Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live near that area and didn't fight the duplex but any house built over there should have its own garage. Harrison Street is basically a thoroughfare and that part of it regularly gets backed up due to drivers needing to pull over to one side or the other because street parkers narrow the thoroughfare down to one lane. Adding more parkers to the street there will only exacerbate that already existing issue.

Just noting again fwiw that to me fighting this duplex wasn't crazy. There are no sidewalks on this part of Harrison, and having cars parked on either side of the road here turns this into basically a one lane street. Drivers regularly need to pull over and make way for someone coming the other way to drive through. And this is Harrison, a pretty busy road that people use to get up to the grocery all the time etc. I walk by here a bunch and since there are no sidewalks have had issues with cars almost running into me. Making a situation where there is going to be more street parking on this stretch would not be great. IMHO any house built here should have its own garage for parking to keep cars off the street, or at least a driveway.

House on 15th street is similar, it's adjacent to the traffic circle, which drivers regularly go the wrong way around wut is wrong with people?

This is very common throughout Arlington- both the lack of sidewalks, and the fact that it’s a yield street. You could always ask your neighbors to park in their driveways if you’re concerned.

The homeowners on this street also could request the county restrict all parking. That would be the best solution based on their concerns.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live near that area and didn't fight the duplex but any house built over there should have its own garage. Harrison Street is basically a thoroughfare and that part of it regularly gets backed up due to drivers needing to pull over to one side or the other because street parkers narrow the thoroughfare down to one lane. Adding more parkers to the street there will only exacerbate that already existing issue.

Just noting again fwiw that to me fighting this duplex wasn't crazy. There are no sidewalks on this part of Harrison, and having cars parked on either side of the road here turns this into basically a one lane street. Drivers regularly need to pull over and make way for someone coming the other way to drive through. And this is Harrison, a pretty busy road that people use to get up to the grocery all the time etc. I walk by here a bunch and since there are no sidewalks have had issues with cars almost running into me. Making a situation where there is going to be more street parking on this stretch would not be great. IMHO any house built here should have its own garage for parking to keep cars off the street, or at least a driveway.

House on 15th street is similar, it's adjacent to the traffic circle, which drivers regularly go the wrong way around wut is wrong with people?

This is very common throughout Arlington- both the lack of sidewalks, and the fact that it’s a yield street. You could always ask your neighbors to park in their driveways if you’re concerned.

These are not my neighbors, but I do live within a few blocks. I'm certainly not going to knock on their door and ask them to park in their driveways, let's get real. I'm just explaining why the true neighbors of this house probably would not have wanted additional parkers on the road, since it's already problematic even for an occasional walker like me.

I think you're telling me "do something else about the problem besides hamper missing middle progress" but again, I didn't fight this duplex. And I personally would not be presumptuous enough to walk up to someone's house and "suggest" they park in their driveway rather than on the street, certainly not people who live a block or two away from me. I'm not sure I know anyone who WOULD do this besides total jerks tbh.

No, I was just saying that this situation is so common in Arlington that nobody is going to care if it’s raised as a concern in the construction of a duplex. If people really feel the car situation is that unsafe, people will have to park in their driveways. Where I live, most people know each other and would be fine raising this. If these aren’t your close neighbors, I can understand why you wouldn’t.

Sorry I struck a nerve!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live near that area and didn't fight the duplex but any house built over there should have its own garage. Harrison Street is basically a thoroughfare and that part of it regularly gets backed up due to drivers needing to pull over to one side or the other because street parkers narrow the thoroughfare down to one lane. Adding more parkers to the street there will only exacerbate that already existing issue.

Just noting again fwiw that to me fighting this duplex wasn't crazy. There are no sidewalks on this part of Harrison, and having cars parked on either side of the road here turns this into basically a one lane street. Drivers regularly need to pull over and make way for someone coming the other way to drive through. And this is Harrison, a pretty busy road that people use to get up to the grocery all the time etc. I walk by here a bunch and since there are no sidewalks have had issues with cars almost running into me. Making a situation where there is going to be more street parking on this stretch would not be great. IMHO any house built here should have its own garage for parking to keep cars off the street, or at least a driveway.

