Arlington Missing Middle Housing Q&A

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is my observation from other places that has implemented MM like coconut grove area in miami a couple of decades ago. The are many 6-8 unites townhomes throughout peppered in between sfh and non of them are affordable. A relative bought a 2000sf townhouse for 800k 6 years ago, it is north worth 2M based on comps. She doesn’t dare sell as she would have to move to a different area, her home is now the entry point more or less

How much were the SFHs 6 years ago? Could she have afforded those at the time?

[Anonymous]

Biggest issue is Arlington allowed McMansions in first place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Biggest issue is Arlington allowed McMansions in first place.

Are you an unemployed lawyer who needs work overturning by right development in Arlington?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're soon to be empty nesters and would like to move closer into the City. We love Arlington/Ballston metro area. We think that the Missing Middle offers a tremendous opportunity to finally buy into Arlington. We're excited about the prospects of more housing type choices being proposed by builders. Thank you, Arlington County board, for your foresight and thoughtfulness to do something about the affordability crisis in America.

Hopefully, your budget is at least $1.5 million. That's the amount you'd need now for a newer townhouse in the Ballston area, and MM builders aren't going to be offering any discounts out of the kindness of their hearts. Thanks, Arlington board, for lining the pockets of developers and giving people false hope that there will be some sort of below-market rate housing that is set aside just for people like this PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're soon to be empty nesters and would like to move closer into the City. We love Arlington/Ballston metro area. We think that the Missing Middle offers a tremendous opportunity to finally buy into Arlington. We're excited about the prospects of more housing type choices being proposed by builders. Thank you, Arlington County board, for your foresight and thoughtfulness to do something about the affordability crisis in America.

I hope this is a joke. There are no affordability controls on MM. if you couldn’t afford any of the condos that are already available on the Ballston area you’re not going to be able to “finally buy into Arlington”. You may have additional rental opportunities at a high price point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're soon to be empty nesters and would like to move closer into the City. We love Arlington/Ballston metro area. We think that the Missing Middle offers a tremendous opportunity to finally buy into Arlington. We're excited about the prospects of more housing type choices being proposed by builders. Thank you, Arlington County board, for your foresight and thoughtfulness to do something about the affordability crisis in America.

Hopefully, your budget is at least $1.5 million. That's the amount you'd need now for a newer townhouse in the Ballston area, and MM builders aren't going to be offering any discounts out of the kindness of their hearts. Thanks, Arlington board, for lining the pockets of developers and giving people false hope that there will be some sort of below-market rate housing that is set aside just for people like this PP.

DP. This is what drives me crazy. The false hope of the masses to pass this.

[Anonymous]

I think there were a lot of issues with MM (the package that got passed, the lengthy yet shallow process, etc). But at the end of the day, we can just move if it's that bad. Arlington isn't the "be all end all." The schools are just ok to good-ish, the neighborhoods aren't very charming, and the only major positive is proximity to DC. I think people have really lost perspective. But I do understand the utter frustration with our county overlords. They aren't the sharpest tools in the shed for sure!

[Anonymous]

It's almost as though people hear "missing middle," and they think "That's me! I'm the missing middle class who deserves to live in Arlington. Thank goodness the Arlington Board is listening to me and this housing will be for me at exactly the price I can afford!"

People will say MM refers to housing types, but I don't think that's what most people understood. It was pretty deceptive in my view. A more accurate description would have been "Increased Density."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's almost as though people hear "missing middle," and they think "That's me! I'm the missing middle class who deserves to live in Arlington. Thank goodness the Arlington Board is listening to me and this housing will be for me at exactly the price I can afford!"

People will say MM refers to housing types, but I don't think that's what most people understood. It was pretty deceptive in my view. A more accurate description would have been "Increased Density."

