Housing 2040 Master Plan
Housing 2040 Master Plan
Approved in December 2013 as a chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan, the Housing Master Plan (HMP) established principles, goals, and strategies to address Alexandria's housing needs through 2025. The City is undertaking an update to the HMP to shape the City's housing principles, goals and workplan through 2040.
As part of the Housing 2040 process, we will:
- Learn from our past, our neighbors and partners, and from best practices
- Review and update the HMP’s principles and goals incorporating our commitments to equity and sustainability
- Establish housing priorities to set affordability targets and guide City investments and policy decisions
- Identify and evaluate housing strategies and tools
- Strengthen existing and explore new partnerships to leverage City resources
- Outline a workplan for City’s housing programs, initiatives and priorities through 2040
We invite you to learn more about the Housing 2040 process below.
The Quantitative Housing Needs Analysis is the first step in the Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) for the Housing 2040 process. This Analysis examines key city demographic, employment, and market trends relevant to housing, along with indicators of housing vulnerability. To learn more, download the HNA
Housing 2040 Engagement Opportunities
Engagement Opportunities
Share your thoughts via our Housing 2040 Comment Form
To receive updates on events, sign up for eNews (select "Affordable Housing")
Download the Housing 2040 Flyer
Also, please follow us on X @HousingAlexVA and Facebook at HousingAlexandriaVA (tag us using #AlexHousing2040).
Pop Up Listening Sessions
Stay tuned for new pop-up listening sessions across the city and check back for event confirmations in case there are unexpected changes!
- NEW! Coming soon to The West End Farmers Market; The Del Ray Farmers Market; The Mark Center; and Beatley Library.
- NEW!: ALIVE Food Distribution Sites (Chick Armstrong Recreation Center and William Ramsey Recreation Center): October 26. The Housing 2040 team will be on site 8:30-10:30 a.m.
- NEW! Central Pop Up with Community Health Assessment Team (Patrick Henry Recreation Center): October 23. The Housing 2040 team will be on site 5-7 p.m.
- NEW! Lynhaven Pop Up with Community Health Assessment Team (Chick Armstrong Recreation Center): October 17. The Housing 2040 team will be on site 5-6:30 p.m.
- NEW! Senior Services of Alexandria Monthly Speaker Series (Westminster Presbyterian Church): October 16. The Housing 2040 team will be at the event 9:30-11:30 a.m.
- NEW! West End Pop Up with Community Health Assessment Team (William Ramsey Recreation Center): October 15. The Housing 2040 team will be on site 5-6:30 p.m.
- NEW! Hispanic Heritage Festival (Beatley Library, 5055 Duke Street): October 12. The Housing 2040 team will be at the festival 1-3 p.m.
- NEW! Braddock Pop Up with Community Health Assessment Team (Charles Houston Recreation Center): October 10. The Housing 2040 team will be on site 4:30-6 p.m.
- Fall Festival (5067 Seminary Road): October 5.
- Community Health Assessment Kick Off: October 1.
Kick-Off Meeting 2
- In-Person Meeting: September 25, 7-9 p.m. Open house: 6-7 p.m.
Where? This meeting was held in-person at the Charles Houston Recreation Center Gym. NEW! View the meeting presentation and recording. Let us know how we did by completing our meeting evaluation.
Why? Shape the Housing 2040 principles, goals, and topics.
Details? A light dinner was served, and interpretation was provided in Spanish, Amharic, Arabic, Dari, and Pashto. Please share our Housing 2040 Kick-Off Meeting Flyer!
Kick-Off Meeting 1
- Virtual Meeting: September 18, 7-9 p.m.
Where? This meeting was held virtually. NEW! View the meeting presentation and recordings in English | Spanish | Amharic | Arabic | Dari | Pashto. Let us know how we did by completing our meeting evaluation!
Why? Learn about the ongoing Housing Needs Assessment and the Housing 2040 timeline, purpose and engagement process. A Q&A followed the presentation.
Details? Interpretation was provided in Spanish, Amharic, Arabic, Dari, and Pashto. Please share our Housing 2040 Kick-Off Meeting Flyer!
For More Information
Please contact Tamara Jovovic, Housing Program Manager, 703.746.3097/tamara.jovovic@alexandriava.gov, with any questions.
