ALEXANDRIA
Applications for Witter Place Apartments open on May 14 for all 94 affordable two and three bedroom units in Alexandria. The community is expected to be ready for occupancy by September 1 and includes mobility-accessible units, as well as units designed for residents with visual and hearing needs. For questions, contact Community Housing Partners at 703-344-7737 or witterplace@chpc2.org.
Alexandria City Council has approved the City’s Five-Year Consolidated Plan and FY 2027 Action Plan, authorizing applications for more than $1.6M in federal CDBG and HOME funds to support housing and community development programs. The plan also includes a $5.28M Section 108 loan to help finance Housing Alexandria’s 495-unit Sanse/Naja affordable development in Arlandria.
Housing Alexandria’s waitlist for Phase 1 of the Sanse closed on April 26 after accepting applications for 206 affordable units, expected to be available in August 2026. A lottery is scheduled for May 4, and selected applicants will be contacted to schedule an application appointment and complete eligibility screening.
The City of Alexandria adopted the FY27 budget, which maintains the real estate tax rate at $1.135 per $100 of assessed value. The budget includes $11.6M for affordable housing and $126M over the 10-year CIP, funded through the City’s dedicated revenues, including 1 cent of the real estate tax rate, 1% of the meals tax, and an additional $1M in annual commitment.
The League of Women’s Voters will host an open discussion with Alexandria City Manager, Jim Parajon, and Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz on Thursday, May 7 from 7-8:30pm at the Walter Reed Recreation Center in Arlington. The conversation will focus on how local governments are navigating shifting federal funding, state policy changes, and broader governance challenges.
ARLINGTON
Sat, May 2nd, 10am: Join us for CSG’s Ballston Missing Middle Walking Tour to explore the many forms of ‘missing middle’ housing the Ballston neighborhood has to offer and the important role these types of homes play in our housing ecosystem.
Mon, May 4th, 6:30-8:30pm at the Central Library: Arlington County Board Town Hall. All residents are invited to share issues not already on a recent or up-coming County Board meeting agenda. Register to speak in person or virtually.
Thurs, May 7th, 7-8:30pm at the Walter Reed Center in Arlington, the LWV will host an open discussion with Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz and Alexandria City Manager, Jim Parajon on how local governments are navigating shifting federal funding, state policy changes, and broader governance challenges.
Sat, May 16th, 10am-2pm: Join Arlington’s Tenant Summit 2026 for a day of interactive workshops and education for renters. Topics include County programs and services, tenant–landlord rights and responsibilities, etc. at Sequoia Plaza. Registration is encouraged by May 11 but drop-ins are welcome. Lunch will be provided.
Arlington County adopted its FY27 Budget. Housing highlights include $10.3M for the AHIF, Affordable Housing Investment Fund (half of its most recent high), $9M for overall Homelessness Services, and $19M for Housing Grants, which will initiate its first ever Waiting List later this year. Also included were flexible funds for food security, legal aid, and safety net programs.
The Melwood property will be considered for historic designation by the County Board in May, with a final vote in June. Both the County’s Historic Preservation staff and the owner (Melwood) oppose the designation. Melwood plans to redevelop the site for 100 affordable units plus on-site services for adults with disabilities. Advocacy opportunities will be shared in the coming weeks.
The County Board approved $1.69M in grant funds to 31 human services nonprofits serving Arlington.
Check out the Arlington Profile 2026 annual report for a snapshot of Arlington’s demographics, housing, workforce, economic development, and more.
Our Housing Action Arlington (HAA) coalition meets again on Wed., May 13 at 12 noon (virtually). We will review the County budget, GA bills, etc. Contact alice.hogan@nvaha.org
FAIRFAX COUNTY
The Board of Supervisors approved the FY 27 Budget Markup, and will formally adopt the budget on May 5. The Markup includes an additional ¼ cent, or $8.8M, dedicated to affordable housing, bringing the county’s baseline investment to approximately $52.7M annually, while also reducing the Real Estate Tax by ¼ cent.
Thank you For Your Advocacy: At the Fairfax County FY2027 budget hearings, advocates, community leaders, and residents showed strong support for increased affordable housing investments and community stability initiatives. It was powerful to hear the wide range of perspectives, lived experiences, and personal stories shared throughout the hearings, all highlighting the urgent need for expanded housing resources and stronger support systems across Fairfax County. Although we did not get the full 2 cents dedicated to affordable housing, the additional ¼ penny that came through the mark-up was very important especially during this challenging budget year.
The FCRHA program is offering new financial tools to help moderate-income households realize homeownership in Fairfax County in the form of down payment loans to qualified individuals for first-time home purchases. These loans are made possible by a grant from Virginia Housing.
The Fairfax County Department of Planning and Development has officially transitioned from the 2017 Edition of the Comprehensive Plan to the new 2026 Edition. The updated plan, which includes both the Policy Plan and Area Plans, is now fully digital and hosted on the web-based Encode platform.