House on 15th street is similar, it's adjacent to the traffic circle, which drivers regularly go the wrong way around wut is wrong with people?

This is very common throughout Arlington- both the lack of sidewalks, and the fact that it’s a yield street. You could always ask your neighbors to park in their driveways if you’re concerned.

These are not my neighbors, but I do live within a few blocks. I'm certainly not going to knock on their door and ask them to park in their driveways, let's get real. I'm just explaining why the true neighbors of this house probably would not have wanted additional parkers on the road, since it's already problematic even for an occasional walker like me.

I think you're telling me "do something else about the problem besides hamper missing middle progress" but again, I didn't fight this duplex. And I personally would not be presumptuous enough to walk up to someone's house and "suggest" they park in their driveway rather than on the street, certainly not people who live a block or two away from me. I'm not sure I know anyone who WOULD do this besides total jerks tbh.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live near that area and didn't fight the duplex but any house built over there should have its own garage. Harrison Street is basically a thoroughfare and that part of it regularly gets backed up due to drivers needing to pull over to one side or the other because street parkers narrow the thoroughfare down to one lane. Adding more parkers to the street there will only exacerbate that already existing issue.

Just noting again fwiw that to me fighting this duplex wasn't crazy. There are no sidewalks on this part of Harrison, and having cars parked on either side of the road here turns this into basically a one lane street. Drivers regularly need to pull over and make way for someone coming the other way to drive through. And this is Harrison, a pretty busy road that people use to get up to the grocery all the time etc. I walk by here a bunch and since there are no sidewalks have had issues with cars almost running into me. Making a situation where there is going to be more street parking on this stretch would not be great. IMHO any house built here should have its own garage for parking to keep cars off the street, or at least a driveway.

House on 15th street is similar, it's adjacent to the traffic circle, which drivers regularly go the wrong way around wut is wrong with people?

This is very common throughout Arlington- both the lack of sidewalks, and the fact that it’s a yield street. You could always ask your neighbors to park in their driveways if you’re concerned.

Anonymous wrote:I live near that area and didn't fight the duplex but any house built over there should have its own garage. Harrison Street is basically a thoroughfare and that part of it regularly gets backed up due to drivers needing to pull over to one side or the other because street parkers narrow the thoroughfare down to one lane. Adding more parkers to the street there will only exacerbate that already existing issue.

Just noting again fwiw that to me fighting this duplex wasn't crazy. There are no sidewalks on this part of Harrison, and having cars parked on either side of the road here turns this into basically a one lane street. Drivers regularly need to pull over and make way for someone coming the other way to drive through. And this is Harrison, a pretty busy road that people use to get up to the grocery all the time etc. I walk by here a bunch and since there are no sidewalks have had issues with cars almost running into me. Making a situation where there is going to be more street parking on this stretch would not be great. IMHO any house built here should have its own garage for parking to keep cars off the street, or at least a driveway.

House on 15th street is similar, it's adjacent to the traffic circle, which drivers regularly go the wrong way around wut is wrong with people?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe people fought a duplex. https://www.arlnow.com/2023/09/06/some-neighbors-fought-a-duplex-and-won-as-county-approves-more-missing-middle-homes/

I live in an adjoining neighborhood and would welcome a 4-flat or a duplex in my neighborhood. After college I lived in a neighborhood with a mix of SFH, duplexes, and 4-6 flat building with parking in the rear. It had a similar density to central Arlington, plenty of mature trees, and was walking distance to a Westover-like small shopping area. It was a great, vibrant neighborhood with renters and owners, young adults and families.

Here’s a map pin to my old neighborhood for street view purposes
https://maps.app.goo.gl/igs4y8CLKLnNEyxf9?g_st=ic

Nice to see restrictive covenants once again keeping out undesirables. The residents' hood wearing grandparents would be proud

I think the issue is that they need to figure out how the restrictive covenants impact the zoning, if at all. To be fair, this was raised multiple times throughout the community engagement process. This should have already been addressed by now. It was very obvious that this was going to be an issue.

