April 17, 2024

More people are leaving Fairfax County than coming to Fairfax County and affordability is a key reason. Outside of taxes, the most common affordability complaint I hear among residents of all ages is that housing in Fairfax County is too expensive.

I have been critical of the Board’s approach to this problem, which has primarily been to fund subsidized rental units on county land for a select few while all residents dealing with housing affordability are hit with the added tax burden of the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on the few government-subsidized units.

For example, a recently approved project of 500+ units will cost over $310 million (over $600,000 per unit) – and the average unit rent will be over $2,000/month. Worse, according to the most recent U.S. Census rental survey over 50,000 rental units in Fairfax County rent for less than $2,000. We are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to subsidize units for people who have other, market-based, alternatives, while disincentivizing developers from build cost-effective market rate units because the same developer can get tens of millions of dollars in subsidies and still charge market rents.

These units do not solve the long-term problem of affordable housing. Some subsidized units are going to households making as much as $120,000 a year. The County currently does not give priority for the government subsidized units to Fairfax County residents or those employed in Fairfax County. We will never be able to fulfill the need for affordable housing, much less affordable taxes, without changes to these Board policies.

We should be focusing first on reducing the cost of housing for all residents by addressing regulations and zoning practices which drive up the cost of housing and the type of housing being built. For instance, one new regulation, the urban park requirements, is both driving the cost of units up significantly while also reducing the number of units that can be built.

Any government-subsidized housing efforts should be focused on the most vulnerable and those without options, specifically our seniors and disabled and initiatives that build generational wealth and home ownership for Fairfax County residents and/or employees. I have supported senior and disabled affordable housing projects, led the effort to begin addressing senior tax relief, proposed a home sharing program and called for reform of our permitting and zoning rules and processes to reduce the cost of housing.

Below, I’ll share the issues I see with the Board’s current approach to affordable housing and a better way forward.

Problems With The Current Approach. The Board’s current approach is to create 10,000 additional government-subsidized, affordable housing units by 2034 for households. Here are the main problems with the County’s current approach to affordable housing:

• The Board is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to help a select few people, while the tax burden grows for the majority. From FY 2006 through FY 2024, the Board has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on government-subsidized housing, a total of $311.4 million through the Affordable Housing Development and Investment Fund alone. If you pay taxes in Fairfax County, then you are subsidizing someone’s rent. This does not include the hundreds of millions of federal funds and pandemic funds that the County has devoted to subsidized housing, which could have been spent on community centers, parks and other capital projects.
• The current Board has made clear its desire for government rental subsidies is limitless. First the goal was 5,000 units, then 10,000 and it’s not stopping at 10,000. Subsidized housing advocates will cite the need to assist households that are “housing cost burdened”. The latest data shows 52,510 Fairfax County households meet this criterion. Most of the government subsidized projects cost at least $500,000 per unit. Following current county policy – solving affordable housing with rental developer subsidies - would cost $26 billion or $80,250 in additional taxes for every homeowner to “meet the need”.
• Many projects have only a temporary benefit. In exchange for subsidies, private developers agree to “affordability periods”, on each development: the number of year units must be rented at an “affordable” level. This means taxpayers are providing millions in immediate subsidies to create units that do not provide a permanent community benefit.
• The Board does not hold affordable housing developers accountable for total housing project costs on behalf of taxpayers. Developers should not be allowed to bid low on an affordable housing project to win the County’s business and then come back to the Board midway through the project for millions more. Nevertheless, this regularly happens. This puts the County in a position to either put more taxpayer dollars into the project or lose the federal tax credits for the project altogether. I have voted against projects that have come back to the Board requesting more funding because of the additional burden on taxpayers and the way it diminishes the validity of our procurement process. Project costs should be binding for the sake of public transparency and fiscal prudence.
• We’re giving away our already-limited County-owned land for developers to make a guaranteed profit, with no future benefit for taxpayers. Since land is at a premium in Fairfax County, we need to be strategic about the long-term use of County land and consider how it can provide an ongoing return on investment for taxpayers. The Board continues to devote much of the County’s remaining vacant land to affordable housing, including the parking lots at the main government center. Meanwhile, there are requests from the community for other needs including more recreational spaces and more schools. Despite these requests, there has been no study to determine what other needs could be served with County land before it is transferred to profit-seeking affordable housing developers.
• Policemen, Firemen and Teachers. Affordable housing is often justified as being necessary for our policemen, firemen and teachers so they can live in the county. The reality is that very few are in these units and most do not qualify as the starting salaries are too high to qualify.
• Unfair competition with the private sector affordable units. Because the government-subsidized units receive government subsidies, they are often constructed with amenities that are not provided by the private sector yet they compete with units built by the private sector. This disincentivizes the private sector from constructing market rate affordable units without subsidies.