The Board of Supervisors has taken a significant step toward bringing a new co‑located Penn Daw Fire Station and supportive housing facility to the southern part of the county, approving the rezoning and plan amendment required for the project to advance. The proposed development at 2801 Beacon Hill Road is designed to strengthen emergency response and provide vital support for vulnerable residents.
CITY OF FAIRFAX
The Fairfax City Council introduced Colleen Kardasz as the new director of Fairfax City Economic Development. Kardasz, who has served as the assistant director of economic development for Loudoun County since 2017, was selected following an extensive national search and rigorous interview process. She is anticipated to begin her new position on March 30.
CITY OF FALLS CHURCH
The City of Falls Church is advancing an RFP for a redevelopment partner for Virginia Village, an EDA-owned mixed-income residential site at Broad Street and Maple Avenue in late May 2026. The goal is to select a development partner by August 2026 to align with 2027 funding application deadlines. The RFP seeks a partner to redevelop the site, aiming to maximize affordable housing and potentially increase building heights. The EDA owns nine buildings on the site. The program calls for high-density mixed-income housing with significant affordable unit replacement.
LOUDOUN
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors adopted the county’s FY 2027 budget at their April 7 Business Meeting. The budget includes $29M for the Housing Fund, including the dedication of a full penny of the real property tax rate and the revenue from the local cigarette tax for down payment and closing cost assistance programs.
Loudoun County will host a Housing Summit on Wed, May 6 for faith-based and nonprofit organizations to learn about building attainable housing on land owned by faith communities. The event will take place from 9am – 1pm at the Lodge at Hanson Park, 23394 Endeavor Drive in Aldie. The summit is free. Space is limited; registration is required. NVAHA will support the event by moderating one of three panel discussions.
Loudoun County’s new Expedited Attainable Housing Development Pilot Program is open and accepting a limited number of applications. While not guaranteed, the aim of the program is to move applications from acceptance to a Board vote in approximately eight months, a significant acceleration of the standard timeline for legislative land use applications. The EAHD Pilot Program will accept three applications, selected on a first-come, first-served basis, and is limited to independent projects that provide 100% attainable housing, have necessary infrastructure in place or are committed, and meet funding deadlines at least six months after application acceptance.
Loudoun County will be hosting two free workshops for landlords and property managers to learn more about the county’s Housing Choice Voucher program, Information and Referral Program, the Homelessness Prevention and Diversion program and fair housing. A virtual session will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 10am-12pm, and the in person session on Thursday, May 14, 10am-12pm at the Ashburn Recreation and Community Center.
County leaders celebrated the April 20 groundbreaking of the Rivana at Innovation Station, a 103-acre transit-oriented project at the border of Loudoun and Fairfax Counties along Metro’s Silver Line corridor. The project will include 3.5 million square feet of office space, 3,700 residential units, 463,000 square feet of retail space, 500 hotel rooms, and 16 acres of outdoor recreation.
The Board of Supervisors approved a proposal to redevelop a shopping center in Ashburn at the corner of Belmont Ridge Rd. and Portsmouth Blvd. The proposed development includes 20 single family detached homes, 146 townhomes, and 152 multifamily units. Size restrictions on the units are intended to make the homes more affordable. A low-income housing building was part of the original proposal, but was removed during the Planning Commission’s review in response to pushback from the local community.
The next meeting of the NVAHA Loudoun Alliance is tentatively scheduled for Monday, June 1 at 11am. Contact Amanda at amanda.caughran@nvaha.org for more details.
CITY OF MANASSAS
The City of Manassas presented a final master plan for redevelopment of the Mathis Shopping Center property, outlining their long-term vision to prioritize open space, housing and mixed-use development. The Community feedback strongly emphasized affordable housing and greater residential density.
PRINCE WILLIAM
During their meeting on April 21, the Board of County Supervisors adopted the county’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, which includes a $5M contribution to the Affordable Housing Reserve Fund, bringing total investments to the fund to $21M from FY24–FY27 and supporting the development of affordable housing across the community.
The first Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for potential developers who wish to apply for the Affordable Housing Fund competitive gap financing for development of affordable units in Prince William County was released May 1, 2026, with the application and more information available on the OHCD website. The application submission deadline is July 1, 2026.
The Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) will host a Homebuyer Orientation Session on May 14th from 6-8pm. in the Auditorium of the Dr. A.J. Ferlazzo Building, 15941 Donald Curtis Drive, Woodbridge VA 22191. Registration is required. Prospective homebuyers will learn how to apply and about the pre-approval processes for potential for-sale affordable units. These units are being provided through committed (proffered) units by developers in Prince William County.
The next NVAHA Prince William Alliance meeting will be on Thursday, May 28 from 4-5pm via Zoom. Please email Jill Norcross, if you are interested in attending these monthly meetings.
