Fairfax County supervisors on April 4 approved new rules that reduce the percentage of workforce-dwelling units required at for-sale high-rise-condominium developments in the Tysons Urban Center.
Supervisors decreased from 20 to 14 percent the amount of workforce-housing units that must be provided on-site at such developments in Tysons and cut from 20 to 16 percent that number of required units if they are made available off-site elsewhere in the urban center.
The 20-percent standard remains in effect for high-rise rental dwellings, however.
In addition, the approved changes reduce from five to three the number of income categories pertaining to for-sale units. Of the required 14 percent of workforce-dwelling units, one-third (4.67 percent) would be available to people making up to 70 percent of area median income. Another third each would be for those making from 71 to 80 percent and 81 to 100 percent of the median income.
Developers instead providing the units off-site in Tysons would have to fulfill the 16-percent mandate with 5.33 percent of dwellings in each of those income categories.
County officials will continue to discourage developers from making payments in lieu of providing workforce units, but clarify the appropriate cost if such payments must occur.
Supervisors acted following their approval last April of The Arbor, the first application for new high-rise condos in Tysons. The developer, Cityline Partners LLC, cited difficulties in meeting the 20-percent affordable-housing threshold and received from the supervisors a reduced requirement that at least 13 percent of the project would consist of such units.
According to a media statement from the county, high-rise condo projects face greater financing and economic hurdles than ones for rental projects. Condominium developments tend to be much smaller than rental ones, which makes it harder to take advantage of bonus densities for providing affordable units, officials said.
All new residential projects with rental units in Tysons have made commitments to meet the 20-percent requirement for affordable housing and county officials estimate 4,200 such units eventually will be built in the urban center.
The new rules constitute a significant county policy change for Tysons, said Supervisor Catherine Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill).
“This is much more reasonable and addresses the affordability issue that we’re actually looking to serve,” Hudgins said.
The changes will facilitate more Tysons condominium construction, added Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova (D).
“I know that there is a demand for ownership in Tysons and this gives us the ability do that while making sure we’re got some units that are in the affordable range,” Bulova said.
The board voted 9-0 in favor of the rule changes. Supervisor Patrick Herrity (R-Springfield) said he agreed with the policy amendments, but would abstain from voting because of his long-standing opposition to rent-controlled units, especially those for people making up to 100 percent of area median income.
“It’s a philosophical difference,” Herrity said. “Seventy percent of people commute into Tysons and I don’t believe it’s the government’s job to decide which 70 percent commute into Tysons.”
Supervisor Linda Smyth (D-Providence), whose district covers much of Tysons, disagreed.
“This helps give an opportunity for the teachers, our public-safety employees and people who do not want to commute in from West Virginia to actually improve the schools, the public safety and the transportation,” she said.
(2) comments
You know when it comes to rules that are changing like this, it's difficult to ensure that there are facilities to monitor and enforce the new rules. It makes more sense to figure out how to find a new solution while anticipating that there be a transition period too and arranging accordingly to handle all the resistance.
Affordable? Not to county employees. Most do not meet the threshold of income to be able to live in Fairfax county unless you’re in the top echelon of high dollar management of Fairfax county. What’s that number 20 percent who can and 80 percent of those you cannot afford to live in Fairfax county and work for the county?
Tyson’s Corner can be, “second to none” in the free world, that is, with the business model and residential working together so it is affordable to all. Though that will be a generation away to see that outcome.
It seems everybody will need to be counted on to pay the tax for an ever-increasing battle between revenue generated and services provided for too. What is the quote, “build it and they will come”.
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