May is recognized as Affordable Housing Month – and to commemorate the occasion, we’re sharing a few of the featured projects from our most recent Virginia Housing Trust Fund Impact Report. By highlighting these developments, we hope to show what affordable housing looks like in communities across Virginia and celebrate the people working every day to ensure that all Virginians have a place to call home. Join us in recognizing Affordable Housing Month by sharing this post or other great projects with your networks – and feel free to tag us, too!
Ovation at Arrowbrook – Herndon, VA
SCG’s Development’s Ovation at Arrowbrook Apartments provides 126 affordable housing units in the Northern Virginia region. This community offers apartments for households earning 30-60% of the Area Median Income (AMI). It features unrivaled tenant amenities, to include on-site shopping and dining, a fitness center, a community center, an outdoor terrace with a fire pit, controlled access, elevators, and energy-efficient appliances in each apartment. The property is also located within walking distance of the Innovation Center Metro Station. These apartments, which are professionally managed by Paradigm Management, range from studio units to three-bedroom homes.
“It’s been amazing! I love the common areas. The maintenance staff are very kind and responsive.” – Ovation at Arrowbrook resident
Kilmarnock Village – Kilmarnock, VA
Kilmarnock Village – developed by TM Associates and Prime Community Housing & Development – offers 1 to 2 bedroom apartments within walking distance of local amenities. This community serves households earning at or below 60% AMI, with five units reserved for low-income veterans. Residents have access to a spacious community room, a playground, bike racks, on-site laundry, and Energy Star appliances.
Arlington View Terrace East – Arlington, VA
Developed by Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC), Arlington View Terrace East offers residents a convenient location, combined with the supportive services that they need to thrive. These apartments, which are available for residents earning from below 30% to 60% AMI, range from 1 to 3 bedrooms. On-site amenities include free Wi-Fi, a community courtyard, a fitness room, bike storage, and a parking garage. Arlington View Terrace East residents also benefit from another unique element: an on-site food pantry.
Winchester Forest 9 – North Chesterfield, VA
Winchester Forest is a new-construction, 72-unit affordable apartment community, serving Chesterfield County residents earning between 40-60% AMI. Developed by the Better Housing Coalition, these apartments offer close proximity to parks, shopping, and the interstate (with easy access to Richmond City). Resident amenities include a community room, playground, fitness facility, a dog park, in-unit laundry, and on-site management. Within the greater Winchester Forest campus, residents have access to walking trails, retail shops, a health center, and a child care center. These apartments range from 1 to 3 bedrooms.
Aaron Mills Apartments – Martinsville, VA
Aaron Mills Apartments serve as a true example of community revitalization that stemmed from a partnership between the City of Martinsville and Landmark Asset Services, Inc. This project made use of the site of a former factory, which had burned down in 2014. By leveraging VHTF dollars and environmental grants, what was once a community and ecological hazard has been transformed into the city’s first newly-constructed affordable housing for seniors earning between 40-60% AMI. This recently-completed project is energy-efficient and boasts 100% Universal Design compliance to promote accessibility. Tenant amenities include outdoor spaces (with garden plots), security features, free Wi-Fi, a fitness area, and a community room.
Affordable Housing in Virginia
“[They] work with your income…you can live in a beautiful place and actually afford it.” – Unity Homes at Ballston resident
Each of these amazing affordable housing communities required investment and commitment from localities, the state of Virginia, and the federal government. But even as we make significant progress, there is still much to be done – across the Commonwealth, there is an estimated shortage of nearly 300,000 affordable rental homes. This leads to one of the foundational questions that guides VHA in our work: how can we support and promote the development of additional affordable housing opportunities here in Virginia?
Our largest state resource for affordable housing production and preservation is the Virginia Housing Trust Fund (VHTF). Since 2013 – when it was created by the General Assembly – the VHTF has contributed to the creation or preservation of more than 22,368 units of affordable housing across the Commonwealth. Want to learn more? Check out VHA’s Virginia Housing Trust Fund webpage to learn more about this critical resource, as well as opportunities to engage in advocacy to support the VHTF. We also encourage you to share this post with others in your network and in your community!