This. The covenant in that neighborhood is ridiculous - and living nearby can confirm that it is a surprisingly non-diverse older skewing neighborhood intent on keeping large lots as they are. It would be much more appropriate for duplexes to be in this area - or townhouses - given how central it is. The lots are large and the houses are being torn down and huge SFH put up; the house in the corner of 15th and Harrison that the article refers to is on a huge lot - it’s a single plus two doubles and has n enormous yard. It would make sense to put a duplex there or even split the lot, but neighbors blocked it. I wish the county would have addressed that - if a covenant was put in place 100 years ago concurrently with racist restrictions, it seems reasonable they should no longer be applicable - when Tara was built it was farmland, not the center of Arlington

Tara does not have the building covenants They are in Lacey Forest, Larchmont, and Wynnewood.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe people fought a duplex. https://www.arlnow.com/2023/09/06/some-neighbors-fought-a-duplex-and-won-as-county-approves-more-missing-middle-homes/

I live in an adjoining neighborhood and would welcome a 4-flat or a duplex in my neighborhood. After college I lived in a neighborhood with a mix of SFH, duplexes, and 4-6 flat building with parking in the rear. It had a similar density to central Arlington, plenty of mature trees, and was walking distance to a Westover-like small shopping area. It was a great, vibrant neighborhood with renters and owners, young adults and families.

Here’s a map pin to my old neighborhood for street view purposes
https://maps.app.goo.gl/igs4y8CLKLnNEyxf9?g_st=ic

Nice to see restrictive covenants once again keeping out undesirables. The residents' hood wearing grandparents would be proud

Are you referring to Eleanor Roosevelt who came to the neighborhood to personally hand the keys to the first homeowner who used an FHA loan to buy a house? The neighborhood then had a racial covenant, a building restriction covenant, and FHA had a redlining program. Or are you talking about those fine white New Dealers who built the concrete block wall between Halls Hill and the Waycroft/Woodlawn neighborhood to keep out the Halls Hill blacks. The new fine white residents of Waycroft/Woodlawn won't tear down the wall because of its "historic" significance. Maybe they will do it as soon as Halls Hills is completely gentrified by Missing Middle housing.

Look no further than the all white members of the liberal YIMBY group who want Missing Middle housing so that their children can go to the white schools in North Arlington rather than the diverse schools in North Arlington and South Arlington. As with everything liberals do, it has a negative effect on the people it is supposed to help. Missing Middle housing will benefit affluent whites who want a townhouse in the Discovery school district rather than the Long Branch district.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tracker update today shows a lot of 6-plexes -- including two that appear to be next door to each other. I project parking challenges!

There is already construction at or near that location on 7th St S. I wonder if they were originally planning on SFHs and are pausing now. There is plenty of off street parking near that block.

Two sixplexes is 12 units, obvioulsy. Twelve units occupied by at least two people is 24 cars.

Twenty four cars avergang 15 feet long is 360 feet. Thats a 1.2 football fields. Good luck finding that much parking.

The plexes will be rentals so may have fewer cars, particularly if a non profit buys them and makes them affordable

What nonprofit is buying and developing land? Even the big affordable housing developers have to redevelop land they already own and get financing and loans just to do so.

Arlington's Alliance for Housing Solutions is working with Habitat for Humanity to develop Missing Middle housing in Arlington. They are not developing land, they are developing tear down lots. It is very expensive to develop vacant lots for residences in Arlington because they generally have no impervious surfaces and need much more expensive storm water management.

Which tear downs have they purchased for MM housing?

None. AHS is working with Habitat. Do you think things like this happen overnight? It will take years, but they are trying to make a difference for all the single moms who need housing in Arlington and can't afford it. Arlington should not just be for people with husbands.

That's what Section 8 vouchers are for. If these "single moms" are truly financially deserving, they should qualify for a voucher. Can't say that I understand the logic of spending $850K for a teardown lot, then at least another $1 million in construction costs, so that maybe 6 "single moms" can get a unit in a brand new six-plex.

