Uniting for the next round of boundary changes

[Anonymous]

I found this study to be interesting.
- Top occupations for AH residents: restaurant/food service, construction, office/administrative, taxi/cab driver.
63% of AH residents do not work in Arlington.
- 33% of AH residents work in DC. 17% in Fairfax. Some even work as far away as Loudoun.
- Max salary allowed in CAFs is $64,500. This means or teachers, nurses, firefighters, police make too much to live in AH.

The study conclusion is that AH is great because a slightly higher percentage of AH residents work in Arlington than the percentage of all Arlington residents, so therefore AH must be helping Arlington businesses and helping with traffic. I personally am appalled that we are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars per unit. The second link is another interesting read to understand how AH proponents think. One takeaway for me is that developers are paying into the AH fund to get density exceptions instead of reserving a few units in those developments for AH. The result is clustering of AH in a few locations and large AH developments instead of spreading throughout the county. AH proponents say this is good because you can offer services at fewer locations. I think it is bad because we are making a few neighborhoods vast majority poor - very poor. It would be better to have AH spread throughout the county and don’t allow developers to pay to keep the poors out of their new developments.

I don’t have a problem with the concept of AH, but I have a problem with the way Arlington is doing it.

https://housing.arlingtonva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2014/02/Occupations-of-Tenants-of-CAFs-Feb-2015.pdf

https://arlingtonva.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2018/10/Final-Full-Booklet-12.18.compressed.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I found this study to be interesting.
- Top occupations for AH residents: restaurant/food service, construction, office/administrative, taxi/cab driver.
63% of AH residents do not work in Arlington.
- 33% of AH residents work in DC. 17% in Fairfax. Some even work as far away as Loudoun.
- Max salary allowed in CAFs is $64,500. This means or teachers, nurses, firefighters, police make too much to live in AH.

The study conclusion is that AH is great because a slightly higher percentage of AH residents work in Arlington than the percentage of all Arlington residents, so therefore AH must be helping Arlington businesses and helping with traffic. I personally am appalled that we are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars per unit. The second link is another interesting read to understand how AH proponents think. One takeaway for me is that developers are paying into the AH fund to get density exceptions instead of reserving a few units in those developments for AH. The result is clustering of AH in a few locations and large AH developments instead of spreading throughout the county. AH proponents say this is good because you can offer services at fewer locations. I think it is bad because we are making a few neighborhoods vast majority poor - very poor. It would be better to have AH spread throughout the county and don’t allow developers to pay to keep the poors out of their new developments.

I don’t have a problem with the concept of AH, but I have a problem with the way Arlington is doing it.

https://housing.arlingtonva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2014/02/Occupations-of-Tenants-of-CAFs-Feb-2015.pdf

https://arlingtonva.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2018/10/Final-Full-Booklet-12.18.compressed.pdf

Amen!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:actually- look at the most recent county report- the CAF's built in 2017 were distributed very well throughout the county.
https://housing.arlingtonva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2018/01/2017-Annual-Report-Final.pdf I couldn't figure out how to cut and paste the map that shows this- but look at page 11 of the report.

Also, while you're giving us the APAH talking points, can you remind us how many affordable units will open up north of 50 in 2019, and how many along the West Pike at Gilliam and Columbia Hills? And, since distribution is such a vital part of the plan according to you, tell us how many units along Lee Highway or north of Lee Highway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:actually- look at the most recent county report- the CAF's built in 2017 were distributed very well throughout the county.
https://housing.arlingtonva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2018/01/2017-Annual-Report-Final.pdf I couldn't figure out how to cut and paste the map that shows this- but look at page 11 of the report.

Also, while you're giving us the APAH talking points, can you remind us how many affordable units will open up north of 50 in 2019, and how many along the West Pike at Gilliam and Columbia Hills? And, since distribution is such a vital part of the plan according to you, tell us how many units along Lee Highway or north of Lee Highway?

Lots and lots, and they'll be filled with teachers, cops, firefighters, Santa Claus, and the Easter Bunny.

[Anonymous]

North of Lee Highway? You so funny!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only reason some APS schools have over 50% FARMS rates is because we are massively subsidizing people who don't even have ties to our community. We are literally bringing them in to live in Arlington, and spending high six figures to do so.

Meanwhile the county doesn't spend a dime keeping actual middle class in Arlington, regardless of how long they have lived here. Actually, it is worse than that. The county actively undermines middle class welfare in the county by concentrating poverty in what should be solidly blue collar, middle class areas

This is completely false. We are not 'bringing in poor people to live in Arlington.' I get so so sick of this narrative being reported over and over. Also- one of the affordable housing goals is distribution. Stop villifying affordable housing- its not the problem.

