Arlington - the hypocrisy is shocking

[Anonymous]

It looks like Arlington County is going to buy land in the northern part of the county that would be ideal for adding density, exactly what missing middle is for. This could add some much needed diversity to the northern part of the county and the land has significance to African Americans. Instead they are talking about making it a park for the rich white people in north Arlington. I cannot believe the hypocrisy. Pathetic Arlington. https://www.arlnow.com/2023/07/11/arlington-could-buy-a-property-within-what-was-once-a-secluded-black-settlement-for-100-years/

[Anonymous]

I mean, missing middle is itself a scam. A developer handout in disguise. It was never about “diversity.”

[Anonymous]

Umm it is still early, and the County could easily work with a developer to put a community center there with some attached affordable housing.

Regardless - 6+ acres in that part of the county is a rarity and just getting it, and keeping the use flexible, gives the County a lot of options down the road. Putting housing there means it can never be used to fill other critical County functions that are hurting for space, like DPW activity, emergency services, etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It looks like Arlington County is going to buy land in the northern part of the county that would be ideal for adding density, exactly what missing middle is for. This could add some much needed diversity to the northern part of the county and the land has significance to African Americans. Instead they are talking about making it a park for the rich white people in north Arlington. I cannot believe the hypocrisy. Pathetic Arlington. https://www.arlnow.com/2023/07/11/arlington-could-buy-a-property-within-what-was-once-a-secluded-black-settlement-for-100-years/

Your shocked?

The people with the the most "hate has no home here" and "BLM" signs during Covid have always been NIMBYs.

Pontificating is what they do.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, we don’t need more “affordable housing” or manufactured diversity. Zero interest in having the county look more and more like Columbia Pike (or Alexandria).

But I think PPs are wrong about the hypocrisy. Once my idiot lefty neighbors hear about this I’m sure they’ll be in a frenzy trying to position themselves as the most virtuous virtue signaler on virtue mountain. I just think they’re still hungover from the MM campaign and re-electing various face-painted clowns to office, so this hasn’t gotten much hype yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, missing middle is itself a scam. A developer handout in disguise. It was never about “diversity.”

This. Investors are scooping up all these properties and turning them into rentals. This was never about teachers or minorities buying houses.

[Anonymous]

The county needs more parks. There are plenty of opportunities to add affordable housing along Langston.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It looks like Arlington County is going to buy land in the northern part of the county that would be ideal for adding density, exactly what missing middle is for. This could add some much needed diversity to the northern part of the county and the land has significance to African Americans. Instead they are talking about making it a park for the rich white people in north Arlington. I cannot believe the hypocrisy. Pathetic Arlington. https://www.arlnow.com/2023/07/11/arlington-could-buy-a-property-within-what-was-once-a-secluded-black-settlement-for-100-years/

You do understand that the land is located in the Pimmit Water Shed and a resource protection area. The Walker brothers originally sold part of the land to a formerly enslaved man because it had no economic value to them. Unless the EPA greatly changes its requirements for resource protection areas and a major, expensive engineering feat is undertaken to divert water out of the Primmit Run Water Shed it would be extremely expensive to build on the land. As my mentor said: "the juice ain't worth the sqeeze." Parkland may be the best use for the land, particularly since more heat islands are being created in the county by dense development, such as Missing Middle Housing.

As you know the 94 acre Glencarlyn Park in South Arlington has similar features and it would be difficult to build housing in that area. It along with the Long Branch Nature Center provide greenspace for Arlington County.

If you want to see more affordable housing built, please support the Langston Blvd. Alliance that plans to build 6,000 housing units along Langston Blvd, much of it for people at the 60% AMI level. You do understand that most of the recent park development has also been in South Arlington, such as the new Jennie Dean park along Four Mile Run.

I am not a defender of Arlington's policies -- but in this case -- you have your panties in a twist for naught.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The county needs more parks. There are plenty of opportunities to add affordable housing along Langston.

Langston already has plenty of affordable garden apartments and apartment buildings from Rosslyn all the way to Falls Church. What more do you want?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It looks like Arlington County is going to buy land in the northern part of the county that would be ideal for adding density, exactly what missing middle is for. This could add some much needed diversity to the northern part of the county and the land has significance to African Americans. Instead they are talking about making it a park for the rich white people in north Arlington. I cannot believe the hypocrisy. Pathetic Arlington. https://www.arlnow.com/2023/07/11/arlington-could-buy-a-property-within-what-was-once-a-secluded-black-settlement-for-100-years/

You do understand that the land is located in the Pimmit Water Shed and a resource protection area. The Walker brothers originally sold part of the land to a formerly enslaved man because it had no economic value to them. Unless the EPA greatly changes its requirements for resource protection areas and a major, expensive engineering feat is undertaken to divert water out of the Primmit Run Water Shed it would be extremely expensive to build on the land. As my mentor said: "the juice ain't worth the sqeeze." Parkland may be the best use for the land, particularly since more heat islands are being created in the county by dense development, such as Missing Middle Housing.

As you know the 94 acre Glencarlyn Park in South Arlington has similar features and it would be difficult to build housing in that area. It along with the Long Branch Nature Center provide greenspace for Arlington County.

If you want to see more affordable housing built, please support the Langston Blvd. Alliance that plans to build 6,000 housing units along Langston Blvd, much of it for people at the 60% AMI level. You do understand that most of the recent park development has also been in South Arlington, such as the new Jennie Dean park along Four Mile Run.

I am not a defender of Arlington's policies -- but in this case -- you have your panties in a twist for naught.

Again, where exactly is there space to build 6,000 units on Langston Blvd? That is absolute nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county needs more parks. There are plenty of opportunities to add affordable housing along Langston.

Langston already has plenty of affordable garden apartments and apartment buildings from Rosslyn all the way to Falls Church. What more do you want?

Per the Affordable Housing Master Plan, the County wants to add 2000 units to Langston, which will comprise 11% of the total county share.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, missing middle is itself a scam. A developer handout in disguise. It was never about “diversity.”

This. Investors are scooping up all these properties and turning them into rentals. This was never about teachers or minorities buying houses.

Heaven forbid! Not more rentals! I mean, we all know that the laws of supply and demand don't apply to real estate, especially the rental market.

This is the unintended consequence of government policies promoting home ownership (tax deductions, low interest rates, etc). Make more people "owners" and suddenly they are opposed to increased housing supply, because that reduces the value of their investment. Everyone wants to pull up the ladder once they climb it. It's just like they say about wilderness areas -- "A developer is someone who wants to build a cabin in the woods. An environmentalist is someone who already owns a cabin in the woods." It is the height of hypocrisy, and the least you all can do is be honest about it.

[Anonymous]

Need more soccer fields for Arlington Soccer!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county needs more parks. There are plenty of opportunities to add affordable housing along Langston.

Langston already has plenty of affordable garden apartments and apartment buildings from Rosslyn all the way to Falls Church. What more do you want?

Per the Affordable Housing Master Plan, the County wants to add 2000 units to Langston, which will comprise 11% of the total county share.

What are they going to tear down to build these units?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county needs more parks. There are plenty of opportunities to add affordable housing along Langston.

Langston already has plenty of affordable garden apartments and apartment buildings from Rosslyn all the way to Falls Church. What more do you want?

Per the Affordable Housing Master Plan, the County wants to add 2000 units to Langston, which will comprise 11% of the total county share.

What are they going to tear down to build these units?

They will build up. Look up.