"I thought ARHA had no money for this kind of stuff," writes puzzled reader.
Here's what the Office of Housing says about maintenance in its FY 2007 Action Plan:
ARHA completed a Physical Needs Assessment in 2005 from which it has prepared a prioritized list of proposed improvements for public housing units. Those specific projects targeted for FY 2007 include: Re-roofing various Scattered Site properties and installing exterior lighting, rerouting or recovering gas leaks that pass through patio area of the Ramsey Homes, installing carbon monoxide detectors in all public housing units, and providing moderate rehabilitation of vacant public housing units. (2007 Action Plan, pp. 40-41.)Funny that we don't see Adkins listed; perhaps it is in next year's plan and the surveying is part of the preparation.
It's true that ARHA doesn't have the millions on hand to permanently solve the mold problem at Glebe Park. Remediation attempts would cost more than razing and rebuilding most of the project. That's why we had the abortive attempt to privately redevelop the site.
Nevertheless, there are funds still trickling in to ARHA for property maintenance. And it's the source of these funds that is interesting, given City Manager Jim Hartmann's comments at last week's ICCA meeting about the relationship of the City to ARHA.
According to the City's five-year consolidated housing plan for FY 2006-10:
[T]he City has awarded CDBG [Community Development Block Grant] and HOME funds to ARHA in the form of loans and grants for the purpose of purchasing housing units, repairing existing public housing and the providing [sic] security patrols at public housing properties. (Five Year Plan, pp. 98-99).CDBG and HOME are HUD programs that originate as block grants to states and localities.
This section of the five year plan merits reading since it lays out the relationship between ARHA and the City in some detail.
A few of these links have been discussed on this blog before, including the City's right to appoint members of ARHA's board and the fact that Resolution 830 mandates the number of public housing units ARHA must maintain.
But in addition to CDBG and HOME fund grants, there's yet another financial flow-through that many residents may be unaware of, although the money for once moves in a reverse direction. While real estate taxes are not levied on ARHA properties, the housing authority does make a "Payment in Lieu of Taxes" or "PILOT" to the City of Alexandria.
So what we can see is that although ARHA is not under direct control of the City, the relationship is symbiotic.
36 comments:
"and the providing [sic] security patrols at public housing properties"
And maybe Melvin can tell us where these patrols are at?
Wonder how this whole process will go:
Braddock Metro Neighborhood Plan Update
Given the high degree of interest in this Plan, planning staff has been considering how to best proceed. We’ve come to the conclusion that bringing in an outside consultant who is experienced in getting different points of view to the table and who has a track record of building consensus around a shared vision is in the best interests of the plan and the community. We have asked Kramer and Associates to help us do that.
They have recommended as a fist step a series of interviews with folks who will speak frankly and who represent diverse points of view. They will start by talking to some of you, and asking you to recommend others for interviews. The information from the interviews will not be attributed to individuals but will be consolidated by the consultants and shared with everyone.
In addition, we will hold a town meeting on June 11, at 7:00 pm, at the Jefferson Houston School Multipurpose Room at 1501 Cameron Street. The purpose of the town meeting is to listen to the community, and to come away with some sense of the community’s priorities. In order to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to be heard, we will break into smaller discussion groups that come together to share and summarize issues at the end of the meeting. Each group will be facilitated by staff from Kramer and Associates, and a city planner.
Does anyone know when the Madison as well as the Payne Ave. Condos will start being built?
Well its official , Glebe Park redevelopment is dead.
Affordable-housing project wins $10M federal grant
Maria Hegstad, The Examiner
2007-05-22 07:00:00.0
Current rank: # 1,695 of 8,374
Alexandria -
One of Alexandria’s public-housing projects will receive about $10 million in federal dollars through a tax credit program that officials had not expected to qualify for.
The Station at Potomac Yards, which includes four stories of public housing built atop a new fire station, had originally been rejected from the program. It was one of three affordable- or public-housing projects in the city that didn’t receive federal funding under preliminary rulings last month.
The station’s scores didn’t change, but some of the projects it was competing against for the federal money in other parts of Virginia were deemed less desirable in the final judging, said Helen McIlvane, Alexandria’s deputy housing director.
The federal money allows the project to go forward “without skipping a beat,” McIlvane said. Groundbreaking could start as soon as September, she said.
“We think this is the new way of building affordable housing in the city, atop a municipal building,” McIlvane said.
