The Housing for the 21st Century Act passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support (390-9) and now moves to the Senate for consideration. This comprehensive housing package addresses America’s critical shortage of approximately 5 million homes and aims to make homeownership more accessible as first-time buyers now enter the market at a median age of 40. The legislation …
Voices were raised and hands were gestured at the Vienna Town Council’s unprecedented July 15th public hearing on a proposed/already approved mixed-use development at 380 Maple Avenue. The topic of the night’s heated discussion was a proposal put forward by Councilmember Pasha Majdi on July 1st to rescind the Vienna Town Council’s June 17th approval of a mixed-use development consisting …
Fairfax County voters went to the polls yesterday for the Democratic Primary, choosing longtime Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay for Board of Supervisor’s Chairman, and progressive newcomer Steve Descano for Commonwealth’s Attorney. Board of Supervisor’s Chairman A respected official with 11 years of experience, McKay was always considered the front-runner for the Chairman spot, the highest position in Virginia’s largest …
May 13th’s Vienna Town Council meeting produced no major breakthroughs in the debate over the fate of 380 Maple Avenue, as the Council moved to defer action and to continue public hearing at its next meeting, June 3rd. The move is just the latest delay for the proposal, as residents and developers have been unable to find an acceptable compromise …
By: Neil Gallagher At its inception, it may seem like a reasonable perhaps even a good idea. Let’s take a plot of land owned by Fairfax County Housing authority, lease it to a developer who in turn will build some affordable low income housing as part of a larger project. What could be wrong with this? Who would oppose increasing …
The last year and a half have seen some dramatic moments in local politics. In the fall of 2017, Reston residents incensed over proposed zoning changes packed two Q&A sessions with elected officials to voice their opposition. Greater Greater Washington, which favors the zoning changes, reported that some residents booed and shouted down speakers, including supervisor Cathy Hudgins who, “concluded …
Lori Aratani at The Washington Post reports that workers have found cracks in the concrete support pedestals at the Dulles Airport station. As Aratani writes, “The pedestals, which sit atop 20 concrete columns, are critical because they serve a dual purpose: They help anchor the glass walls on the station’s first level, as well as the glass windscreens that will …
Opponents of a proposed zoning change that would have opened the door for further development in Reston, celebrated victory earlier this month after local officials deferred decision on the zoning change indefinitely. The fight revolved around Reston’s unique density guidelines, which limit its number of residents per acre, rather than the more commonly used limits on dwellings per acre. The …
