Can someone explain to me like I am 5 how there is a housing crisis in Alexandria when the last report on homelessness said there were 152 people in the City experiencing homelessness in 2023 - down from 198 in 2019?

I will concede the large influx of undocumented immigrants to our sanctuary city may need housing, but I truly doubt they will be renting the $3.5k a month apartment in the six-plex built on Loyola avenue with no parking spot for their unmarked work van. And why would a young couple choose to live in that same six-plex when they can move into The Porter and get happy hours in the lobby? So maybe that couple would move into a $1million duplex built on that same lot, so the removal of SFH zoning has now increased housing capacity by 1 for that lot. And not anything affordable. And not a speck of grass remaining.

My favorite talking point of the council is removal of SFH zoning is desegregation - not even hiding behind the implication that POC cannot afford SFHs so something lesser needs created. What a pessimistic view.

I hate Justin Wilson as much as anybody, but he's not proposing to outlaw SFH. He would love lots currently zoned for SFH to become multi-unit housing - especially in Seminary Ridge - but he isn't proposing an outright ban.

Plenty point to Minneapolis and Portland’s elimination of SFH-only zoning as being positive because it has moderated housing prices, but they ignore the fact that these cities are both losing population to their surrounding suburbs due to growing safety and quality of life issues so that is the primary cause for stalled real estate prices https://www.twincities.com/2023/03/31/hennepin-ramsey-county-population-decline-suburbs-grow/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The City doesn’t lack housing. There are massive condo buildings in west Alexandria and they are not full. If the City was serious they would move on from public housing and provide home buyer assistance.

Image if they had done that 20 years ago. They would have given a generation of families a hand up. But instead the liberals choose the thing that makes them feel good - a hand out.

I can't believe people are still insisting there is no housing crisis.

Also, this proposal is about zoning reform, i.e., enabling owners of private property to have more freedom regarding use of their private property. What part of that is a liberal feel-good handout?

No, it's not. SFH will be outlawed/ severely curtailed in areas. That's fewer rights, not more rights.

Currently: Only detached single-unit houses allowed
Proposed reform: Detached single-unit houses allowed, AND other housing types ALSO allowed

That's more rights, not fewer rights.

The bolded is incorrect. If passed, no new SFHs would be permitted. Only multi unit housing units would be allowed. There will also be a de facto moratorium on additions to SFHs.

Is that true? Can you cite to that in the proposal? I live in Alexandria and am very concerned re that as we are planning an addition.

It's not true. This is true:

Currently: Exclusively detached single-unit houses allowed
Proposed reform: Detached single-unit houses allowed, AND other housing types ALSO allowed


https://www.alexandriava.gov/planning-and-zoning/zoning-for-housinghousing-for-all#Proposed2023ZoningforHousingInitiatives
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b2fac338d3b74b0780db7a07a9541cbc

It is true. Theres a thread on Facebook Bring Integrity Back to Alexandria where council members are point blank asked their stance. Several of them said they approved a "total ban" on new SFH construction. Unless you are suggesting they were lying then or lying now.

Oh well, if an anonymous poster is citing something on Facebook where somebody said somebody said something, then it must be true!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The City doesn’t lack housing. There are massive condo buildings in west Alexandria and they are not full. If the City was serious they would move on from public housing and provide home buyer assistance.

Image if they had done that 20 years ago. They would have given a generation of families a hand up. But instead the liberals choose the thing that makes them feel good - a hand out.

I can't believe people are still insisting there is no housing crisis.

Also, this proposal is about zoning reform, i.e., enabling owners of private property to have more freedom regarding use of their private property. What part of that is a liberal feel-good handout?

No, it's not. SFH will be outlawed/ severely curtailed in areas. That's fewer rights, not more rights.

Currently: Only detached single-unit houses allowed
Proposed reform: Detached single-unit houses allowed, AND other housing types ALSO allowed

That's more rights, not fewer rights.