You are either grossly misinformed or under the thrall of Gutshall, de Ferranti and the rest of the AH pimps on the Board. It's a racket, plain and simple. Developers getting rich off building a ghetto.

[Anonymous]

So, public hearing on the boundaries tomorrow at 7PM. What's the word?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, public hearing on the boundaries tomorrow at 7PM. What's the word?

I look forward to all the posters on here publicly stating all the elitist, xenophobic drivel they feel free to spew under the cover of anonymity on these threads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, public hearing on the boundaries tomorrow at 7PM. What's the word?

The threads on boundaries have really gotten quiet. Not much on AEM either. Maybe everyone has just lost momentum and given up. My kid is not yet at the elementary level so I’m following with interest as we are in the S. of Pike Henry zone now. I will be watching live.

[Anonymous]

Bets on how many speakers? Or how many shirt colors?

[Anonymous]

I don't think teachers are living in AH but I feel like there is a lot of misconception about how much teachers make. There are teachers in Arlington that make less than 64K. In fact, in 2016, the average salary at Discovery Elementary was 63K (given that it is a newer school with less veteran teachers). That makes a fair share of teachers there are making under 63K.

Anyway, again I don't think AH is full of teachers but there are plenty of teachers who would qualify.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Pay-Plan-18-19-1.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think teachers are living in AH but I feel like there is a lot of misconception about how much teachers make. There are teachers in Arlington that make less than 64K. In fact, in 2016, the average salary at Discovery Elementary was 63K (given that it is a newer school with less veteran teachers). That makes a fair share of teachers there are making under 63K.

Anyway, again I don't think AH is full of teachers but there are plenty of teachers who would qualify.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Pay-Plan-18-19-1.pdf

In theory, an unmarried teacher who doesn't have a summer or side gig might qualify. But they would not live in a CAF of hundreds of units of AH. Do not, would not. Neither would police, firefighers, or other low-paid professional class individual, like new college grads in white collar jobs. Also, the waitlists are ranked in order of need. There are far too many people with enormous need and section 8 vouchers that help them afford the 60-80% ami units for there to be space for upwardly mobile professionals who qualify, in theory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think teachers are living in AH but I feel like there is a lot of misconception about how much teachers make. There are teachers in Arlington that make less than 64K. In fact, in 2016, the average salary at Discovery Elementary was 63K (given that it is a newer school with less veteran teachers). That makes a fair share of teachers there are making under 63K.

Anyway, again I don't think AH is full of teachers but there are plenty of teachers who would qualify.

https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Pay-Plan-18-19-1.pdf

In theory, an unmarried teacher who doesn't have a summer or side gig might qualify. But they would not live in a CAF of hundreds of units of AH. Do not, would not. Neither would police, firefighers, or other low-paid professional class individual, like new college grads in white collar jobs. Also, the waitlists are ranked in order of need. There are far too many people with enormous need and section 8 vouchers that help them afford the 60-80% ami units for there to be space for upwardly mobile professionals who qualify, in theory.

Yep. But I have a condo in S. Arlington (Columbia Pike/Glebe area) and several of my neighbors are Fairfax or Arlington teachers and police officers.

[Anonymous]

Also wanted to add that this "missing middle" housing idea, of increased density may not actually yield much more affordable to the MC housing. I mean, I suppose two $1.2 million homes are more affordable than on $2.1 million house, but someone who can afford a $1.2 million home is not middle class:

https://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/2023-N-Dinwiddie-St-22207/unit-A/home/148345587

If the lot my house is built on were upzoned, I would still sell it as a tear down for the going market rate of SFHs in my less desirable neighborhood, which is $700,000. Presumably a builder would want to make $ on the deal, so maybe you'd wind up with two $700,000 units where there had been one. Increasing inventory that modestly is not likely to put a dent in the missing middle housing.

I just don't know that there is a solution to the "missing middle." I think that ship has sailed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Also, the waitlists are ranked in order of need. There are far too many people with enormous need and section 8 vouchers that help them afford the 60-80% ami units for there to be space for upwardly mobile professionals who qualify, in theory.

This isn't true. Each complex keeps their own waitlist- there is no 'master' waitlist for CAF's. The complex gets to decide how they take people off their waitlist (if they keep one) so long as they comply with income limits etc. Many places don't keep waitlists- its a matter of whether or not when you call they have a vacancy. Each month the county publishes a list of CAF vacancies they are aware of.
Also- if you are using a section 8 voucher- you are not going to be able to qualify for the 80% ami units- you don't make enough money and the section 8 voucher won't cover the gap sufficiently. Here is a link to the current vacancies in CAF's.
https://arlingtonva.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2018/11/November-2018.pdf