It’s a known fact that more affordable housing is needed in Northern Virginia. There are, by expert estimates, tens of thousands of families in the region who need a place to live that won’t decimate their budgets, and those homes simply do not exist. There are problems with both the funding and the political motivation to help the problem, said experts at the annual State of Affordable Housing seminar. It’s also expected that Trump will cut federal spending on housing, which will only make matters worse. What’s to be done? 

In Arlington County, over 120 activists, officials, and advocates got together to think creatively about how to build more affordable housing, and how to secure cooperation from state and local officials on the matter. Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., a group of elite officials gathered behind closed doors at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to have a talk about the same issue. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, “that group included Prince George County Executive Rushern Baker, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Sharon Bulova, Alexandria Mayor Allison Silberberg and Arlington County Board Chairman Jay Fisette, along with business and philanthropic leaders, said the council’s executive director, Chuck Bean.”

Fisette was quoted as saying that the group had a “moral imperative” to end the affordable housing crisis in Northern Virginia. Developer Jim Edmonston of the real estate and consulting company E & G Group pointed out that there is a scale issue at play: that officials pat themselves on the back for developing a thousand new housing units when tens of thousands more are needed. 

There is also the fact that many of the families, disabled individuals, and seniors who need affordable housing also need additional support to be able to live on their own. This is not budgeted into the plans when affordable housing is being discussed. This was the discussion at the Church at Clarendon, “which sold the air rights over its property to create eight stories of apartments that range from luxury to affordable — an example of the ways in which housing nonprofit groups are trying to find the resources they need.”

Another way to create more affordable housing, it was discussed in Clarendon, was to cut back on parking spaces. At the Church’s affordable housing complex, they have just one parking spot per four apartments since it is located right near the Metro station, and even those few spots aren’t filled.