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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It's a wonder to watch some of the most privileged in our society clothe themselves in rightousness as they pull the ladder up behind them. [/quote]

I think this is very unfair.  Nowhere in the entire United States has the type of reforms proposed in Arlington.  Of course people who have worked hard to make their homes here are worried.  This is an extreme proposal and it should (but will not) be dialed back to try and thread the needle in a way that balances things out and recognizes the infrastructure issues.  We can have change without going nuclear.

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I think this is very delusional. Try slumming it one day and drive through South Arlington. Plenty of examples that have been there for decades now. South Glebe Rd - they just slapped up some more oluxury townhouses on a little slip of land located across the street from a couple of apartment buildings, and then across the road there is a small infill build of large luxury SFH houses from about 10 years ago, a couple duplexes next to that, then next to that shoehorned in on some awkward strip another set of townhouses that are about 15 years old. Tons of small SFH homes behind that. Across the street a hand full of infill build townhomes from a decade ago then next to that some habit for humanity townhomes also from a 12+ yrs ago and next to that this small little apartment building that has seriously been there forever but recently got repainted and I think some renovations. Oh wait I forget that one SFH with what appears to be junkyard that grows in the front yard.  All that infill building and people happily purchased those homes at very high prices. Those people worked hard to make their homes here.  There is absolutely nothing extreme about this proposal because it already happens. They are just making sure it happens more places.

I don't know if people like you are really this dumb but you do realize that only certain lots are going to be useful for a developer. Duplexes and tri plexes might be ok for an individual home builder but actual developer companies want something that will be a community. That's their business. They don't build one off houses. So the actual number of lots that are going to meet that need in North Arlington that they can buy at a cost that will allow them to recoup their investment is pretty limited. They aren't going to bother to buy SFHs to tear down to replace. It's too costly in terms of dollars and time. They might take down a single small house but what they really want is land and no existing building. It's quicker and less costly. Remember they deal in volume.  Now the smaller home builders, They might do the duplex but maybe not. It's a different kind of build verses one single family home. There is a start up cost if the builder isn't already in that space that might be too costly and time consuming to consider. [b]Two smaller SFH on the same lot is more likely[/b].  What is not likely is that any of those home will be substantially less in cost that any other home in the neighborhood. They will be slightly less but not much less.  And "affordable housing" ?? Forget it. Too expensive to deal with unless someone gives them the house and a substantial lot for free. Even with tax credits that can't offset the cost enough to make it profitable. [/quote]

Tell me you aren’t a builder, without actually telling me you aren’t a builder. You are literally missing the point of MMH. Right now, you need a lot that is big enough to be sub-divided to create 2 SFH. With the proposal, you can now build a triplex and sell each for around a million and make more money than if you put up a 2.5 million dollar SF house. You are disincentivizing SFH in a SFH neighborhood. One thing you did get right is that you aren’t really helping those that are disadvantaged- you are building density and helping someone who can afford a million dollar home.[/quote]

I was going to say, tell me you aren't a builder without a actually telling me you  aren't builder because the poster doesn't understand that most of the building in Arlington is done by small builders and not developers like Toll Brothers. Sometimes NVR will buy a bank building like they did on Langston Blvd and fill it with $1.3M townhouses or tear down a group of the brick apartments in Westover and throw up some townhouses or Evergreen's fiasco at the corner of Washington Blvd. and George Mason Dr.  I work for several of those small Arlington builders who buy tear down lots and building one single family house.   They are actually banking lots right now waiting to see what happens with the new LDA requirements saying that all water has to be contained on the lot and cannot go into a neighbor's lot. The best lots are those sloping toward the street, preferably near a storm water catch basin.  Second best are lots with impervious surfaces -- like the concrete parking pads and  work areas you see in older neighborhoods where someone once ran a business from the home. The LDA requirements are looser if there is already a good deal of disturbed land.

If the LDA requirements are too stringent, the builder will build a single family home as planned, but if they are relaxed for Missing Middle, you bet they will build three townhouses on a 6,000 sq.ft lot or a quad plex on a 10,000 sq.ft. lot.  They make more money doing the latter.  If the neighborhood opposes them, they point to the Arlington County Board.  Honestly, Missing Middle housing is the biggest get out of jail free card that Arlington ever gave to builders.  [/quote]

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