When Arlington tried to redress the misleading Missing Middle moniker, they renamed it Expanded Housing Options — In fed parlance EHO means Equal Housing Opportunities which implies the program is equalitarian. The ne name only added to the confusion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there were a lot of issues with MM (the package that got passed, the lengthy yet shallow process, etc). But at the end of the day, we can just move if it's that bad. Arlington isn't the "be all end all." The schools are just ok to good-ish, the neighborhoods aren't very charming, and the only major positive is proximity to DC. I think people have really lost perspective. But I do understand the utter frustration with our county overlords. They aren't the sharpest tools in the shed for sure!

That's a really obnoxious thing to say. In addition to having built a community of friends in Arlington, many of us have invested into our homes. It's not that easy to "just move."

We happen to live next door to a gentleman who has lived in his home for almost 70 years. He's recently started having health problems. There's a very, very significant chance that his tiny house is going to be replaced by a 6plex in the next few years. So, do we stay in a home that we love and have spent a lot of money to remodel to our tastes and risk living next door to an apartment building? Do we risk the loss of privacy and quiet enjoyment of our yard? Do we risk the drop in our property value? Or do we move now and give up our interest rate and move our kids away from their friends? We'd been planning to stay in this house until our kids were in college, so probably another 15-20 years. It's literally a decision that affects if our leafy backyard remains private or is next door to a multistory apartment building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there were a lot of issues with MM (the package that got passed, the lengthy yet shallow process, etc). But at the end of the day, we can just move if it's that bad. Arlington isn't the "be all end all." The schools are just ok to good-ish, the neighborhoods aren't very charming, and the only major positive is proximity to DC. I think people have really lost perspective. But I do understand the utter frustration with our county overlords. They aren't the sharpest tools in the shed for sure!

That's a really obnoxious thing to say. In addition to having built a community of friends in Arlington, many of us have invested into our homes. It's not that easy to "just move."

We happen to live next door to a gentleman who has lived in his home for almost 70 years. He's recently started having health problems. There's a very, very significant chance that his tiny house is going to be replaced by a 6plex in the next few years. So, do we stay in a home that we love and have spent a lot of money to remodel to our tastes and risk living next door to an apartment building? Do we risk the loss of privacy and quiet enjoyment of our yard? Do we risk the drop in our property value? Or do we move now and give up our interest rate and move our kids away from their friends? We'd been planning to stay in this house until our kids were in college, so probably another 15-20 years. It's literally a decision that affects if our leafy backyard remains private or is next door to a multistory apartment building.

Your biggest concern about your sick elderly neighbor is what will happen to the house? And you're calling me obnoxious and lecturing me about the community you have built? Ha.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there were a lot of issues with MM (the package that got passed, the lengthy yet shallow process, etc). But at the end of the day, we can just move if it's that bad. Arlington isn't the "be all end all." The schools are just ok to good-ish, the neighborhoods aren't very charming, and the only major positive is proximity to DC. I think people have really lost perspective. But I do understand the utter frustration with our county overlords. They aren't the sharpest tools in the shed for sure!

That's a really obnoxious thing to say. In addition to having built a community of friends in Arlington, many of us have invested into our homes. It's not that easy to "just move."

We happen to live next door to a gentleman who has lived in his home for almost 70 years. He's recently started having health problems. There's a very, very significant chance that his tiny house is going to be replaced by a 6plex in the next few years. So, do we stay in a home that we love and have spent a lot of money to remodel to our tastes and risk living next door to an apartment building? Do we risk the loss of privacy and quiet enjoyment of our yard? Do we risk the drop in our property value? Or do we move now and give up our interest rate and move our kids away from their friends? We'd been planning to stay in this house until our kids were in college, so probably another 15-20 years. It's literally a decision that affects if our leafy backyard remains private or is next door to a multistory apartment building.

Your biggest concern about your sick elderly neighbor is what will happen to the house? And you're calling me obnoxious and lecturing me about the community you have built? Ha.

He's not exactly on death's doorstep. Most likely he'd just move on with family. So no, not super worried about the grumpy neighbor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there were a lot of issues with MM (the package that got passed, the lengthy yet shallow process, etc). But at the end of the day, we can just move if it's that bad. Arlington isn't the "be all end all." The schools are just ok to good-ish, the neighborhoods aren't very charming, and the only major positive is proximity to DC. I think people have really lost perspective. But I do understand the utter frustration with our county overlords. They aren't the sharpest tools in the shed for sure!