A Better Approach. There are situations where government-subsidized units make sense, specifically for residents with disabilities, seniors, and others requiring ongoing assistance. But for most of our residents who don’t have those needs, we need to take a comprehensive look at our affordable housing approach to make Fairfax County housing more affordable for all, including:

• Fixing Regulatory Costs/Process – Regulatory costs drive housing prices up. According to NAHB, regulation costs around $94,000 per housing unit between development and construction. For instance, in Fairfax County, one new regulation, the urban park requirements, is significantly driving up the cost of units while also reducing the number of units that can be built. This and all of our regulations need a review of the benefits vs the increased cost of housing units.
• Lower Property Taxes, Reign in Non-critical Board Spending – Property taxes are one of the key reasons seniors are unable to continue affording their homes. While high property taxes disproportionally affect our seniors on fixed incomes, all residents would benefit from more affordable property taxes, which would also eliminate a barrier to homeownership for many. Increased real estate taxes are typically passed on to renters in the form of higher rents so real estate taxes impact rents directly.
• Give Preference to Fairfax County Residents and Employees – If County residents are going to subsidize housing, then Fairfax County workers and residents should be given a preference as they have done in Loudoun County.
• Promoting Creative Housing Solutions – This includes everything from home sharing to encouraging micro unit and market rate affordable developments by the private sector. In 2022, the Board unanimously approved my proposal to look at home sharing as an affordable housing solution that costs little for taxpayers and is successful around the world. See more details in my September 2022 newsletter.
• Make Building Market Rate Affordable Units a County Priority. We should be giving preferences to develop unsubsidized, affordable units. For example, in Los Angeles the Mayor used her first executive order to require that housing projects that are 100% affordable (at 80% AMI) be fully permitted by all city departments in 60 days. The requirement has a few catches (e.g. does not apply to rezonings), but the city has received permits to build over 14,000 affordable units in the 14 months since the order took effect. Most importantly over 75% are being built with no subsidy. As a result, Los Angeles is building more than the Fairfax County target of 10,000 by just cutting red tape (see story here). We may not be able to fully duplicate this policy as we want to protect our rural and suburban neighborhoods, but it is an example of the impact of cutting red tape. Currently our zoning and permitting processes give no preferences for the construction of market rate affordable housing. 

• Develop Homeownership Programs – Currently, Fairfax County has a limited homeownership program, but it is far from the forefront of the Board’s affordable housing strategy. It should be a much more substantial piece of our strategy for affordability. Homeownership does what few other affordable housing models do; it builds generational wealth. Promoting homeownership over subsidizing rent-controlled apartments has many benefits including:

1. Resident Choice: A family buying a home can choose where they wish to live, as opposed to choosing between apartment complexes designated as “affordable”.
2. Certainty: Fixed rate mortgages ensure that the monthly cost to the homeowner stay the same.
3. Permanence: By creating homeownership opportunities, we can solve our affordable housing challenge, permanently, one family at a time.
4. Revolving Fund: dollars invested in home ownership come back to the county over time as units are sold creating a revolving fund that can be reinvested in the homeownership program.
5. Cost: In most cases, affordable homeownership requires a lower subsidy than affordable rentals. See the table below that compares the costs and outcomes between affordable homeownership and a subsidized affordable housing plan approved by the Board of Supervisors (Colvin Run). The analysis shows that, for less money, Fairfax County could create homeowners instead of renters.
6. Building generational wealth and promoting equity: The data is clear: for most families, their primary residence is their most valuable asset – this is especially true in communities of color. Homeownership is the first step for a family to climb the economic ladder --- if we choose to subsidize anything, we should subsidize families taking their first step into the middle class. 

• Consider Homeownership Programs for Critical Need County Employees. We should consider a program to help employees that fill critical need positions in County government similar to the one in Henrico County. It provides downpayment and closing cost assistance for qualified employees. They are interest-free and forgivable over time if they continue employment in good standing with the County.

I plan to share more on how the County can better serve residents looking for affordable, long-term housing and how we should reduce our budget for subsidized rental housing.

Summary. The Board’s current approach of giving away the County’s remaining vacant land, on top of hundreds of millions of dollars to build government-subsidized units, provides far too few units to solve the problem as well as making Fairfax County less affordable for most of its residents. There are much better ways to address home affordability including reducing the permitting and zoning costs that drive up the cost of units and drive down the number of units, bolstering our homeownership programs to create a revolving fund and address generational wealth, and promoting creative housing solutions. As always, I welcome your feedback on this issue and hope you’ll take the time to share it with me by emailing springfieldbos@fairfaxcounty.gov. 