Try getting a landlord to rent to a single mom with a Section 8 voucher.

This is NOT what missing middle is supposed to fix. You’re dreaming if you think this housing will be less expensive than what’s already available in Arlington.

Take your misogyny and GO.

DP I think that poster was referring to Habitat for Humanity partnering with a non-profit to build six plexes. One of the points of the expanded housing options was to build different types of housing, and there are few -- if any -- six plexes in Arlington. It a non-profit is involved, presumably the units would be either subsidized for rent or for sale. Agree that the market rate housing being built will not be affordable

But what nonprofit can buy a piece of land, develop it, and subsidize the rent? I have heard of churches partnering to redevelop land that they already own, and APAH redeveloping its own land with financing plus millions of dollars of loans from county. Is this speculation or something that’s been suggested? The message I heard over and over again from the County was an acknowledgment that MM isn’t a tool to offer Affordable Housing. What am I missing? I would genuinely be curious to know!

I was at a meeting where the possibility was raised of Habitat for Humanity building plexes in neighborhoods where there are now only single houses. The County board member did say that the plexes would be two bedrooms and good for families. Maybe they are thinking of the three plexes that are around Crystal City which have a basement apartment, a main level apartment, and an upstairs apartment. I lived in one when I worked for the Navy, and it was pretty spacious. It sounded like a non profit would acquire the land, Habitat would build the plex, and the feds or Arlington would subsidize the rents.

I live near that area and didn't fight the duplex but any house built over there should have its own garage. Harrison Street is basically a thoroughfare and that part of it regularly gets backed up due to drivers needing to pull over to one side or the other because street parkers narrow the thoroughfare down to one lane. Adding more parkers to the street there will only exacerbate that already existing issue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe people fought a duplex. https://www.arlnow.com/2023/09/06/some-neighbors-fought-a-duplex-and-won-as-county-approves-more-missing-middle-homes/

I live in an adjoining neighborhood and would welcome a 4-flat or a duplex in my neighborhood. After college I lived in a neighborhood with a mix of SFH, duplexes, and 4-6 flat building with parking in the rear. It had a similar density to central Arlington, plenty of mature trees, and was walking distance to a Westover-like small shopping area. It was a great, vibrant neighborhood with renters and owners, young adults and families.

Here’s a map pin to my old neighborhood for street view purposes
https://maps.app.goo.gl/igs4y8CLKLnNEyxf9?g_st=ic

Nice to see restrictive covenants once again keeping out undesirables. The residents' hood wearing grandparents would be proud

I think the issue is that they need to figure out how the restrictive covenants impact the zoning, if at all. To be fair, this was raised multiple times throughout the community engagement process. This should have already been addressed by now. It was very obvious that this was going to be an issue.

This. The covenant in that neighborhood is ridiculous - and living nearby can confirm that it is a surprisingly non-diverse older skewing neighborhood intent on keeping large lots as they are. It would be much more appropriate for duplexes to be in this area - or townhouses - given how central it is. The lots are large and the houses are being torn down and huge SFH put up; the house in the corner of 15th and Harrison that the article refers to is on a huge lot - it’s a single plus two doubles and has n enormous yard. It would make sense to put a duplex there or even split the lot, but neighbors blocked it. I wish the county would have addressed that - if a covenant was put in place 100 years ago concurrently with racist restrictions, it seems reasonable they should no longer be applicable - when Tara was built it was farmland, not the center of Arlington

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe people fought a duplex. https://www.arlnow.com/2023/09/06/some-neighbors-fought-a-duplex-and-won-as-county-approves-more-missing-middle-homes/

I live in an adjoining neighborhood and would welcome a 4-flat or a duplex in my neighborhood. After college I lived in a neighborhood with a mix of SFH, duplexes, and 4-6 flat building with parking in the rear. It had a similar density to central Arlington, plenty of mature trees, and was walking distance to a Westover-like small shopping area. It was a great, vibrant neighborhood with renters and owners, young adults and families.