The bolded is incorrect. If passed, no new SFHs would be permitted. Only multi unit housing units would be allowed. There will also be a de facto moratorium on additions to SFHs.

Is that true? Can you cite to that in the proposal? I live in Alexandria and am very concerned re that as we are planning an addition.

It's not true. This is true:

Currently: Exclusively detached single-unit houses allowed
Proposed reform: Detached single-unit houses allowed, AND other housing types ALSO allowed


https://www.alexandriava.gov/planning-and-zoning/zoning-for-housinghousing-for-all#Proposed2023ZoningforHousingInitiatives
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b2fac338d3b74b0780db7a07a9541cbc

It is true. Theres a thread on Facebook Bring Integrity Back to Alexandria where council members are point blank asked their stance. Several of them said they approved a "total ban" on new SFH construction. Unless you are suggesting they were lying then or lying now.

Nobody has to be lying here. They may very well be approving of a "total ban" on new SFH construction, but that's not what's being proposed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The City doesn’t lack housing. There are massive condo buildings in west Alexandria and they are not full. If the City was serious they would move on from public housing and provide home buyer assistance.

Image if they had done that 20 years ago. They would have given a generation of families a hand up. But instead the liberals choose the thing that makes them feel good - a hand out.

I can't believe people are still insisting there is no housing crisis.

Also, this proposal is about zoning reform, i.e., enabling owners of private property to have more freedom regarding use of their private property. What part of that is a liberal feel-good handout?

No, it's not. SFH will be outlawed/ severely curtailed in areas. That's fewer rights, not more rights.

Currently: Only detached single-unit houses allowed
Proposed reform: Detached single-unit houses allowed, AND other housing types ALSO allowed

That's more rights, not fewer rights.

The bolded is incorrect. If passed, no new SFHs would be permitted. Only multi unit housing units would be allowed. There will also be a de facto moratorium on additions to SFHs.

Is that true? Can you cite to that in the proposal? I live in Alexandria and am very concerned re that as we are planning an addition.

It's not true. This is true:

Currently: Exclusively detached single-unit houses allowed
Proposed reform: Detached single-unit houses allowed, AND other housing types ALSO allowed


https://www.alexandriava.gov/planning-and-zoning/zoning-for-housinghousing-for-all#Proposed2023ZoningforHousingInitiatives
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b2fac338d3b74b0780db7a07a9541cbc

It is true. Theres a thread on Facebook Bring Integrity Back to Alexandria where council members are point blank asked their stance. Several of them said they approved a "total ban" on new SFH construction. Unless you are suggesting they were lying then or lying now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The City doesn’t lack housing. There are massive condo buildings in west Alexandria and they are not full. If the City was serious they would move on from public housing and provide home buyer assistance.

Image if they had done that 20 years ago. They would have given a generation of families a hand up. But instead the liberals choose the thing that makes them feel good - a hand out.

I can't believe people are still insisting there is no housing crisis.

Also, this proposal is about zoning reform, i.e., enabling owners of private property to have more freedom regarding use of their private property. What part of that is a liberal feel-good handout?

No, it's not. SFH will be outlawed/ severely curtailed in areas. That's fewer rights, not more rights.

Currently: Only detached single-unit houses allowed
Proposed reform: Detached single-unit houses allowed, AND other housing types ALSO allowed

That's more rights, not fewer rights.

The bolded is incorrect. If passed, no new SFHs would be permitted. Only multi unit housing units would be allowed. There will also be a de facto moratorium on additions to SFHs.

Is that true? Can you cite to that in the proposal? I live in Alexandria and am very concerned re that as we are planning an addition.

It's not true. This is true:

Currently: Exclusively detached single-unit houses allowed
Proposed reform: Detached single-unit houses allowed, AND other housing types ALSO allowed


https://www.alexandriava.gov/planning-and-zoning/zoning-for-housinghousing-for-all#Proposed2023ZoningforHousingInitiatives
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b2fac338d3b74b0780db7a07a9541cbc

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The City doesn’t lack housing. There are massive condo buildings in west Alexandria and they are not full. If the City was serious they would move on from public housing and provide home buyer assistance.

