Oct. 22, 2021—Fairfax County leaders joined the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) and a host of project partners including Banking concern of America and Virginia Housing, to celebrate the outset of construction on Oakwood Senior in Lee District. Oakwood Senior was made possible by a public-individual partnership with Fairfax County. Subsequently a competitive process, Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authorization (FCRHA) selected APAH to construct a new affordable development on their 6.2-acre parcel at the intersection of Oakwood Road and S Van Dorn Street. The development will feature 150 affordable apartments serving independent seniors ages 62 and above with household income at or below 60 pct of the expanse median income. Oakwood Senior represents APAH's first project in Fairfax County as the nonprofit programmer expands beyond Arlington.

In addition to existence a pregnant step forward for affordable senior housing, leaders lauded the innovation of the projection in terms of land use. The site previously functioned as a stormwater retentiveness pond. The new blueprint includes the installation of an clandestine storm water retention facility with the senior residences above it.

Oakwood Senior rendering,
credit: Grimm and Parker Architects

"This project has the distinction of being the first where the Fairfax County Lath of Supervisors transferred buying of its property to the Redevelopment and Housing Authority for the development of affordable housing," said Lath of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay. "It's a trailblazing achievement that is already being modeled equally we investigate the potential for other county sites to incorporate affordably priced housing for our nigh vulnerable residents – including individuals with disabilities, seniors, and extremely low-income households."

The location for the community is currently in utilize every bit a stormwater retention pond. The design includes the installation of an underground storm water memory facility with the senior residences above it.

According to the county's Communitywide Housing Strategic Program, seniors present the second greatest need for affordably priced homes – behind small family unit households and individuals. Nearly 1-third of the residents of Lee Commune are older adults, many of whom are renters. According to Fairfax Canton's demographic data, 52 percent of older adults who hire are price-burdened past excessive rent compounded by limited income. More than than half of that number pay more than 50 percentage of their income on rent.

"This Oakwood customs will bring a wealth of benefits to our senior population in Lee District," said Supervisor Rodney Lusk. "Not merely will the rent be affordable for our low-income seniors, merely its location in the community and the co-located programs, services, and activities will open doors of opportunity that would accept otherwise remained unrealized."

APAH President and CEO Carmen Romero,
interviewed past Fairfax County Government
Channel 16.

The Oakwood Senior is the latest in an increasing number of public-private developments designed to bring long-term affordable housing opportunities to communities throughout the county. From the award-winning Fallstead senior living community (McLean) to the Residences at North Hill (Alexandria), Fairfax County's affordable housing portfolio is get-go to encounter more projects in development on public lands representing well over $100 million in existent estate investment for affordable housing.

"We are very proud of the partnerships we have cultivated with developers like APAH – and particularly with the relationship we have enjoyed with the Board of Supervisors – to find new and creative ways to bring affordable housing to Fairfax Canton," remarked Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Say-so Chairman Melissa McKenna. "When we can come up to the table with a commitment to provide public land for projects like this, information technology goes a long style towards reducing a developer's overall projection costs in lodge to have communities similar Oakwood from concept to reality."

In improver to the contribution of public land, Fairfax County and the FCRHA has also invested $v.25 million in local in Housing Pattern funding, most $12.six million in revenue bond financing, and awarded 8 project-based vouchers for the project. Boosted financing for the project includes both 4 and 9 percent Low-Income Housing Taxation Credits awarded by Virginia Housing, funding through the Virginia Housing Trust Fund administered past the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, and most $thirty one thousand thousand in equity investments from Bank of America.

"Providing affordable housing to seniors in Fairfax Canton is a primal office of addressing economic inequality in our area," said Derrick N. Perkins, Banking company of America market executive for Greater Washington. "This unique development at Oakwood and our connected partnership with APAH is providing critical solutions and support to the community."

Oakwood  Senior is the get-go project in development through a public-private partnership with APAH in Fairfax Canton. The holding will include a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments with a variety of residential amenities, resources, and programs to serve the five fundamental pillars of APAH'south resident services plan:

  • Housing and Family Stability
  • Health and Health
  • Instruction
  • Workforce Solutions
  • Customs Solutions

"We are very excited that Oakwood will give us the opportunity to bring the APAH experience to Fairfax County," said APAH President and CEO Carmen Romero. "In both design and function, nosotros envision a community that will complement the surrounding neighborhood and provide fulfilling experiences, engaging opportunities and supportive programs for all of our residents."

The customs is currently projected for completion and occupancy by fall of 2023. For more information nigh leasing at Oakwood Senior as the projection nears completion, delight refer to the APAH website.

A Special Thanks to:

Fairfax County Lath of Supervisors
Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority
Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing
Virginia Housing
Virginia Housing Trust Fund / Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development
Banking company of America
Davis Construction
Grimm and Parker
KCM
Cates Engineering
Allen and Shariff
Christopher Consultants
Aumen Asner (Interior Pattern)

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Virtually the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing
Founded in 1989, APAH now helps more than two,000 households live in stable, secure, and affordable rental homes. APAH has 500 affordable apartments under construction and an additional 1,000 in its development pipeline.  APAH'south Columbia Hills Apartments received the 2022 ULI Washington Trends Laurels for Excellence in Affordable Housing. And both Columbia Hills and Gilliam Place, APAH'south most contempo projects, were recognized as Virginia's All-time Affordable Housing projection by Virginia Housing. In 2020, APAH was named one of the nation's Top 50 Affordable Housing Developers by Affordable Housing Finance magazine. The system was named 2022 Developer of the Year past Manus, the Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers.

About the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authorization
Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Potency (FCRHA) serves nearly 20,000 residents through a diversity of rental housing assistance and homeownership programs; and owns and operates nearly 4,000 units of housing – including multifamily housing, senior housing, licensed assisted living and specialized housing for tenants with a variety of needs. The FCRHA besides oversees and administers Fairfax County'south land use housing programs and the investment of public land and local funds (including state and federal grants) to increase and/or preserve the canton's stock of affordable homes.