When complete, the 168,000-square-foot building will house some retail space and a four-bay fire station on the ground floor. The four floors above will have 64 affordable-housing apartments of one to three bedrooms.
The developer working on Poto- mac Yards, a partnership of Pulte Homes and Centex Homes called Potomac Yard Development, signed the property deed over to the city at a May 8 council meeting.
Scores for the redevelopment and refurbishment projects at Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s Glebe Park apartments and Arbelo Apartments did not change from the preliminary results, so they will not receive federal dollars.
A number of changes will be made to the Arbelo Apartments application next year, said Herb Cooper-Levy, executive director of RPJ Housing Development Corp. He wanted to renovate the aging apartments with electrical upgrades, landscaping, new kitchens and bathrooms. Instead, he’ll present plans for cheaper renovations, one way of increasing his chances of getting the federal money.
“This puts us back by a year,” Cooper-Levy said.
Without that money, Bland is here to stay for a very long time.
"Does anyone know when the Madison as well as the Payne Ave. Condos will start being built?"
Payne was supposed to start later this year, along with Charles Houston. I think both will probably start no later than early 2008.
Madison, I dont know. Maybe they are still waiting and hoping for a grocer to come along, but also, they might be held up now by the plan delay. I do know the place seems cleared out for the most part.
I'm not sure about the Madison condo plan, but look at this site:
http://dockets.alexandriava.gov/icons/pz/pc/cy07/20607/di10.pdf
It describes the Payne Ave. condo proposal. It's from February but it says that the lease of the warehouse that is there now is not up until 2008. I would assume that they would not be able to build until that point.
Are both of these a done deal for sure? Is there any way that the condos would not be built or are they already approved?
I’m not fond of the density and height, but I have to admit that almost anything would be better than a warehouse that provides open space for people to hang out and do things I wish they weren’t.
"Affordable-housing project wins $10M federal grant"
Well, this SEEMS like wonderful news for those of us who are unfortunate enough to live in or near Bland and Adkins. Now the City can move at least 64 public housing units currently concentrated in PG to Pot. Yard. Keep going! First, Potomac yard, next Del Ray, then Rosemont and the West End!
According to the person at the Monarch sales office, they are probably getting a Starbucks, an antique store, and a day spa.
"Well, this SEEMS like wonderful news for those of us who are unfortunate enough to live in or near Bland and Adkins. Now the City can move at least 64 public housing units currently concentrated in PG to Pot. Yard. Keep going! First, Potomac yard, next Del Ray, then Rosemont and the West End!"
Uh, no. This housing is not for dispersing public housing units that already exist. These are moderate-income units. There is no way that any Bland or Adkins resident is going to live in these units.
"Uh, no. This housing is not for dispersing public housing units that already exist. These are moderate-income units. There is no way that any Bland or Adkins resident is going to live in these units."
Are you sure? The article cited above keeps referring to the units in Potomac Yard as "public housing". Anyone know?
Re: Boyd Walker's candidacy.
I am never able to get that Braddock Road group list to work. I can read it, but not post. Boyd, can you respond to these questions, either here or on the Braddock Road group list? I read your website and didn't see these questions answered.
- What is your position on public housing in the City? Specifically, Resolution 830, dispersal, renovation of Glebe, Adkins, and Bland.
- Why did you move from Cameron Street to Del Ray?
- Would you have voted to approve the Monarch, Payne St condos? Why or why not?
Personally, I was very sorry to see MacDonald resign. Thanks for running.
Security patrols?
That is a laugh. Last night, a DASH bus and driver were attacked on N Royal St by some 'Burg Brats'. Little kids whoose parents don't care enough about the community to keep an eye on their revenue-generating children. The kids threw rocks and sticks at the bus, and when the driver got out to investigate, they hit her with a metal brick in the back!
Even older burg residents were appalled, and are calling for a curfew for kids.
This kind of behavior makes one wonder what standards ARHA uses to select residents. And who would have been accountable if the DASH bus had crashed or ran over one of the kids as a result of the attack?
The saddest thing of all is that the DASH route passes through the burg for the benefit of residents. Few if any townhome owners appear to ride the bus.
Let's hope these kids are caught, and their parents evicted. But I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that to happen.
o happen.
o happen.
From the Alex Gazette;
One of the former vice mayor’s signature issues was opposing development that he considered too dense and out of step with existing neighborhoods — the reason he gave for his vote against Payne Street Condominiums near the Braddock Road Metro. With the Braddock Road Metro Area Plan in the midst of being completed, several of the candidates said that development in the Parker Gray neighborhood will become one of the major issues in the campaign.
