangible affordable housing in the City of Alexandria and appreciates the support of the City Council and the Alexandria community.”

To date the AHDC Board has been focused on the details of getting the new corporation up and running, and will soon file its application for non-profit 501(c)(3) status. The board, which is now in the process of expanding its membership, has identified several potential development opportunities.

The AHDC is housed at 1900 N. Beauregard St., Suite 10, in office space donated for one year by the Mark Winkler Company. Freddie Mac and Berkshire Mortgage donated office furniture and computers. AHDC’s operating budget is funded by the City. Other members of the board of directors include Candace Baldwin, vice president; Catherine I. Pharis, secretary; Joseph Langhorn, treasurer; and Michael Caison.

“I'd just like to say how thrilled I am with this opportunity to help this community in meeting its affordable housing needs, and how impressed I am with this Board of Directors, City Council and City staff, and how much I look forward to working with them and the neighborhoods to make good affordable housing for families in the low and moderate income brackets,” said Ms. Paschal.

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