Image if they had done that 20 years ago. They would have given a generation of families a hand up. But instead the liberals choose the thing that makes them feel good - a hand out.

I can't believe people are still insisting there is no housing crisis.

Also, this proposal is about zoning reform, i.e., enabling owners of private property to have more freedom regarding use of their private property. What part of that is a liberal feel-good handout?

No, it's not. SFH will be outlawed/ severely curtailed in areas. That's fewer rights, not more rights.

Currently: Only detached single-unit houses allowed
Proposed reform: Detached single-unit houses allowed, AND other housing types ALSO allowed

That's more rights, not fewer rights.

The bolded is incorrect. If passed, no new SFHs would be permitted. Only multi unit housing units would be allowed. There will also be a de facto moratorium on additions to SFHs.

Is that true? Can you cite to that in the proposal? I live in Alexandria and am very concerned re that as we are planning an addition.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The City doesn’t lack housing. There are massive condo buildings in west Alexandria and they are not full. If the City was serious they would move on from public housing and provide home buyer assistance.

Image if they had done that 20 years ago. They would have given a generation of families a hand up. But instead the liberals choose the thing that makes them feel good - a hand out.

+1. The Blake on Beuregard is 70% vacant. They are so desperate that they are offering two months free rent and no security deposit if your credit is over 800.

This has nothing to do with housing. This is about social justice in their mind. Stick it to the white man. That's the council's primary objective in everything. Social justice, not actual governance.

When someone interprets zoning reform as "sticking it to the white man," that says a lot about their beliefs and preconceptions.

Bless your heart. Did you miss council's recent attempt to use taxpayer funds to provide business grants only to POC?

If that's not sticking it to the white man, I don't know what is.

This is a thread about a zoning reform proposal.

That Council states is partly about racial equality.

The same council that, as pointed out above, wanted to take tax dollars from everyone and give them only to the black people.

Does it pain you to admit that? Why?

+1.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The City doesn’t lack housing. There are massive condo buildings in west Alexandria and they are not full. If the City was serious they would move on from public housing and provide home buyer assistance.

Image if they had done that 20 years ago. They would have given a generation of families a hand up. But instead the liberals choose the thing that makes them feel good - a hand out.

I can't believe people are still insisting there is no housing crisis.

Also, this proposal is about zoning reform, i.e., enabling owners of private property to have more freedom regarding use of their private property. What part of that is a liberal feel-good handout?

No, it's not. SFH will be outlawed/ severely curtailed in areas. That's fewer rights, not more rights.

Currently: Only detached single-unit houses allowed
Proposed reform: Detached single-unit houses allowed, AND other housing types ALSO allowed

That's more rights, not fewer rights.

The bolded is incorrect. If passed, no new SFHs would be permitted. Only multi unit housing units would be allowed. There will also be a de facto moratorium on additions to SFHs.

Exactly. Zoning reform.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The City doesn’t lack housing. There are massive condo buildings in west Alexandria and they are not full. If the City was serious they would move on from public housing and provide home buyer assistance.

Image if they had done that 20 years ago. They would have given a generation of families a hand up. But instead the liberals choose the thing that makes them feel good - a hand out.

+1. The Blake on Beuregard is 70% vacant. They are so desperate that they are offering two months free rent and no security deposit if your credit is over 800.

This has nothing to do with housing. This is about social justice in their mind. Stick it to the white man. That's the council's primary objective in everything. Social justice, not actual governance.

When someone interprets zoning reform as "sticking it to the white man," that says a lot about their beliefs and preconceptions.

Bless your heart. Did you miss council's recent attempt to use taxpayer funds to provide business grants only to POC?

If that's not sticking it to the white man, I don't know what is.

This is a thread about a zoning reform proposal.

That Council states is partly about racial equality.

