Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine signed legislation Thursday that will force developers building new residences in Arlington to provide on- or off-site affordable housing units or contribute to Arlington’s Affordable Housing Investment Fund.
Developers must provide affordable housing units equal to 5 percent of the total units in a new residential building if the city has to make zoning exceptions to allow the building to be constructed. Susan Bell, head of Arlington’s Community Planning, Housing and Development Office, said nearly all of the high-density residential buildings built in the county in recent years would have triggered the requirement.
Very few big new projects can be built without county approval, she said.
Housing and rental prices have risen dramatically in recent years in Arlington. According to county statistics, Arlington lost nearly 10,000 affordable housing units between 2000 and 2005.
The legislation also provides developers with a formula to determine how much they will have to contribute to affordable housing, Arlington County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman said.
“It also removes a major element of uncertainty for developers, who now know what they will have to contribute for housing,” he said.
The affordable housing requirements are the first of their kind in Virginia.
Kaine saidthe legislation provides a blueprint for other jurisdictions to follow to increase the amount of affordable housing.
“It gives them a model,” Kaine told The Examiner, adding that Fairfax County is considering a similar plan.
Talks on adding affordable housing requirements to Arlington’s zoning code began in 2005. A roundtable of business leaders, county officials and housing advocates was formed, and came up with the plan.
The bill was then introduced in the General Assembly by Arlington’s Sen. Margaret Whipple, and signed into law this morning.
Also signed by Kaine this morning were two companion bills that require localities across the state to provide historical property appraisal and assessment information on real estate tax assessments.
The goal of these bills is to provide more complete information on real estate taxes, which have climbed dramatically in recent years.
