City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: JUNE 20, 2023
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER /s/
FROM: HELEN S. MCILVAINE, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF HOUSING
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of An Application for a Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Housing Affordability Planning Program Grant to Inventory Housing in the City's Transit Corridors.
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ISSUE: Application for a Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Housing Affordability Planning Program (MWCOG HAPP) grant to inventory the existing stock of housing in/around the City’s planned transit corridors.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
1. Approve submission of a grant application to the Council of Governments (COG) in July to inventory the stock of housing near Alexandria’s three transit corridors, including committed and market-rate affordable and workforce rental and for-sale units; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute the grant application and such documents as may be necessary to support the City's HAPP Grant application to MWCOG.
BACKGROUND: MWCOG is offering DC area member jurisdictions an opportunity to apply for FY 2024 grant funding of up to $75,000 to advance work related to the preservation and creation of housing affordability aligned with shared goals related to transit-oriented development, equity, and the regional housing initiative. Staff believe the grants provide a useful resource to undertake third party studies to inventory committed and market affordable and workforce housing in and around Alexandria’s planned transit corridors along Duke and Beauregard Streets, as well as Route 1. Housing staff will leverage the consultant’s work by developing GIS map layers to track the inventory and provide the community visual access to its findings.
An initial abstract was submitted to COG on June 15 for its preliminary feedback. If City Council approves submission of a full grant, those materials are due by July 21, 2023.
DISCUSSION: Housing has successfully applied for COG grants like this in the past, and is currently leading an internal, interdepartmental feasibility analysis funded with $60,000 in
FY 2023 HAPP funds regarding potential affordable housing development near the Eisenhower East and Van Dorn metro stations. It is noted that the work done will be used to inform internal decision making only, and any actual plans or proposals regarding actual development would proceed pursuant to the City’s regular development review process subject to community feedback and comment.
Staff believe the work proposed for the FY 2024 grant will be very useful to ongoing and future work related to the Duke Street Planning processes and the Alexandria West Small Area Plan as well as to the upcoming Housing Master Plan Update. In the abstract the full $75,000 grant amount is requested, however, the project is scalable and would prioritize Duke Street if required.
FISCAL IMPACT: Grant request of up to $75,000. Grant management and GIS work can be provided within existing Housing and Planning staff capacity anticipated in the City’s proposed FY 2023 to FY 2024 Interdepartmental Long Range Work Plans.
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
Eric Keeler, Deputy Director, Office of Housing
Brandi Collins, Housing Program Manager, Office of Housing
Kenneth Turscak, Housing Analyst, Office of Housing
Michael Saunders, Housing Analyst, Office of Housing
James Condo, Housing Intern, Office of Housing