Other News and Information

• Upcoming Shred Events with Community Partners
• Virtual 50+ Employment Expo (Apr 18th)
• Health & Wellness Expo (Apr 19th)
• Fairfax County and AARP’s Annual Scam Jam (Apr 19^th)
• CSB Priority 1 Waiver Waitlist Information Session (Apr 24^th)
• MVSCC Scholarship Applications (Due Apr 29^th)
• 2024 Run the Greenway Run (May 4^th)
• Become an Election Officer for the June 18th Primaries!
• Four-Legged Friend

Upcoming Shred Events with Community Partners

Below is a list of upcoming free document shredding events. If you are hosting a shred event or are aware of more not listed below, please email us at SpringfieldBOS@fairfaxcounty.gov to promote it.

AARP and Fairfax County Scam Jam Shred Event

April 19^th from 9am to 12pm

Fairfax County Government Center

12000 Government Center Pkwy

(Free)

Jean Abood Realtors

April 20^th from 9am to 12pm

West Springfield Elementary School

6802 Deland Drive

(Free)

Alpha Beta Alpha, Team 1ntegrity, ECHO Shred & Share Event

Saturday, April 20^th from 11am to 2pm

Kirkwood Presbyterian Church Parking Lot

8336 Carrleigh Pkwy

(Free)

DamonSellsHomes Team Shred Event

April 27^th from 9am to 11am

Little Rocky Run Rec Center 2

6201 Sandstone Way

(Free)

DamonSellsHomes Team Shred Event

April 27^th from 11:30am to 1:30pm

Sequoia Farms Pool

5562 Sequoia Farms Drive

(Free)

Virtual 50+ Employment Expo on April 18th

The Jewish Council for the Aging and the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation are once again sponsoring the Virtual 50+ Employment Expo for Northern Virginian residents. You can register for the expo coming this Thursday via the following link: JCA Jewish Council for the Aging (accessjca.org).

These expos are open to all age 50+ jobseekers and for area employers with at least three professional openings. If you have questions or need assistance, call 703-652-1518.

Health and Wellness Expo with NCS This Friday, April 19th

Neighborhood and Community Services is hosting a Health and Wellness Expo for the older adult population (adults aged 50+) this Friday, April 19^th from 11am to 1pm. This expo will share resources for promoting physical, mental, and emotional wellness. It will be held at the Mott Community Center located at 12111 Braddock Road in Fairfax. For more information, see the flyer below.

My office will be hosting a table to share County information and resources. Feel free to drop by and let us know if you have any questions.

Fairfax County's and AARP Host Annual Scam Jam on April 19th!

On April 19^th, Fairfax County and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) are once again cohosting the annual Scam Jam, raising awareness of current malicious practices by scammers and bad actors. This year will have increased emphasis on the role of artificial intelligence.

Scam Jam will be held at the Government Center in Fairfax (12000 Government Center Pkwy) from 9am to 12pm. It is important to stay educated to protect yourself and your loved ones. I’d like to thank AARP, FCPD, the FBI, and county staff for working tirelessly to prevent this exploitation and for making this event possible each year.

CSB Priority 1 Waiver Waitlist Information Session on April 24th

Last year, Governor Youngkin announced an additional $300 million towards funding priority one waiver slots for every Virginian with a developmental disability on the waitlist. As the process moves forward, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board will keep individuals and stakeholders updated on the rollout plan. To learn more about the DD waiver process, consider attending the community information session on April 24^th from 5pm to 7pm. Details are on the flyer below.

MVSCC Scholarship Applications Due by April 29th

Applications are now available for business scholarships provided by Mount Vernon-Springfield Chamber of Commerce. At least one scholarship of $2,000 will be awarded to a senior pursuing further education in business from each public high school in their service area. Additional scholarships may also be awarded depending on the applications received.

Students may apply online at www.mountvernonspringfield.com/business-scholarship-application/. The application deadline is Monday, April 29, 2024.

Here are the scholarship requirements:

• Students must live in Braddock, Franconia, Mount Vernon or Springfield magisterial districts, Fairfax County, Virginia or go to school at one of the high schools in these districts.

• Students must complete a written or online application. All information must be provided for the application to be considered.

• Students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and submit a grade transcript with the application.

• Completed applications must be received by Monday, April 29, 2024.

2024 Run the Greenway Fun Run Returns on May 4th

Fairfax Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is partnering with the Dulles Greenway for their charity “Run the Greenway” event. CASA raised almost $80,000 through this opportunity last year and now, their target goal is $100,000. To register for the event, use this link and choose FAIRFAX CASA as the charity you are running for.

Fairfax CASA provides a crucial service to Fairfax County’s most vulnerable children and families. Volunteer advocates from the community provided over $750,000 in donated time and services in FY23. They experienced a 138% increase in cases referred by the Court and served more children (367) last year than they have in ten years. CASA is on track to serve even more this year. 

Become an Election Officer for the June 18^th Primaries!

The Fairfax County Office of Elections is looking for community members to serve as election officers for the June 18, 2024 election.

In particular, bilingual officers who speak Korean and Vietnamese are needed. This is a great opportunity to get to know your neighbors and help your community! You will receive $250 as a thank you for your service.



Learn more and apply at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/officers/new-officers.