News & Events


Housing Virginia Newsletter
August Issue
(RECAP: Housing Virginia makes the case for increasing the supply of affordable housing options across the state by providing local leaders with up-to-date housing research, proven approaches and effective community education strategies. Stay up to date with news, approaches and solid information to use in your region.)

‘Affordable housing' Must be Quantified Before it Can be Solved
Culpeper Star-Exponent, August 8
(RECAP: The idea of “affordable” housing can, and has been, quantified by the all levels of government economists. Some base it on the percentage of median household income going to pay the rent or mortgage, others look at a certain income demographic and determine how many within it can afford to rent or own. But “affordable” means different things to different people at different income levels.)

Housing Virginia Announces the "Connecting Your Message" Awards
(RECAP: The "Connecting Your Message" Awards spotlight the effective use of traditional and emerging forms of communication to deliver the housing affordability message. Submission deadline: October 1st)

Housing Virginia Newsletter
July Issue
(RECAP: Housing Virginia makes the case for increasing the supply of affordable housing options across the state by providing local leaders with up-to-date housing research, proven approaches and effective community education strategies. Stay up to date with news, approaches and solid information to use in your region.)

Blue-collar Set Pinched as Local Trailer Parks Vanish
The Virginian-Pilot, July 19th
(RECAP: Virginia's trailer park residents fear choosing between substandard housing options and relocation as lucrative land-redevelopment deals are on the rise.)

Creative Living at Lorton's Laurel Hill

The Washington Examiner, July 1
(RECAP: The prison Teddy Roosevelt envisioned building in Lorton , Va. , in the early 1900s was quite innovative for its day. The prison was closed in 1994, and the county acquired the property in July 2002. As part of that process, the county stressed the need for affordable housing for families.)

Housing Virginia … Start Here!
June Issue
(RECAP: Housing Virginia makes the case for increasing the supply of affordable housing options across the state by providing local leaders with up-to-date housing research, proven approaches and effective community education strategies. Stay up to date with news, approaches and solid information to use in your region.)

Steering Committee Calls for Change in Proffer System
Chesterfield Observer, June 30
(RECAP: A philosophical debate over proffers broke out during last week's steering committee meeting on the comprehensive plan, and no one endorsed the current proffer policy. Renaissance Planning Group, the consultant that's developing the county's comprehensive plan, is proposing “a tiered approach” that includes existing infrastructure, number of bedrooms in new homes and lends itself to affordable housing.)

Project FAITH Leader Gets Award : Fronce Wardlaw, director of nonprofit agency in King George County , earns leadership award from state housing coalition
The Free Lance-Star, June 26
(RECAP: Fronce Wardlaw, director of Project FAITH in King George County , received a leadership award at the annual Virginia Housing Coalition awards dinner last week in Richmond .)

Mortgage Interest Deduction Reform Assessed for Different Populations
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 25
(RECAP: A new report estimating the effects of various reforms to the Mortgage Interest Deduction, including those recently proposed by the Admin istration, by income level, race/ethnicity, and geographical area, concludes that modifications to the program could allow low to middle-income groups to gain from this policy.)

PTFA Changes, NSP Funding in Financial Reform Agreement
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 25
(RECAP: The conference committee on H.R. 4173, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, completed work on a final conference report June 25. While the main purpose of the bill is to reform the nation's financial regulatory system, the bill also includes several provisions of interest to housing advocates.)

Tax Credits to Support Renovation of Columbia Pike Apartment Complex
Sun Gazette, June 25
(RECAP: The Virginia Housing Development Authority has approved low-income housing tax credits to fund renovation of the 111-unit Buchanan Garden apartments on South Buchanan Street in the Columbia Pike corridor.)

Arlington , Alexandria Briefs
The Washington Post, June 24
(RECAP: The East Falls Church Plan, which sets out a vision for residential and retail redevelopment around the East Falls Church Metro station, was unanimously moved forward by the Arlington County Board last week. The Virginia Housing Development Authority has approved low-income housing tax credits to fund renovation of the 111-unit Buchanan Gardens Apartments in Arlington County .)

Supervisors to Vote on Tysons Corner Transformation
News Channel 8, June 17
(RECAP: Plans to transform the Tysons Corner area in McLean could be approved next week. The first signs that Tysons is becoming a huge suburban village are already taking shape. Four Metro stations will anchor the transformation of the corporate canyon into a walkable, livable community. And the plan might become a model for the nation.)

Virginia Housing Coalition Honors Affordable Housing Leaders: Bob Sledd Delivers Keynote Address
Press Release, June 24
(RECAP: The Virginia Housing Coalition held its annual awards dinner to celebrate the achievements of some of the leaders of Virginia 's affordable housing community at the Omni Richmond Hotel on June 17th.)

