Fairfax County and Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing break ground on senior apartment community in Lee District – Fairfaxtimes.com
Fairfax County leaders joined the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) and a host of project partners to celebrate the start of construction on the Oakwood Senior Residences in Lee District.
APAH was selected to be the developer of the project, which will be constructed on a 6.2-acre site owned by the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA), at the intersection of Oakwood Road and South Van Dorn Street. The development will include 150 affordable independent living apartments serving seniors ages 62 and above with household income at or below 60 percent of the area median income. Oakwood Senior Residences represents APAH’s first project in Fairfax County as the nonprofit developer expands beyond Arlington.
In addition to being a significant step forward for affordable senior housing, leaders lauded the innovation of the project in terms of land use.
This project is the first where the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors transferred ownership of its property to the Redevelopment and Housing Authority for the development of affordable housing,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay. “It’s a trailblazing achievement that is already being modeled as we investigate the potential for other county sites to incorporate affordably priced housing for our most vulnerable residents – including individuals with disabilities, seniors, and extremely low-income households.
The location for the community is currently in use as a stormwater retention pond. The design includes the installation of an underground stormwater retention facility with the senior residences above it.
According to the county’s Communitywide Housing Strategic Plan, seniors present the second greatest need for affordably priced homes – behind small family households and individuals. Nearly one-third of the residents of Lee District are older adults, many of whom are renters. According to Fairfax County’s demographic data, 52 percent of older adults who rent are cost-burdened by excessive rent compounded by limited income. More than half of that number pay more than 50 percent of their income on rent.
“This Oakwood community will bring a wealth of benefits to our senior population in Lee District,” said Supervisor Rodney Lusk. “Not only will the rent be affordable for our low-income seniors, but its location in the community and the co-located programs, services, and activities will open doors of opportunity that would have otherwise remained unrealized.”
The Oakwood Senior Residences is the latest in an increasing number of public-private developments designed to bring long-term affordable housing opportunities to communities throughout the county. From the award-winning Fallstead senior living community (McLean) to the Residences at North Hill (Alexandria), Fairfax County’s affordable housing portfolio is beginning to see more projects in development on public lands representing well over $100 million in real estate investment for affordable housing.
“We are very proud of the partnerships we have cultivated with developers like APAH – and particularly with the relationship we have enjoyed with the Board of Supervisors – to find new and creative ways to bring affordable housing to Fairfax County,” remarked Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority Chairman Melissa McKenna. “When we can come to the table with a commitment to provide public land for projects like this, it goes a long way towards reducing a developer’s overall project costs in order to take communities like Oakwood from concept to reality.”
In addition to the contribution of public land, Fairfax County and the FCRHA also invested $5.25 million in local housing blueprint funding, nearly $12.6 million in revenue bond financing, and awarded eight project-based vouchers for the project. Additional financing for the project includes both four and nine percent low-income housing tax credits awarded by Virginia Housing, funding through the Virginia Housing Trust Fund administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, and $30 million in equity investments from Bank of America.
Oakwood is the first project in development through a public-private partnership with APAH in Fairfax County. The property will include a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments with a variety of residential amenities, resources, and programs to serve the five fundamental pillars of APAH’s resident services program:
• Housing and Family Stability
• Health and Wellness
• Education
• Workforce Solutions
• Community Solutions
“We are very excited that Oakwood will give us the opportunity to bring the APAH experience to Fairfax County,” said APAH President and CEO Carmen Romero. “In both design and function, we envision a community that will complement the surrounding neighborhood and provide fulfilling experiences, engaging opportunities and supportive programs for all of our residents.”
The community is currently projected for completion and occupancy by fall 2023. For more information about leasing at Oakwood Senior as the project nears completion, please visit www.APAH.org.
