Fairfax County wants section 8-style housing for every neighorhood (Lake Ridge: low income, 2013)

[PetaltoMetal]

The county wants to fast-track zoning applications so that they can get 500-square-foot rental units into neighborhoods. Most neighborhoods would qualify, as well as other types of areas, such as business. It will turn neighborhoods into dumping grounds for several social service agencies. Especially targeted are the homeless, those with mental health problems, and drug addicts. People can already make such units, but supervisors want to fast-track approval for these and subsidize them. They want thousands, possibly 16,000 or more. Apparently, it hasn't been too popular with the citizens but the board of supervisors seems pretty gung-ho about it.

County should reject studio aparments -- FairfaxTimes.com

[tysonsengineer]

Originally Posted by PetaltoMetal

The county wants to fast-track zoning applications so that they can get 500-square-foot rental units into neighborhoods. Most neighborhoods would qualify, as well as other types of areas, such as business. It will turn neighborhoods into dumping grounds for several social service agencies. Especially targeted are the homeless, those with mental health problems, and drug addicts. People can already make such units, but supervisors want to fast-track approval for these and subsidize them. They want thousand, possibly 16,000 or more. Apparently, it hasn't been too popular with the citizens but the board of supervisors seems pretty gung-ho about it.

County should reject studio aparments -- FairfaxTimes.com

Troll post.

I have spoken out against this policy in areas of R-1 zoning but this person is just trolling and frankly lying about the policy.

The term section 8 housing has become a favorite of some in this area. Perhaps they should understand the difference between affordable housing, workforce housing, and subsidized housing. HERES A HINT: EACH OF THOSE ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS WITH COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MECHANISMS AS TO HOW THEY LOWER THE PRICE AND FOR WHOM THEY LOWER THE PRICE OF HOUSING FOR.

[Joke Insurance]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

Troll post.

I have spoken out against this policy in areas of R-1 zoning but this person is just trolling and frankly lying about the policy.

The term section 8 housing has become a favorite of some in this area. Perhaps they should understand the difference between affordable housing, workforce housing, and subsidized housing. HERES A HINT: EACH OF THOSE ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS WITH COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MECHANISMS AS TO HOW THEY LOWER THE PRICE AND FOR WHOM THEY LOWER THE PRICE OF HOUSING FOR.

Can you please elaborate more on this? I am curious to learn about it. Thanks

[tysonsengineer]

Here, an excerpt for free and I wont even link because I have way too many violations as is

A Primer and Definitions

When the Tysons Comprehensive plan was approved in 2010 one of the most polarizing components of the plan was the requirement for 20% workforce housing to be provided. This immediately was noted by conservatives as being a huge leap from the existing 5% affordable housing requirement placed on any new development seeking rezoning with more than 50 units in the county, and currently requires 1 in every 20 units or houses be priced for low income individuals.

“We need to do our part in keeping the cost of living down as well as the cost of doing business. We need to be careful of the cost of regulation” says Supervisor Pat Herrity who has been a vocal opponent of the 20% requirement for new developments for workforce housing in Tysons. “We require of the developers a whole host of things that I don’t believe is considered priorities, and instead taxed our businesses and residents to fund transportation.”

Here is the big problem with the debate. All “affordable housing” is not the same, but too many politicians and policy makers are using the term in a broad sense.

In reality there are three forms of market modified housing in Fairfax County;

Section 8 – Housing that is purchased or directly subsidized by the government for the very low income, elderly, or disable residents. There is no Fairfax County specific policy for this form of housing as these residents are typically provided housing under HUDs Section 8 policy. “Eligibility for a housing voucher is determined by the PHA based on the total annual gross income and family size and is limited to US citizens and specified categories of non-citizens who have eligible immigration status.”(From HUD website). Participants pay 30% to 40% of the rental cost, with the remaining %60-70 being provided as a subsidy to the owner as either a voucher payment or tax-free credit. In other words, no Fairfax County funds go directly towards this program.

ADUs (Affordable Dwelling Unit) – Housing that is provided for low income to mid-income residents without subsidization, but instead through concession with a developer of more than 50 housing units. This is more akin to rent-control than subsidized housing, in that the taxpayers don’t actually transfer funds to pay for rent. The ADU renter must still pay for the full amount of the controlled rent; for instance for a two bedroom it is $1,308 per month. Typically all applicable developments (greater than 50 units) must provide at a minimum 5% of the units at a modified rental or purchase price, and can offer upwards of 12% in return for higher density which often means additional revenue to mitigate the lost value of reduced housing. ADUs apply to residents making less than 50%-70% of the regional median income. For ADU renters this means if you make no more than $37,550 for individuals and varies if there is more than 1 resident. For instance for a household of two, it becomes a maximum income of $42,900, for three it becomes $48,300, etc. See the income eligibility table.

