[Archived] Alexandria City Council Approves Housing Master Plan

For Immediate Release: December 17, 2013

On December 14, the Alexandria City Council unanimously approved the City’s first Housing Master Plan, setting a 10-year goal of developing or preserving 2,000 affordable housing units by 2025. The Housing Master Plan approval represents the conclusion of a multi-year public planning process of developing the Plan to guide the City’s housing development and preservation efforts. The Plan offers principles, goals, strategies, and tools to meet Alexandria’s anticipated affordable housing needs over the next 20 years.
The Plan presents a demographic and housing analysis that outlines existing housing conditions, noting the significant loss of both affordable rental and affordable ownership housing since 2000. Legislative limitations and the development environment within the city are explored in the Plan and serve as the basis for many of the Plan’s recommendations related to preservation and expansion of the City’s affordable housing supply.

An overarching vision for the Plan and its future implementation is presented as guiding principles, which emphasize housing options for households of all incomes, ages and abilities; the importance of partnerships in achieving housing goals, and the role of affordable housing as a component of Alexandria’s economic sustainability. Factors such as location and integration of affordable housing in market rate developments and neighborhoods are also included as key principles.
The goals and strategies presented in the Plan provide a detailed roadmap intended to guide implementation. These strategies include specific recommendations for actions, both legislative and administrative, to foster the implementation of the Plan. Following approval of the Housing Master Plan, City Council approved an amendment to grandfather parking requirements for affordable housing projects that undergo a substantial renovation. In addition, Council approved a staff recommendation to increase the level of predevelopment funding provided to facilitate affordable housing through secured, repayable loans.

For more information about the City’s Housing Master Plan, visit alexandriava.gov/housingplan or contact Mildrilyn Davis, Office of Housing Director, at 703.746.4990 or mildrilyn.davis@alexandriava.gov.