2013 Housing Master Plan
On December 14, 2013 the Alexandria City Council unanimously approved the City’s first Housing Master Plan (HMP). The result of a multi-year public planning process, the HMP guides preservation and enhancement of affordable housing opportunities and community diversity through 2025 by:
- Facilitating a variety of housing options for households of all incomes.
- Expanding housing choice for people of all ages and abilities.
- Partnering with nonprofits, ARHA, and private developers to leverage City resources.
- Prioritizing the creation and preservation of affordable housing in transit-oriented, amenity-rich areas and in large-scale (re)developments, in particular when existing market affordable housing is being impacted.
- Promoting the integration of affordable housing to foster successful and vibrant mixed-income communities.
Recognizing the critical role affordable housing plays in the City's economic sustainability
Read the HMP At a Glance.
HMP Goal, Activities, and Progress
The HMP established a goal of creating "new affordability" in 2,000 units through 2025. New affordability is gained through the construction of new committed affordable housing and the preservation and improvement of existing housing resources to enhance affordability, accessibility, safety, health, and energy efficiency. The following activities are counted towards the HMP goal:
- construction of new committed affordable rental and homeownership units, including committed affordable units resulting from the conversion of obsolete commercial buildings into housing
- preservation of existing committed affordable units
- conversion of existing market-rate housing into committed affordable housing
- improvements to existing low- to moderate-income homeownership units through the Home Rehabilitation Loan Program and Rebuilding Together DC-Alexandria projects
- improvements to existing low-income rental units through the Rental Accessibility Modification Program
- support to first-time homebuyers in the form of downpayment and closing-cost assistance
NEW! Progress towards the HMP goal is tracked through the:
- Housing Key Indicator Dashboard;
- Housing Opportunities Indicator Dashboard; and
- HMP Quarterly Progress Report (updated June 2024).
To learn about City housing programs and recent projects, visit our Affordable Housing and Publications pages.
HMP Implementation Tools
A number of implementation tools are identified for further study and consideration in the HMP. Since 2014, the City Council has approved the following tools:
- an amendment to grandfather parking requirements for affordable housing projects that undergo a substantial renovation;
- an increase in the level of predevelopment funding provided to facilitate affordable housing through secured, repayable loans;
- a reduction in parking requirements for new affordable housing projects;
- an increase from 20% to 30% in bonus density for affordable housing;
- an amendment to create the Residential Multifamily Zone (RMF) to promote the creation and preservation of deeply affordable housing;
- an update to the Housing Contributions Policy to address cases pursuing additional density, senior housing projects, and commercial to residential building conversions;
- an amendment to permit Accessory Dwelling Units; and
- an amendment to permit Co-Living Units.
HMP Planning Process
The HMP planning process was designed to ensure participation by stakeholders through: a series of 15 public meetings; a bus tour of the City's existing affordable housing stock; and an allocation exercise which gave stakeholders the opportunity to consider future housing needs and locations.
The HMP Advisory Group was composed of the City's Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) plus an additional five appointees, including both public sector and private sector representatives. This group was charged with providing feedback on data presented and developed goals and objectives to guide the creation of the implementation plan.
On November 30, 2012, the City of Alexandria released its draft Housing Master Plan and the draft Housing Master Plan At a Glance for public review and comment. Two town hall meetings were held to receive questions and comments on the Plan. The first meeting was held on January 24, 2013 at Samuel Tucker Elementary School. A second Town Hall meeting was held on February 11, 2013 at Jefferson-Houston Elementary School. Following a 90-day comment period, the Planning commission and City Council held work sessions on the draft plan. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on the Revised Draft Housing Master Plan on December 3, 2013.
Regional Housing Initiative
In March 2020, City Council endorsed Resolution R27-2019, a Regional Housing Initiative unanimously adopted by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Board to establish housing production targets to address the region’s growing housing needs. The resolution includes aspirational targets allocated across its member jurisdictions, including the City of Alexandria. The City's allocation is equivalent to 3,000 units (above the City's development projections) by 2030, with a goal that 75% of these new units, or 2,250, be affordable to low- and moderate-income households. Progress towards this target is reported on the Housing Key Indicator Dashboard.