The same council that, as pointed out above, wanted to take tax dollars from everyone and give them only to the black people.

Does it pain you to admit that? Why?

Is there a reason you're not talking about zoning reform on this thread about a proposal for zoning reform?

I am talking about it, per council's stated goals.

Is there a reason you support council's racist hypocrisy?

No, you're not. You're not talking about zoning reform. This thread is about zoning reform.

Are you that bald loser or a bot?

"The city’s ‘Zoning for Housing/Housing for All’ initiative kicks off with a focus on racial equity.

Faced with soaring housing costs and restrictive laws that leaders say were once meant to keep out people of color, Alexandria is trying to create more places for more people to live — and it’s looking to its zoning code to do it.

City leaders this week kicked off their “Zoning for Housing/Housing for All” initiative, which will study and eventually recommend changes to municipal rules that govern what can be built where in this Northern Virginia city of about 160,000."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/21/alexandria-zoning-affordable-housing-planning/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The City doesn’t lack housing. There are massive condo buildings in west Alexandria and they are not full. If the City was serious they would move on from public housing and provide home buyer assistance.

Image if they had done that 20 years ago. They would have given a generation of families a hand up. But instead the liberals choose the thing that makes them feel good - a hand out.

+1. The Blake on Beuregard is 70% vacant. They are so desperate that they are offering two months free rent and no security deposit if your credit is over 800.

This has nothing to do with housing. This is about social justice in their mind. Stick it to the white man. That's the council's primary objective in everything. Social justice, not actual governance.

When someone interprets zoning reform as "sticking it to the white man," that says a lot about their beliefs and preconceptions.

Bless your heart. Did you miss council's recent attempt to use taxpayer funds to provide business grants only to POC?

If that's not sticking it to the white man, I don't know what is.

This is a thread about a zoning reform proposal.

That Council states is partly about racial equality.

The same council that, as pointed out above, wanted to take tax dollars from everyone and give them only to the black people.

Does it pain you to admit that? Why?

Is there a reason you're not talking about zoning reform on this thread about a proposal for zoning reform?

I am talking about it, per council's stated goals.

Is there a reason you support council's racist hypocrisy?

No, you're not. You're not talking about zoning reform. This thread is about zoning reform.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The City doesn’t lack housing. There are massive condo buildings in west Alexandria and they are not full. If the City was serious they would move on from public housing and provide home buyer assistance.

Image if they had done that 20 years ago. They would have given a generation of families a hand up. But instead the liberals choose the thing that makes them feel good - a hand out.

+1. The Blake on Beuregard is 70% vacant. They are so desperate that they are offering two months free rent and no security deposit if your credit is over 800.

This has nothing to do with housing. This is about social justice in their mind. Stick it to the white man. That's the council's primary objective in everything. Social justice, not actual governance.

When someone interprets zoning reform as "sticking it to the white man," that says a lot about their beliefs and preconceptions.

Bless your heart. Did you miss council's recent attempt to use taxpayer funds to provide business grants only to POC?

If that's not sticking it to the white man, I don't know what is.

This is a thread about a zoning reform proposal.

That Council states is partly about racial equality.

The same council that, as pointed out above, wanted to take tax dollars from everyone and give them only to the black people.

Does it pain you to admit that? Why?

Is there a reason you're not talking about zoning reform on this thread about a proposal for zoning reform?

I am talking about it, per council's stated goals.

Is there a reason you support council's racist hypocrisy?

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t Alexandria already large enough with 150,000+ residents? How large does the council want the city to be? Infrastructure and city services are already subpar compared to neighboring jurisdictions in Virginia. It’s only going to get worse by cramming more people within the city limits.

Yes it is. Used to take me 5 minutes to get to the store now takes 25. We are surrounded by empty low income apartments that we are not allowed to move into because we make too much and now traffic and crime from the increase in density is making this city unbearable to live in or want to even be part of when they clearly have it out for a certain demographic.