Comments sought on affordable housing

Fairfax County is seeking public feedback on a proposed amendment to the Comprehensive Plan aimed at preserving affordable housing.

The proposed policy would call for redevelopment projects to include one-for-one replacement of existing affordable units.

Under the policy, developers would be allowed higher density or other incentives to encourage them to preserve affordable housing.

The policy would preserve two types of housing:

• Market affordable properties without any income restrictions that are affordable for households with incomes up to 60 percent of the area median income (AMI), and
• Committed affordable properties that have income restrictions and rents affordable for households with incomes at or below 80 percent of AMI.

The public is invited to submit comments online on the proposed policy by Oct. 28.

Three virtual information sessions have also been scheduled: Sept. 27 at 12 p.m., Oct. 6 at 7 p.m., and Oct. 12 at 9 a.m. Visit the affordable housing policy webpage for information on accessing these meetings.

The development of the policy is based on recommendations submitted by the Affordable Housing Preservation Task Force. The Board of Supervisors endorsed the task force’s recommendations in April 2021.