"I think there’s too much density proposed near the Braddock Road Metro," said Boyd Walker, who was Macdonald’s campaign manager last year. "The plan is not ready for prime time."
Sounds good, but another democrat? Where are our choices!!!!
"Are you sure? The article cited above keeps referring to the units in Potomac Yard as "public housing". Anyone know?"
The Potomac Yard project will be for folks making between 60-80% of median income. ARHA projects are for folks making up to 40% of median income. ARHA will not be the owner/operator of the PY project. It will be owned by a new city owned entity called the Alexandria Afforadable Housing Corporation (AAHC). The fire station task force report is quite adamant that public housing not be placed in Potomac Yard and the city staff have publicly stated that public housing can't go into PY for 'security reasons'.
When and where did City staff talk publicly about security reasons for no public housing in Potomac Yard?
At a past ARHA-Council work session Rob Krupicka was suggesting some units could be dispersed to Potomac Yard ...
Over his years on the City Council, he was harshly critical of development like the Payne Street Condominiums. On Feb. 24, he voted against the project and described the project as too dense, out of step with the existing neighborhood and poorly designed. When the meeting was over, a member of the audience asked Macdonald why he wasn’t "a team player."
"I am a team player," Macdonald responded. "I’m on Team Alexandria."
"We saw him as a knight in shining armor for citizens who have lived here a long time and didn’t like all the overdevelopment," said Teresa Miller, who managed his 2000 unsuccessful campaign.
"He never took money from developers, and that really set him apart from everybody else."
Yes, you read that right, "He never took money from developers, and that really set him apart from everybody else."
Now, lets see who is in the developers pockets before we vote shall we?
"city staff have publicly stated that public housing can't go into PY for 'security reasons'."
I agree with Growler, please tell me who from city staff had the guts to say this in public. Thats career suicide in this city and I doubt that there is any truth to this statement.
Please prove me wrong though, I would love to know who said this. Good fuel for our future fire fights in upcoming meetings.
"The Potomac Yard project will be for folks making between 60-80% of median income. ARHA projects are for folks making up to 40% of median income. ARHA will not be the owner/operator of the PY project. It will be owned by a new city owned entity called the Alexandria Afforadable Housing Corporation (AAHC)."
OK - thanks for the info. But will the City consider these units in Resolution 830 terms? In other words, can we get rid of an equal number of ARHA owned units in exchange for the housing at Potomac Yard?
OK - thanks for the info. But will the City consider these units in Resolution 830 terms? In other words, can we get rid of an equal number of ARHA owned units in exchange for the housing at Potomac Yard?
No, because it's not Arha and it's not Public Housing
The Growler is not so sure this project is what it purports to be, i.e., housing for those making 60-80% of median income. Here's an excerpt from a list of Q&As that were incorporated in the final report of the fire station task force. Clearly it is mentioned that there could be some lower income rentals.
Also don't forget that when the Chatham Square project was submitted for tax credits, it initially failed to score competitively because the income targets were too high. They had to be reduced to be competitive. Did the same thing happen with the fire station, which also did not score well in the first round?
"74. Even though all of the minutes for the meetings on this project state the affordable housing is above the fire station and for first responders, teachers etc I am now hearing that only 20 of the 60 units are for these types of people and the 40 units will be essentially section 8 voucher housing as the city plans to sell the low income housing tax credits to offset the costs..is this true and if it is do we no why that stat failed to make it into the minutes? Also who decided the percentage breakdown...why not 50-50 or 100 to the men and women who protect us and keep our children safe
"Answer: The affordable housing project has been modeled in several ways. One scenario indicates that it would be feasible to create a mixed income (affordable and workforce) project to serve households with incomes at 60% of the area median income (in the metro Washington, DC area the median income for a
household of 4 persons is $90,300) as well as a number of households that earn between 60% and 100% of the area median income. Both groups include City teachers, fire personnel, and police officers, as well as many other individuals who work in public and private sectors, serving Alexandria.