Fairfax County Board Approves Tysons Corner Plan, DC
The Free Lance Star, June 23
(RECAP: Fairfax County officials have approved a plan to transform the traffic-clogged Tysons Corner area into a walkable, urban environment.)

Alexandria Ranks Fifth in Fastest-Growing U.S. Cities
The Washington Examiner, June 23
(RECAP: Alexandria is the fifth-fastest-growing city in the nation, according to U.S. census figures released Tuesday. Alexandria's population grew 3.8 percent from July 1, 2008, to July 1, 2009 -- adding about 5,500 people to the city of 150,000 six miles south of downtown Washington.)

Freddie Mac Announces Forbearances for Borrowers with Single Family Homes Affected by Problem Drywall
Financial News USA , June 21
(RECAP: Freddie Mac today announced that servicers may grant forbearances on a case-by-case basis to borrowers with Freddie Mac-owned mortgages secured by single family homes that contain problem drywall.)  

Houses Passes Revised Small Business Jobs Bill Without 4% LIHTC Provision
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 18
(RECAP: The House passed H.R. 5486, the Small Business Jobs Tax Relief Act of 2010, on June 15. Unlike a similar bill passed by the House on March 24 that now appears unlikely to move forward, H.R. 5486 does not include an exchange program for the 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), a provision sought by housing advocates.)

HUD Announces Requirements for Compliance with State, Local Laws Prohibiting Source of Income Discrimination
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 18
(RECAP: HUD issued a news release dated June 11 that emphasizes that the “general section” of the agency's FY10 Notice of Fund Availability for competitive grants will require applicants to comply with state and local laws that protect people from being denied housing based on their source of income, such as a housing voucher.)

HUD Stresses Public Accountability in NSP Program
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 18
(RECAP: HUD sent a follow-up email to recipients of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program on June 14, reminding them of the requirement to post their Quarterly Performance Reports on their websites at the same time a QPR is sent to HUD. The email follows one with a similar message sent in May.)

National Housing Trust Fund: Another Week Passes, Still No Bill
NLIHC Memo to Members, June 18
(RECAP: After another week of “slimming” and trimming H.R. 4213, the Senate leadership still had not garnered the 60 votes needed to pass the bill by week's end. The good news is that the $1.065 billion for the National Housing Trust Fund remained after the second round of cuts, as did the two LIHTC provisions that NLIHC is tracking.)

NLIHC Announces PETRA Watch in Memo, on Website
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 18
(RECAP: HUD's Preservation, Enhancement and Transformation of Rental Assistance proposal, which the agency presented as part of its FY11 budget request to Congress, represents a major shift in how HUD rental housing would be subsidized and preserved in the future, and as such is of significant interest to all HUD stakeholders. PETRA has become the subject of considerable debate among tenants and housing advocates.)

NLIHC 2010 Advocates' Guide Available for Order
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 18
(RECAP: NLIHC's 2010 Advocates' Guide to Housing and Community Development is now online and available for purchase in book form. The Guide contains updated chapters on 70 housing and housing-related programs and issues, from the National Housing Trust Fund and the Housing Choice Voucher program to the mortgage interest deduction and the Federal Housing Administration.)

Out of Reach 2010 Updated and Available for Purchase
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 18
(RECAP: NLIHC's publication Out of Reach 2010 has been updated to include HUD's official FY10 Area Median Incomes (.  The original release of Out of Reach on April 21 included estimated AMIs because HUD had not yet published the FY10 AMIs.) 

Smart Growth for the Pike: residential, transportation changes highlighted.
Arlington Connection, June 16
(RECAP: Residents along the Columbia Pike corridor are beginning to see the transformation created by years of planning and public-private partnerships. The Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization and the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing recently hosted a walking tour led by Christopher Zimmerman, vice chairman of the Arlington County Board and a resident of the neighborhood.)

Mortgage Scams in VA and How to Avoid Them
Public News Service, June 16
(RECAP: They come by email, telephone and TV, and sometimes right to the front door. They are offers for homeowners to refinance mortgages or get assistance with loan modifications, all for an up-front fee and with "guaranteed results.")

Preliminary Rounds Now Over in East Falls Church Development Controversy
Sun Gazette, June 16
(RECAP: Battle lines are drawn for a July showdown over the scope of future development in East Falls Church . Those who think a county government task force's recommendations go too far, and those who think they don't go far enough, sparred June 15 in a preliminary round that will resume July 10, when the County Board formally takes up the task force's proposal.)

