In local affordable housing news, Arlington County staff has released a new draft framework as part of its Missing Middle Housing Study. In the framework, county staff propose to allow for townhouses and small buildings of up to 8 dwelling units in all zoning districts currently limited to single-household development. All new buildings would be subject to the existing building footprint, placement, and height standards.

APAH is encouraged to see this impactful proposal from county staff and has sent a letter of support to the County Board for these changes. The proposal would allow for a wider variety of housing shapes and sizes to meet the needs of Arlington’s diverse population. It would also reverse decades of exclusionary housing practices that have worsened racial and economic segregation by blocking the construction of new types of housing in most residential areas. New missing middle housing would be more affordable to middle-income households than existing large single-family homes in Arlington, giving them greater opportunity to live in the county.

APAH has joined a diverse coalition of local civic organizations in support of the proposal, including the Alliance for Housing Solutions, the Arlington NAACP, and the Potomac River Group chapter of the Sierra Club. Please join APAH in expressing your support today by using the online feedback tool here prior to the July 12^th County Board hearing.  You can also read APAH’s letter of support here. To learn more about the proposal, visit the county’s Missing Middle Housing webpage here. In the next steps, the County Board will hear the draft framework and community feedback at its July 12^th work session. County staff then expects to prepare related Zoning Ordinance Amendments for Board adoption sometime this Fall.

Read APAH’s Letter of Support to Arlington County.