"What number of units might be committed to serve households at or below 60%, and what number of units might be committed as "workforce" housing has not been determined. Financing requirements may shape the final mix as it is hoped that the developer's contribution and other non-City financing will provide all funds necessary for the project. Affordable housing may be financed through low income housing tax credits (LIHTC). These credits are a federal vehicle to encourage private equity investment to produce affordable rental housing to serve households, which earn at or below 60% of the area median income. In largely affluent communities like Alexandria, where the real estate market is hot and incomes are high, households with incomes at or below 60% of the area median income are the most challenged in finding appropriate affordable housing options. Affordable housing, financed with tax credits, is different from public housing, although persons with Housing Choice vouchers (Section 8) may use their subsidies toward the rent in an LIHTC funded unit.
"There are no federal or state funding sources to subsidize the cost of producing "workforce" housing. The costs for these units would probably have to be provided through City loan since the revenues derived from these units would cap the property's mortgage capacity."
Also discussed in the Q&A: the fact that there is no citizenship check required for tenants under the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program and the fact that some of teh housing could be available for Section 8 voucher holders. (Shades of Gunston Hall!)
Read the entire document at:
http://tinyurl.com/yvku88
It seems that if the PY project does include public housing it might be an opportunity for this neighborhood to disperse its large number of public housing units, BUT this is not a solid deal yet. This is just a possibility at this point.
Something that is going on right now that we need to concentrate on, as many have mentioned, is the elections. Although as I said before I am not fond of the height and density the condos bring, I am even less in favor of keeping a warehouse where people hang around and cause problems. Although I think it would be great to put in homes that fit the look and scale of our neighborhood, I think it is also important to ask the candidates who oppose these condos what they would do with the land. Some of their responses might lead to answers people are even less favorable of like putting in more mixed income/low income housing or leaving it abandoned where people will continue to use it as a place to “play”. As mentioned before on this blog, during the walk last year there was talk of taking some open space on N. Patrick to put in more public housing, something we don’t want to happen.
It is important that we keep the big picture in mind because if the PY option doesn’t work out, we turn down development, we will be right where we are now and looking at peoples' reports that is not where we want to be.
"Affordable housing, financed with tax credits, is different from public housing, although persons with Housing Choice vouchers (Section 8) may use their subsidies toward the rent in an LIHTC funded unit.
"
Potomac Yard doenst apply to this because this project has no effect on the Res 830 requirements. Its simply stating they could take voucher residents.
You cant use this site to offset 830 because these arent "static public housing units"
The residents of the 830 units (like Bland and Adkins) dont have vouchers. This only applies in the sense that the City could move some voucher residents (over 2200 vouchers are currently in use by ARHA) to this site. NOT RES 830 residents.
"Also discussed in the Q&A: the fact that there is no citizenship check required for tenants under the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program and the fact that some of teh housing could be available for Section 8 voucher holders. (Shades of Gunston Hall!)
"
This is what is really sad and what was mentioned by another blogger previously; ARHA has no problem housing illegal immigrants in Adkins or Bland and everyone knows it. They openly talk about housing "undocumented migrants" or whatever the word of the day for illegals is.
So not only do we have the myriad problems with public housing, but the city has no problem putting people who arent even us citizens into their projects.
""city staff have publicly stated that public housing can't go into PY for 'security reasons'."
I dont believe anyone could have said this either, but its a known fact that City staff does not always agree with the Citys hard line on a lot of issues. I know for a fact that there is some ongoing resentment among many city employees to the fact that while they struggle to find affordable housing options in the City, that ARHA and the City have no problem mandating public housing units but not workforce units and loaning out all the money in the Housing Trust Fund to keep ARHA from having to sell properties.
And I have heard an earful from several public employees on that.
I was shocked that the Growler had no mention of the brewing Wilson vs. Walker battle for the open Council seat.
Lets see, I can get Wilson, a Democratic machine crony who wants big development on 1/2 of the Metro.
Or I can get Walker, who hates basically any type of development but has no problem with keeping Adkins and Bland right where they are and thinks 830 is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
What a great choice we have in this town.
"It seems that if the PY project does include public housing it might be an opportunity for this neighborhood to disperse its large number of public housing units, BUT this is not a solid deal yet. This is just a possibility at this point. "
Dont get your hopes up. Its not a possibility and never will be.
Beyond the fact that these are not RESOLUTION 830 UNITS, do you honestly believe that the new PY neighbors want to import the problems of North PG into their neighborhood? Or that Euielle and his cronies will want to upset them?
I am so for dispersing the units but it will never happen. Never.
We should be asking others to take on the problems of the Inner City but they know (from reading this blog and reading the news) that its something they want nothing to do with.