Chesapeake Axes Plan but Doesn't Save Mobile Park
The Virginian-Pilot, June 16
(RECAP: The City Council on Tuesday unanimously rejected a developer's proposal to build multi-family homes at a South Military Highway mobile home park. But a representative for the developer, KZ Properties Inc., said the Providence Mobile Court will still be sold within four months and redeveloped into condo units, resulting in the displacement of more than 100 mostly low-income families.)

New Homeless Facility Receives Tax Credits; SRO Construction Slated to Begin this Fall Charlottesville Tomorrow, June 15
(RECAP: A project to provide housing for the homeless in downtown Charlottesville has moved one step closer to reality. On Friday, officials with Virginia Supportive Housing announced that a proposed 60 unit single room occupancy facility has been awarded low-income housing tax credits by the Virginia Housing Development Authority.)

Housing Inventory is Up, but Can You Afford It?
The Daily Press, June 14
(RECAP: Marshá Smith thinks she can afford a home priced at up to $150,000. "If I don't qualify for how much I want, I'll keep pursuing it, maybe getting rid of some debt that I have that will eliminate extra money that I'm spending out," the 36-year-old Hampton resident said.)

Caroline Project Draws Support, Skepticism
Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 14
(RECAP: The development, called Carmel Church Station, is among the most ambitious ever proposed in the Richmond area. It would bring more than 8,500 residential units to a swath of now-rural land along Interstate 95 in southern Caroline and potentially double the county's population of roughly 28,000.)

Some Mary Street Houses Getting Facelift Thanks to People Incorporated
Bristol Herald Courier, June 12
(RECAP: Several houses along Mary Street are getting a facelift. People Incorporated, an Abingdon-based nonprofit community service agency, has been granted more than $800,000 from the state to rehabilitate half a dozen homes along East and West Mary Street . The agency bought six foreclosed homes in bulk from a bank, and, once renovated, the homes will represent 11 housing units.)

City Homeless Facility Awarded Tax Credits
Charlottesville Daily Progress, June 11
(RECAP: Charlottesville 's first studio-style apartment building for the homeless has been awarded hundreds of thousands in low-income housing tax credits that will translate into millions of dollars for the novel project.)

Northern Virginia's Crystal City Gets New Life
Housing Watch. June 11
(RECAP: In a county known for attracting young professionals to neighborhoods with its vibrant development on Washington D.C. 's Metro corridors, Arlington , Va. planners are hoping a facelift will help a 40-year-old, mixed-use development known as Crystal City compete with the upstarts.)

Homeless Housing Gets Tax Credit Boost
NBC29.com, June 11
(RECAP: The future of housing Charlottesville 's homeless got a major boost Friday from VHDA. )

Defining 'Homeowner' Not So Simple
Fox News, June 10
(RECAP: When does a homeowner become a renter without changing residence? When the Federal Reserve Bank of New York says so, suggests a new research report from three economists at the New York Fed. )

Mortgage Delinquencies Decline, but What Does It Mean?
HousingWatch.com, June 10
(RECAP: Stricter lending rules have helped curb the number of mortgage delinquencies. Agencies from the FHA to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are reporting a decreasing number of people who are behind on mortgage payments. )

Congress to Consider FHA Reform, Mortgage Insurance Hike
N2PQ.com, June 10
(RECAP: The bill, which establishes a handful of new Federal Housing Administration (FHA) regulations and authorities, is already stirring the response of mortgage finance industry players who warn pieces of the reform could harm lenders' business and make homeownership unaffordable to some. )

Delegate Scott's Richmond Report
Falls Church News Press, June 9
(RECAP: Reducing homelessness depends on preserving affordable housing. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments reports annually on the extent of homelessness in the region. In my view, one important reason for the decreases, at least in Northern Virginia , was the regional focus on the preservation of existing affordable housing.)

Baker: Turn Fannie, Freddie Into Government-Owned Corporations
Foreclosure Nightmare, June 9
(RECAP: Want an easy, simple solution to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? Take the mortgage-finance giants, which have been effectively nationalized, and turn them into government-owned corporations. )

A Renter's Market
Richmond BizSense, June 8
(RECAP: The vacancy rate for apartment units in Metro Richmond in the first quarter of 2010 was the highest it has been in five years, reports the real estate research firm Reis Inc. )

Apartment Rents Climb as Vacancies fall
Virginia Daily Press, June 8
(RECAP: Rents in the region are creeping up and the vacancy rate is falling, according to a new report. About 6.4 percent of Hampton Roads apartments are vacant, according to Real Data. )

So, You Want to Build More Affordable Housing? Here's How….
Bacon's Rebellion, June 9
(RECAP: Governor McDonnell recently announced the formation of a Housing Policy Advisory Committee, led by Senior Economic Advisor Bob Sledd, to help develop the McDonnell Admin istration's housing policy. This is a good idea for several reasons.)

