[Archived] Official Announcements for the City of Alexandria: March 27 – April 2, 2010

For Immediate Release: March 26, 2010

Saturday, March 27 – Civil War Sesquicentennial Meeting
The third Civil War Sesquicentennial community planning meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to noon, at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, 101 Callahan Drive. Different committees will be announced and participants may sign up to work with committees of interest to them. Committees will then begin planning programs for Alexandria’s commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. This meeting is open to all, and public participation is most welcome. For more information, please visit www.historicalexandria.org or call 703.746.4554.

Thursday, April 1 – Housing Master Plan Community Meeting
The Office of Housing will launch its Citywide Housing Master Plan to work toward preserving and enhancing affordable housing opportunities, community diversity, and economic sustainability. The first community meeting will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe St. Lisa Sturtevant, of the George Mason Center for Regional Analysis, will present demographic, social and economic context for the Housing Master Plan. There will also be a brief overview of the planning process and solicitation of feedback from the community on their issues, concerns and ideas for the future of affordable housing in the City and ways in which the planning process can address them. For more information, please visit alexandriava.gov/housingplan or contact the Office of Housing at 703.746.4990.

Ongoing

Grant Opportunities from the Alexandria Fund for Human Services
The Alexandria Fund for Human Services reminds the community that funding is available for human services projects through three grant programs for FY2011: Community Partnership Fund, Youth Fund and Children's Fund. Grant proposal deadlines are March 30 for the Community Partnership Fund, April 6 for the Youth Fund and April 14 for the Children’s Fund. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/HumanServices.

Comment on the Proposed FY 2011 Budget
On February 16, Alexandria City Manager James K. Hartmann proposed a $534.1 million General Fund Operating Budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011. The public is encouraged to provide comments on the proposed budget online.

2010 Applications Now Available for Elderly and Disabled Tax Relief 
If you are at least 65 years of age or permanently and totally disabled by November 15, 2010, you may qualify for a full or partial exemption and/or deferral for your 2010 real estate taxes and/or an exemption from your 2010 personal property taxes on one vehicle. For more information or to obtain an application, visit alexandriava.gov/TaxRelief, e-mail Tax Services at taxrelief@alexandriava.gov, or call 703.746.3901, Option 6.

Free Tax Preparation Assistance for Low-Income Residents
The City of Alexandria is offering free tax preparation assistance to low-income residents during the 2010 tax season. Tax preparation sessions begin at 9 a.m. on Saturdays, and at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, through April 13. Sessions are held in the lobby of the Alexandria Department of Human Services, 2525 Mount Vernon Ave. For more information, call Suzanne Kratzok, Coordinator of Community Resources, at 703.746.5663.

For more information, contact Andee Summers, Communications Intern, Office of Communications, at 703.746.3962 or andrea.summers@alexandriava.gov.