Here’s a map pin to my old neighborhood for street view purposes
https://maps.app.goo.gl/igs4y8CLKLnNEyxf9?g_st=ic

Nice to see restrictive covenants once again keeping out undesirables. The residents' hood wearing grandparents would be proud

I think the issue is that they need to figure out how the restrictive covenants impact the zoning, if at all. To be fair, this was raised multiple times throughout the community engagement process. This should have already been addressed by now. It was very obvious that this was going to be an issue.

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe people fought a duplex. https://www.arlnow.com/2023/09/06/some-neighbors-fought-a-duplex-and-won-as-county-approves-more-missing-middle-homes/

I live in an adjoining neighborhood and would welcome a 4-flat or a duplex in my neighborhood. After college I lived in a neighborhood with a mix of SFH, duplexes, and 4-6 flat building with parking in the rear. It had a similar density to central Arlington, plenty of mature trees, and was walking distance to a Westover-like small shopping area. It was a great, vibrant neighborhood with renters and owners, young adults and families.

Here’s a map pin to my old neighborhood for street view purposes
https://maps.app.goo.gl/igs4y8CLKLnNEyxf9?g_st=ic

Nice to see restrictive covenants once again keeping out undesirables. The residents' hood wearing grandparents would be proud

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe people fought a duplex. https://www.arlnow.com/2023/09/06/some-neighbors-fought-a-duplex-and-won-as-county-approves-more-missing-middle-homes/

I live in an adjoining neighborhood and would welcome a 4-flat or a duplex in my neighborhood. After college I lived in a neighborhood with a mix of SFH, duplexes, and 4-6 flat building with parking in the rear. It had a similar density to central Arlington, plenty of mature trees, and was walking distance to a Westover-like small shopping area. It was a great, vibrant neighborhood with renters and owners, young adults and families.

Here’s a map pin to my old neighborhood for street view purposes
https://maps.app.goo.gl/igs4y8CLKLnNEyxf9?g_st=ic

Two six-plexes on seventh. I almost bought a cape on that street about 15 years ago. Glad I didn't. What a disaster.

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe people fought a duplex. https://www.arlnow.com/2023/09/06/some-neighbors-fought-a-duplex-and-won-as-county-approves-more-missing-middle-homes/

I live in an adjoining neighborhood and would welcome a 4-flat or a duplex in my neighborhood. After college I lived in a neighborhood with a mix of SFH, duplexes, and 4-6 flat building with parking in the rear. It had a similar density to central Arlington, plenty of mature trees, and was walking distance to a Westover-like small shopping area. It was a great, vibrant neighborhood with renters and owners, young adults and families.

Here’s a map pin to my old neighborhood for street view purposes
https://maps.app.goo.gl/igs4y8CLKLnNEyxf9?g_st=ic

I'd be happy to have this kind of neighborhood too. I'm in Ashton Heights which has a bit of that with the duplexes on the east side. We're getting close to wanting to downsize to a townhome or condo but it needs to be something with at least a small fenced yard because we have a dog. I'd love to stay in my neighborhood but in a smaller place.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 6 plex on a tiny lot off george mason and Wilson where there’s hardly parking??

OP here. I guess I’m just wondering- who wants to rent there? What could the rent possibly be? Is it really people who want the schools? Why would you need to rent up there?

That part of the road has a ton of rentals and the kids go to Barrett. It’s not super close to Metro but is close to a bus. It’s perplexing to me. Maybe 1br for 20 something recent grads still young enough to walk 15 mins to the metro and bars.

I used to live in bluemont and plenty of young professionals rented in the neighborhood. Many of us walked to the metro. GM is probably a 15 min walk? It’s desirable for single professionals who want metro access and being relatively close to shops, restaurants, etc without living in a high rise.

I have several friends who have condos in Ballston who are in their 30s and 40s - not married, no kids. They have dogs and would prefer to live in a neighborhood with a small yard instead of the condo they bought in their 20s.

Another market for small units in residential neighborhoods are divorced parents and grandparents. My parents don’t need a SFH, but if there was a 4 unit building in my neighborhood or nearby, they would love that - as would I so I can check on them daily as they get older.