Could there be a path for affordable and accessible housing for all incomes in the Town of Herndon?
On Oct. 10, the New Virginia Majority (NVM) hosted a community meeting at the Herndon Fortnightly Library with Supervisor James N. Bierman Jr. (D-Dranesville) in attendance. The planned discussion focused on sharing information concerning housing vouchers, the universal basic income program, and housing construction with an emphasis on prefabricated affordable housing. A reported 50 people attended the meeting.
NVM, headquartered in Alexandria, a nonprofit, has as one of its priorities housing justice. “All Virginians deserve access to clean, safe, and affordable housing regardless of their income, gender identity, sexual orientation, immigration status, or if they are returning citizens,” NVM states on its website.
Bierman, in an interview the next day, addressed how Herndon Town Council, staff, residents, and Fairfax County could work towards and achieve additional housing and apartments that are affordable and accessible, especially for residents at 40 percent and below the Area Median Income (AMI) as well as those at 50-60 percent AMI.
Fairfax County is striving to create and preserve 10,000 net new affordable units by 2034, Bierman said. The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority is accomplishing this by developing properties dedicated to housing for residents making between 30 percent and 70 percent AMI, such as Ovation at Arrowbrook, which has 274 units just outside the town limits, and by using "set asides in new developments to dedicate 12 to 20 percent of new units to workforce and affordable dwelling units."
"Herndon’s current comprehensive plan and ordinances do not contain such set asides," Bierman said. "But there appears to be broad agreement on the Town Council that trying to incorporate some workforce and affordable dwelling units into new developments, especially those near the Herndon Metro Station, would be a good idea, [and] I wholeheartedly agree."
Bierman said Fairfax County stands ready to support such programs "and to, if the Town of Herndon is able to identify other opportunities within its limits, provide technical or financial assistance to deliver much-needed affordable housing in the town."