The development will create 516 affordable apartments and a new community center operated by Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services

ARLINGTON, VA (August 7, 2023) The affordable housing community to be built near the Spring Hill Metrorail station, referred to as Dominion Square, is one step closer to beginning construction. The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority is now in possession of the 2-acre site, which was formerly surface parking lots used by auto dealerships. The land is ground leased to Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH), the regional nonprofit that will develop the two 20-story residential towers and two-story community center. The 85-year land lease ensures that the new apartment homes will be affordable to residents well into the future. The site will be prepared with some light utility work prior to the project’s groundbreaking, which is on track for late 2023. The development will serve a variety of household incomes with below-market rents.

“Dominion Square will be the first 100% affordable housing development at scale in Tysons, Virginia, and we are honored to deliver more than 500 apartments in a neighborhood rich with opportunities and amenities. This project, this location, represents APAH’s continued commitment to providing not only a place for residents with lower incomes to call home, but a foundation from which they can realize their dreams”, said APAH President and CEO, Carmen Romero.”

The Dominion Square project will be developed in one phase thanks to a $55 million below-market-rate loan from Amazon’s Housing Equity Fund. “We are grateful for the opportunity to support the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing as they work to bring more than 500 affordable homes to the community,” said Senthil Sankaran, managing principal of the Amazon Housing Equity Fund. “As Amazon’s presence grows here, we want to help bring lasting, positive change to the region. This partnership and project will help to provide quality, affordable housing – close to transit and great schools – for so many residents who otherwise would not be able to make this great community their home.”

The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority, authorized by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, has approved the issuance of up to $89 million in tax-exempt bonds to finance the project. “We know that an investment in affordable housing is more than just a building,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at the project announcement press conference in 2022. “It is an investment in what our residents will achieve given the firm foundation of a safe, livable, and affordable home.”

A 33,000-square-foot community center located on the ground level will be operated by Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services. It will include a gym, meeting rooms, multi-purpose spaces, a kitchen, administrative offices, and flexible educational spaces. An underground parking garage and a 1,900-square-foot elevated courtyard will provide amenities for residents and members of the community. Apartments will be affordable to those earning between 30% and 70% of the area median income (AMI) and will include units with one, two, and three bedrooms to accommodate families of varying sizes.

APAH is working with its lenders and Tax Credit Investor funders toward a full construction closing by the end of 2023. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.