"What a great choice we have in this town. "
Huh. I didn't realize Walker was such a friend of Res 830 and ARHA. He's definitely lost my vote.
Just learned that Bill Cleveland is running. Wonder where he stands on ARHA and development issues?
"ARHA has no problem housing illegal immigrants in Adkins or Bland and everyone knows it. They openly talk about housing "undocumented migrants" or whatever the word of the day for illegals is."
1) nice language people
2) if you have any proof, why don't you call HUD and report them,
3) better yet, why not call one of the mirad NO VA anti-immigrant groups so that they can draw attention to this activity
otherwise, can we stick to something constructive and perhaps you can find a more appropriate blog for your anti-immigrant rant
signed,
offended Parker-Gray Chicana, 7th generation New-Mexican, "we didn't cross the border, the border crossed us"...
Growler,
How does one figure out who is running for the open council seat? I tried figuring out the state elections website and it left me only confused?
Are there any Republican candidates?
How about a 1 minute explanation of how a D and R candidate emerge.
Thanks!
There's a lot of yakkin about affordable and public housing, Potomac Yards and candidates' positions - no offense, but without a reference to a substantiating source (ie, a newspaper article or web site) readers cannot verify if what you say is fact or hearsay. Let's not add to the PG rumor mill, eh?
FYI on Chatham Square. I was told the ARHA units were for moderate income families. It turn out they are public housing units, no different than Bland or Adkins or the burg. I plan on letting real estate folks know this. I feel that it greatly affects our property values. In addition, HUD rules prevent offering Chatham Square housing to police and firemen. The trouble is the standards are low enough that we can end up with unemployed drug users and illegals vs. hard working decent people who need housing.
It is a shame that North Old Town has crime, trash, noise, and problems with gangs of little kids running around all night, yet folks in the city continue to vote to support this sort of thing.
.
.
"In addition, HUD rules prevent offering Chatham Square housing to police and firemen."
That doesn't make sense because we have resident police officers living in Bland and Adkins.
Why would the rules be different for Chatham Square?
"That doesn't make sense because we have resident police officers living in Bland and Adkins."
Those are community police officers. They live there,yes, but not because its affordable housing offered to moderate income residents.
They live there because they are assigned there by the Police Dept. Bland has a police offier living there as well. Adkins used to have one but she got driven crazy by the madness there and left the force.
But the officers in Chatham Square are assigned to live there by the Police, solely for the purpose of serving as the community police officer for the Berg, not because this was workforce housing offered to them.
As for Chatham Square and ARHA, I am stunned you didnt know that all these units are ARHA replacement units. Every Chatham Square unit that is not market rate is reserved for displaced residents from the old Berg project. None of those were ever classified as affordable or workforce housing. They were all classified as Res. 830 units. The rest of the Berg residents were moved to 3 other dispersed sites.
"It is a shame that North Old Town has crime, trash, noise, and problems with gangs of little kids running around all night, yet folks in the city continue to vote to support this sort of thing."
Its becasue
1. Alexandria is a strongly liberal city and its not a shock (or insult) to state that liberals believe strongly in the mandate of the government to provide public housing.
2. They dont want it dispersed because to disperse would mean to bring all the associated problems right into their neighborhood.
So in sum, they support it strongly so long as its not near their neighborhood.
This should clear up the debate on Potomac Yard once and for all:
"Tax credit financing approved
The city also got some good news about the proposed fire station and affordable/work force housing at Potomac Yard. The Virginia Housing Development Authority approved $10 million in Low Income Tax Credit financing for the project last week. A previous application had been rejected in April. In addition to this funding, Potomac Yard Development will donate $6 million toward construction of the fire station and another $6 million for affordable housing.
“These Low Income Tax Credits will allow us to move forward with this very exciting public/private project,” said Mildrilyn Davis, Alexandria’s Director of Housing.
The 64 affordable rental units will be owned and managed by the Alexandria Housing Development Corporation and will remain both rental and affordable for 30 years under the terms of the tax credit agreement."
NO ARHA UNITS WILL GO THERE.
"But the officers in Chatham Square are assigned to live there by the Police, solely for the purpose of serving as the community police officer for the Berg, not because this was workforce housing offered to them."
Sorry, but no officer lives her or will ever live here unless they can afford to buy a market rate home. The Dept. does not and will not place a residential officer here because it is not set up the same way bland and adkins is.
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