Reply to APS Boundary tool--anyone get it to work yet?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The county's Committed affordable units [b]does not equal- increase in FARMS.[/b]
The county's commitment to affordable housing does not [b]increase the concentration of poverty[/b], or harm the schools.
(if the county is also increasing density- that can harm the schools.)
CAF's improve school outcome b/c they greatly increase housing stability- meaning that students stay in the same apt instead of moving constantly and thereby switching schools.[/quote]

I see your Google alert finally went off.

It does when you turn one and two bedrooms into two and three bedrooms. It does when you build new CAF's on top of what was once a parking lot, or where a church once stood. The market rate units (MARKs) are NOT being torn down. They are still occupied, even after the rent goes up marginally to a rate that is no longer classified "affordable." Still there, occupied by somebody, plus all the new units. Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining.

I do not believe that the children who live in AH harm schools, but corralling them all into a handful of planning units absolutely DOES concentrate poverty. Businesses don't want to locate there. And it destablizies the middle class neighborhoods that are zoned to the same schools. My neighbors here in south Arlington are not afraid of poor kids. They are not afraid of ESL kids. They just think EVERYONE does better in economically integrated neighborhoods and schools, and unlike those who live in CAFs they have the option to move. And they do, and mostly to the walk zones around W-L, fueling overcrowding at ES, MS, and HS levels.

I get it, you have interests to protect. It's not like the CEO's of these non-profits live in the neighborhoods in which they build. They're over in 22207, if they live in Arlington at all. And the money they raise and the power they wield also emanates from 22207. You want Arlington to be affordable for your household staff, but you're not going to invite them to live in accessory dwelling units above your garage, or heaven forbid, send their kids to the same school as yours. That would be a bridge too far. I get it, it's a pretty sweet deal you have going on. You build, build, build, with no risk. There is literally no downside. If you fuck it up, the county comes along to bail you out. It's not like they're going to let a grandmother and the three blind triplets who are her wards get thrown into the street. You are too essential to fail. There's no competition, because you've spent decades making inroads into every single corner of the county government. And you don't want to risk the considerable ire of your neighbors and fuck up a good thing by advocating for integration. Heaven forbid.

I live this everyday. The kids who live in AH are my child's classmates and friends. They are wonderful, bright kids who are trying so hard and enjoying enormous success. I love them. I welcome them. But they don't want to be rezoned to Wakefield any more than your kids do. They want to be at the "best" and most diverse school in Arlington, too. They didn't sacrifice so much to come here just to limit their child's educational opportunities. There just isn't a large enough cohort of high-achieving kids ("high-achieving" as measured by test scores like the SOLs and SATs) at Wakefield [b]yet [/b]to ensure that their opportunity won't be limited by a move to Wakefield. Want to take Latin? Nope, sorry we don't have enough kids interested. Want engineering? Nope, sorry, but may be you can get on a bus and take some classes off campus. AND YOU WILL NEVER HAVE A LARGE ENOUGH COHORT IF YOU SCARE ALL THE MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES OUT OF SOUTH ARLINGTON by engineering a school into economic apartheid. We're not here to be your alternative to a pressure-cooker environment. You don't get to have all the choices. You want something other than your zoned school with a more "welcoming" atmosphere? Pony up for an alternative private school.

In summary, you are a lying liar who lies. Housing Policy is School Policy. We all know it, and now we have the map to prove it. And while many will not care, at least they can't pretend that they don't know any longer.

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