Sheila C. Bair to the Housing Association of Non-Profit Developers Annual Meeting
LoanSafe.org, June 7
(RECAP: Remarks by Chairman Sheila C. Bair to the Housing Association of Non-Profit Developers Annual Meeting; Tysons Corner , Virginia June 7, 2010.)

Project Could Double Caroline's Population in 20 Years
Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 7
(RECAP: Two Richmond brothers who have dabbled in real estate development are proposing a 1,059-acre transit-oriented community with dense housing and commercial space that could double the population of Caroline County within 20 years.)

Local Housing Market Remains Jittery
Star Exponent, June 6
(RECAP: Foreclosures and other distressed properties continue to comprise the largest share of real estate transactions in Culpeper County , and the market, though not stagnant, is weaker than last year.)

Project Seeks to Rejuvenate Neighborhood
Progress-Index.com, June 5
(RECAP: The program, called Battersea Rising, is led by Pathways. The Petersburg-based nonprofit is hiring staff and working with residents to create a detailed neighborhood plan to implement.)

Battle Weary
Fredericksburg Star, June 4
(RECAP: The Burkholders are giving up the fight and will accept the $2.2 million a jury decided the land was worth. Ironically, Carilion now says it doesn't want the plot.)

Senate Plans Hearing on Livable Communities
NLIHC's Memo to Members, June 4
(RECAP: The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs will hold a June 9 hearing titled, “Local Perspectives on the Livable Communities Act.”)

Woodbridge Man Sentenced 46 Months for Mortgage Fraud
Virginia RealEstateRama, June 4
(RECAP: Ahmad Z. Abbasi, 36, of Woodbridge , Va. , was sentenced today to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,637,412 in restitution. Abbasi pled guilty on March 3, 2010, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud for recruiting unqualified buyers who provided false information to obtain multiple mortgage loans, which were ultimately foreclosed.)

HUD Awards Funding to 3 Virginia Public Housing Agencies to Help Homeless Veterans WTVR.com, June 4
(RECAP: Three public housing agencies in Virginia are getting federal funding to help homeless veterans.)

July Vote Eyed For Kincora Village
Leesburg Today, , June 3
(RECAP: At full build out, Kincora Village would include up to 2,722,200 square feet of office space, 398,825 square feet of commercial, 575,000 square feet of hotel space, equal to 720 rooms, 1,400 multi-family units, including 88 Affordable Dwelling Units and workforce housing units, and 277,000 square feet of civic uses.)

Worried About Real Estate? Henry Cisneros Says the Future Is Bright
MoneyWatch.com, June 3
(RECAP: Former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros says the future for all types of real estate development is bright - it just might take a few years to get there.)

Embrace Home Loans Opens in Virginia
DSNews.com, June 2
(RECAP: Embrace Home Loans said Wednesday that it has officially opened a new branch in Lynchburg , Virginia . The mortgage firm is a direct lender for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, approved by the Federal Housing Admin istration (FHA) and Veterans Affairs (VA), and is an issuer for Ginnie Mae.)

Virginia Tech Unveils New Visionary Plan for 'Waterfront' in Falls Church
Falls Church News-Press, June 2
(RECAP: The "West Jefferson Conceptual Plan" proposes the total redevelopment of nine acres on the east side of West Jefferson Street bordering Arlington County . It calls for cleaning out all the old storefronts and parking lots in the area, and replacing them with a green roof office building of up to nine stories, retail, residential and a park with amphitheater that fronts a totally-opened and landscaped Four Mile Run.)

Washington , D.C. Housing Inventory Down
Housing Watch, June 2
(RECAP: The Post's Dina ElBoghdady tells us that inventory is down, and prices are up in the D.C. area, and this is a sign of a recovering market.)

Through VIDA, Family Realizes Dream of Homeownership
Virginia RealEstateRama, June 1
(RECAP: During National Homeownership Month, recognized each June, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) encourages individuals or families thinking of homeownership to consider enrolling in the Virginia Individual Development Accounts (VIDA) program.)

Want to Know What it Takes to Buy a Home? Take a Class.
Real Estate Blog, May 28
(RECAP: The Virginia Housing Development Authority announced several homeownership education classes coming up.)

F.C. Remains Way Behind in Affordable Housing
Falls Church News-Press, May 12
(RECAP: Letter to the Editor.)