NORTHERN VIRGINIA
The Coalition for Smarter Growth will lead a Ballston Missing Middle Walking Tour on Sat, May 2 from 10am-12pm. Join to explore the many forms of ‘missing middle’ housing the Ballston neighborhood has to offer and hear from local leaders and advocates, like Arlington Board member JD Spain, on the important role these kinds of homes play in our housing ecosystem. Please register in advance.
The Coalition for Smarter Growth will lead a Ballston Missing Middle Walking Tour on Sat, May 2 from 10am-12pm. Join to explore the many forms of ‘missing middle’ housing the Ballston neighborhood has to offer and hear from local leaders and advocates, like Arlington Board member JD Spain, on the important role these kinds of homes play in our housing ecosystem. Please register in advance.
Secretary of Finance Mark Sickles, May 8, 2026 12pm
Secretary of Health and Human Resources Marvin B. Figueroa, May 29, 2026 12pm
Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources David Bulova, Jun 12, 2026 12pm
DMV
ULI Washington will be partnering with COG again this year to offer technical assistance through the ULI Washington-COG Technical Assistance Panels (TAPs) Program. The COG-ULI Washington TAPs program provides targeted analysis and recommendations to local governments to address specific community or project needs at a significantly reduced cost. TAPs focused on housing issues are welcomed. Interested parties should apply to ULI Washington with a proposed study, planning issues to address, and scope of work. The application deadline is May 31, 2026.
On behalf of ULI & the National Building Museum, the Future Forum 2026 planning committee is drafting a model resolution for DMV leaders that tackles the housing and economic recovery crisis head-on. They are crowdsourcing the best ideas on what’s blocking housing production and economic growth and what specific policy changes would unlock it. Please consider taking this 10 minute survey (shorthand informal responses are better than no response).
VIRGINIA
Take Virginia Housing’s Faith-Based Affordable Housing Survey. Virginia Housing is working to connect with faith-based organizations and houses of worship to understand their levels of interest and needs, with the goal of creating new pathways for addressing housing instability and development. By working together, we can turn faith-owned land into community assets that strengthen congregations and families while creating new housing opportunities for the Virginians who need them. Whether you are affiliated with a faith-based organization, work within local government or are a developer, please take the survey to help shape their work. The Survey closes May 20 – contact Strategic Housing Officer Candice Turner with questions.
FEDERAL | NATIONAL
The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) launched the National Center for Housing + Health, a resource designed to accelerate cooperation between affordable housing and healthcare systems. The Center brings together leading experts from housing, healthcare, and community development to advance system-level alignment between housing and healthcare. This work strengthens the delivery of affordable and supportive housing and improves how systems respond to chronic homelessness.
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (FHLBank Atlanta) is allocating $50M through its Affordable Housing Program (AHP) General Fund to support the purchase, construction and/or rehabilitation of owner-occupied, rental, or transitional housing. Financial institutions that are members of FHLBank Atlanta can partner with housing developers and sponsors to apply for grants up to $1.25M per eligible project. FHLBank Atlanta will accept General Fund applications through May 7. Developers or community organizations seeking to identify a FHLBank Atlanta member financial institution can visit the Bank’s Find a Member page.
HUD’s FY 2026 Income Limits, which govern income eligibility for many of our affordable housing programs, were delayed until May 1st, due to a delay in Census Bureau data, skipping the standard April 1 release. Anticipated changes include an about 4% average increase in very low-income limits, with some areas seeing higher increases and 17% experiencing decreases. They are based on area median income (AMI).
Enterprise has launched their Land Use Network, a cohort-based approach that supports cities and counties advancing bold land use reforms. Their first cohort is already underway and the next launch will be this summer. Learn More and Apply.
A federal appeals court has upheld a block on HUD’s revised FY25 Continuum of Care (CoC) funding rules, rejecting the administration’s effort to impose new grant restrictions that could have disrupted permanent housing and homelessness services nationwide. The ruling preserves existing funding for homeless intervention, including permanent supportive housing, while litigation continues over HUD’s attempted policy shift.
ARTICLES & TOOLS OF INTEREST
- 2026 State Policy Initiatives, Virginia Housing Alliance
- Affordable Housing and Shelter on Faith Land Database, Rutgers School of Planning and Policy
- Permit-Ready Housing: From Pattern Book to Policy – Open-Source Housing Design Library for Low- and Moderate-Income Housing, HousingForwardVA.org
- The Washington Metropolitan Area lost 62,100 federal jobs from January 2025 to January 2026… As a part of an overall total of about 103,900 jobs lost in the region, Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments (COG)
- States Should Pursue New Revenue Options to Expand Access and Prevent Cuts to Affordable Housing and Homelessness Solutions, CBPP
- Shaping the Opportunity Zone Map to Drive Housing Production that Best Meets Community Need, Housing Matters, Urban Institute
- What’s in the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, Bipartisan Policy Center
- Spanberger marks first 100 days with focus on healthcare, housing and energy affordability, Virginia Mercury
- Most Colorado cities could lose access to affordable housing funding next year. Lawmakers are racing to fix it, Colorado Public Radio