WDUs (Workforce Dwelling Unit) – This housing is specific to Tysons Corner as defined by the limits of the Comprehensive Plan approved in 2010. It applies only to developers who will be far outbuilding the 50 unit minimum associated to ADUs, most of which are preparing to build upwards of 1000 total units or more. The requirement is again akin to rent-control, not subsidization in that the developer will reduce their rent price in order to receive density concessions to build taller buildings. All developments within this boundary which mean the minimum criteria must provide 20% of the new units as WDUs, but there are substantial differences between WDUs and ADUs.
Supervisor Herrity notes that a majority of the WDUs go to households making $75,000 to $130,000 per year, which is absolutely true. “That’s not truly people in need and that’s not the role 1of government. I don’t think we are being very smart about affordable housing.” When asked whether most residents understand the affordable housing debate Supervisor Herrity responded “I don’t think people understand where the money is going, or how efficiently it’s being used; and the people who do, aren’t very happy about it. That includes housing advocates.”
It is important to note these differences because too often uninformed residents have the following opinions:

“If you can’t afford to live here, for whatever reason, I should not have to pay through my taxes for you to live as well as or better than me…move elsewhere, where you can afford to live…” - A comment on a Washington Post article which did not discuss the difference in the types of housing.

There is a lot of confusion over the discussion of WDUs even among our leaders. Often Conservative leaders overstate the luxurious accommodations and the amount the public actually assists in market modified housing, but equally detrimental is an inaccurate depiction of the purpose of WDUs by Progressive politicians; for instance when they note WDUs are for teachers and public servants.

As seen above the income ranges assisted by WDUs extend well beyond most public servant salaries (even for two salary households). The provision of WDUs therefore might not be the most efficient way to address a rising cost of housing for non-corporate professionals.

This is how the debate should be properly framed.

Now that you know the differences between each type of market modified housing we can discuss the politics and reasoning of both sides of the argument accurately. In part 2 later this week we will delve into the cost of ADUs and WDUs to the public.

[tysonsengineer]

The next two stories I wrote (part 2 and 3) were specific to Workforce housing in Tysons, and not applicable to the studio units in question.

[Spaten_Drinker]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

Troll post.

I have spoken out against this policy in areas of R-1 zoning but this person is just trolling and frankly lying about the policy.

The term section 8 housing has become a favorite of some in this area. Perhaps they should understand the difference between affordable housing, workforce housing, and subsidized housing. HERES A HINT: EACH OF THOSE ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS WITH COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MECHANISMS AS TO HOW THEY LOWER THE PRICE AND FOR WHOM THEY LOWER THE PRICE OF HOUSING FOR.

Regardless the definition, all of these types of housing are the most expensive in any neighborhood.......to the taxpayers.

[tysonsengineer]

Originally Posted by Spaten_Drinker

Regardless the definition, all of these types of housing are the most expensive in any neighborhood.......to the taxpayers.

Wrong, clearly you didnt read the variant types. Some forms of affordable housing are NON-TAX PAYER provided. In other words no tax revenue is used to fund them, in fact MOST in the county are like this with the exception of the HUD program; again has nothing to do with Fairfax or Virginia.

So you are incorrect in your statement and likely need to read more about the subject before taking such a stance.

Heres a little advice;

Just cause it has words that scare you in the title, doesn't mean it should. And just cause it has happy fun words in the title doesn't mean you should be so happy about it as a tax payer.

Example: Highway improvement should be the scariest words known to the tax payer; half a billion down the drain for a couple minutes of commute improvement; and yet it sounds so happy. ITs an improvement!! woo!

PS I interviewed Supervisor Herrity on this subject matter, and we discussed it at length, you can go ask him yourself. His argument is that by requiring developers to reduce the rent price on work force housing and affordable housing units, we reduce the assessed value of those units and therefore reduce tax revenue taken in. Now how that is actually a negative is not proven considering that only NEW housing is required to do so, and either way the revenue still increases with this new construction; I suppose its a matter of how much more revenue we get, but the difference is fairly minimal.

He himself admits that there is no direct tax payer subsidization of those units. Go to his office and ask him yourself; he's actually a very nice man.

[tysonsengineer]

Originally Posted by Spaten_Drinker

Regardless the definition, all of these types of housing are the most expensive in any neighborhood.......to the taxpayers.

PS this quote brought to you by Policy Illiteracy

Yes, good old fashioned policy illiteracy bringing you demagoguery the way grandpa used to enjoy. Policy illiteracy is also a subsidiary of the anti-obamacare debate, and US energy policy from 1955 to 2008, and by viewers like you.

"I don't know what it is... but I'm against it! It sounds bad! Entitlements! SOCIALIST!"

Yes old fashioned policy illiteracy, for when you are too busy to learn what the words mean.

[jillybean720]

Section 8 is not a "style" of housing. Any type of unit can be designated as a Section 8 rental. Some of the townhouses in Lake Ridge are approved Section 8 rental units.

[Kreutz]

Pay higher taxes for lower property values; vote McAuliffe to make it a certainty.