Affordable Housing has Reached a Crisis
Alexandria continues to become more expensive while offering a fewer range of housing options. As a result, our community has begun to lose ethnic and socioeconomic diversity; elements valued in our city for many decades.
Affordable housing encompasses affordable rent, realistic opportunities to purchase a home and avenues for a reasonable retirement in our city. This issue affects young professionals, working and middle class families, retired seniors and all Alexandrians.
My Story:
As a fourth-generation Alexandrian, I’ve personal struggled and watch my friends and families struggle to afford rent and purchase a home. Growing up, I lived in two public housing communities and eventually with sacrifice and hard work, my mother purchased a house and I’m a homeowner.
The Facts:
- There are only approximately 5,700 affordable housing units in Alexandria.
- Over the last several years, the number of affordable housing units has decreased more than 300 percent!
- The median income in Alexandria median is over $80,000, yet the median income of Alexandrians living in older apartments is under $50,000.
- The cost of housing in Alexandria often making living in the community they serve impossible for police officers, nurses, firefighters, EMTs and teachers.
The Programs:
- The Affordable Homeownership Set-Aside Units program provides reduced pricing on new townhomes and condominiums.
- The Housing Opportunities Fund program offers low-interest loans and grants to produce affordable housing for households earning at or below 60% of Alexandria’s median income.
The Solution:
On Council, I will:
- Immediately act to preserve Alexandria’s existing affordable housing stock,
- Strengthen existing city programs and ensure all citizens are informed of housing opportunities and programs, and
- Develop the long-term affordable housing stock by leveraging public-private partnerships.
For more detailed information on John Taylor Chapman’s vision and roadmap for improving affordable housing in Alexandria, visit: www.chapman4council.com.