That's a really obnoxious thing to say. In addition to having built a community of friends in Arlington, many of us have invested into our homes. It's not that easy to "just move."

We happen to live next door to a gentleman who has lived in his home for almost 70 years. He's recently started having health problems. There's a very, very significant chance that his tiny house is going to be replaced by a 6plex in the next few years. So, do we stay in a home that we love and have spent a lot of money to remodel to our tastes and risk living next door to an apartment building? Do we risk the loss of privacy and quiet enjoyment of our yard? Do we risk the drop in our property value? Or do we move now and give up our interest rate and move our kids away from their friends? We'd been planning to stay in this house until our kids were in college, so probably another 15-20 years. It's literally a decision that affects if our leafy backyard remains private or is next door to a multistory apartment building.

Your biggest concern about your sick elderly neighbor is what will happen to the house? And you're calling me obnoxious and lecturing me about the community you have built? Ha.

He's not exactly on death's doorstep. Most likely he'd just move on with family. So no, not super worried about the grumpy neighbor.

So you'll be down one grumpy neighbor and up one multi-plex. Maybe it's a wash!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there were a lot of issues with MM (the package that got passed, the lengthy yet shallow process, etc). But at the end of the day, we can just move if it's that bad. Arlington isn't the "be all end all." The schools are just ok to good-ish, the neighborhoods aren't very charming, and the only major positive is proximity to DC. I think people have really lost perspective. But I do understand the utter frustration with our county overlords. They aren't the sharpest tools in the shed for sure!

That's a really obnoxious thing to say. In addition to having built a community of friends in Arlington, many of us have invested into our homes. It's not that easy to "just move."

We happen to live next door to a gentleman who has lived in his home for almost 70 years. He's recently started having health problems. There's a very, very significant chance that his tiny house is going to be replaced by a 6plex in the next few years. So, do we stay in a home that we love and have spent a lot of money to remodel to our tastes and risk living next door to an apartment building? Do we risk the loss of privacy and quiet enjoyment of our yard? Do we risk the drop in our property value? Or do we move now and give up our interest rate and move our kids away from their friends? We'd been planning to stay in this house until our kids were in college, so probably another 15-20 years. It's literally a decision that affects if our leafy backyard remains private or is next door to a multistory apartment building.

Your biggest concern about your sick elderly neighbor is what will happen to the house? And you're calling me obnoxious and lecturing me about the community you have built? Ha.

He's not exactly on death's doorstep. Most likely he'd just move on with family. So no, not super worried about the grumpy neighbor.

So you'll be down one grumpy neighbor and up one multi-plex. Maybe it's a wash!

Be as glib as you want. Not even close. It's probably $200k or more to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there were a lot of issues with MM (the package that got passed, the lengthy yet shallow process, etc). But at the end of the day, we can just move if it's that bad. Arlington isn't the "be all end all." The schools are just ok to good-ish, the neighborhoods aren't very charming, and the only major positive is proximity to DC. I think people have really lost perspective. But I do understand the utter frustration with our county overlords. They aren't the sharpest tools in the shed for sure!

That's a really obnoxious thing to say. In addition to having built a community of friends in Arlington, many of us have invested into our homes. It's not that easy to "just move."

We happen to live next door to a gentleman who has lived in his home for almost 70 years. He's recently started having health problems. There's a very, very significant chance that his tiny house is going to be replaced by a 6plex in the next few years. So, do we stay in a home that we love and have spent a lot of money to remodel to our tastes and risk living next door to an apartment building? Do we risk the loss of privacy and quiet enjoyment of our yard? Do we risk the drop in our property value? Or do we move now and give up our interest rate and move our kids away from their friends? We'd been planning to stay in this house until our kids were in college, so probably another 15-20 years. It's literally a decision that affects if our leafy backyard remains private or is next door to a multistory apartment building.

I just hear whining. Should have lived further out