Renter Resources

The Office of Housing provides a range of services to renters in collaboration with the Department of Community and Human Services, the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority, and local and regional partners.
Page updated on September 15, 2023 at 1:45 PM

Housing Crisis Services

If you are experiencing a housing crisis or facing homelessness, please contact the Department of Community and Human Services, call 703.746.5700, or text 703.346.5599. If you are experiencing landlord-tenant issues, please contact the Office of Housing at 703.746.4990.

Eviction Prevention

For eviction prevention programs and services provided by the City and its partners, please visit the Eviction Prevention Resources page.

Stay Informed!

To receive email alerts when affordable rental units, workshops and other resources become available, please sign up for the City’s eNews notices (select "Affordable Housing") or contact the Office of Housing at 703.746.4990.

Affordable Rental Options

Current Availability

General Resources

  • Learn about the Affordable and Moderately-Priced Rental Housing Options in the City in English , Spanish , Amharic , and Arabic (updated August 2022).
  • To be added to the vacancy notification listserve of Housing Alexandria (former AHDC), one of several affordable housing providers in the City, please complete this form. 
  • To search for affordable and accessible rental housing across the State of Virginia, visit Virginia Housing.

Southern Towers Committed Affordable Unit Program

The City has a partnership with Southern Towers Apartments to provide prospective residents with committed affordable units at the property. The affordable apartment homes include efficiencies and one-bedroom units. The 2023 rents are as follows with all utilities included:

  • Efficiency Unit: $1,451/month
  • One-Bedroom Unit: $1,696/month

Please note that two months verification of your income must be provided with the application, and that your monthly household gross income must be, at a minimum, twice the rent. Once an application is approved by the Office of Housing, it will be provided to the Southern Towers Apartments Leasing Office for rental background checks and final approval. To apply for a committed affordable unit at Southern Towers, please click on one of the links below to access an application. If you have questions about the program or would like an application mailed to you, please contact Virginia Patton at 703.746.3083.

Report Apartment Maintenance Request

To report a maintenance request in your rental unit, please first contact your landlord or property manager. If the repairs are not completed in a timely manner, you may contact the Office of Housing via text at 703.405.7100 or Alex311 at 311 or 703.746.4311. To learn more, download our information sheets in English , Spanish , Amharic , and Arabic .

For other tenant complaints including suspected discrimination, failure of landlords or property managers to provide services or amenities listed in the lease, and mold and mildew, please contact the Office of Housing/703.746.4990.

Trainings and Workshops

  • In partnership with Legal Services of Northern Virginia, the Office of Housing hosted a Tenant Rights Seminar in Spanish, with English interpretation, on June 24 at Casa Chirilagua in Arlandria.
  • The City of Alexandria hosted four tenant Workshops  [Spanish ] in Fall 2022 on tenant rights, responsibilities, and resources as they relate to leasing, maintenance, landlord-tenant law, and evictions. The workshops were conducted by Legal Services of Northern Virginia and Legal Aid Justice Center and were supported by the Office of Housing, Code Administration, the Department of Community and Human Services, and the Health Department. Amharic and Spanish interpretation, refreshments, and childcare were provided. 

 

Housing Choice (Section 8) Vouchers

The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority manages the City’s Housing Choice Voucher Program. For information, please contact Janell Diaz at 703.549.7115, ext 173. 

Discounted Memory Care Unit Waitlist

As a condition of its development and rezoning approvals, Silverado provides two discounted beds at its 66-bed memory care community in Alexandria. The cost of care, room and board for the two beds are discounted by 40 percent for residents that meet eligibility requirements. The Office of Housing maintains a waitlist for the beds. 

Eligibility Criteria

  1. Applicants must demonstrate to Silverado that they meet the standards of the Commonwealth of Virginia for being in assisted living, as well as the facility’s criteria for entry. 
  2. Applicants must agree to comply with all prerequisites for occupancy. 
  3. Applicants must demonstrate need to the City; that they have been an Alexandria resident for at least one year prior to applying or have a family member who is closely involved, including a domestic partner, who has been an Alexandria resident for one year; and that have at least two years of available financial resources to pay all costs associated with the care at the facility at the discounted rate (this may include family support).

Application Steps

  1. First visit Silverado Alexandria. To schedule a tour, please contact 703.215.9110.
  2. Obtain a letter from Silverado Alexandria certifying that they meet the state’s and Silverado’s criteria for entry. 
  3. Submit a completed application to the City of Alexandria, Office of Housing, to apply for the waitlist. To obtain an application, click here or contact Eric Keeler/703.746.3085.

Complaint Mediation

The Office of Housing provides housing-related mediation between landlords and tenants by mutual agreement. To learn more, contact Gwen Lassiter at 703.746.3086. For assistance in Spanish, contact Virginia Patton at 703.746.3083.

Rental Accessibility Modification Programs

Alexandria Rental Accessibility Modification Program

The Office of Housing can provide accessibility modifications (such as walk-in bathtubs, roll-in showers, handicap ramps, etc.) to disabled income-qualified renters. This program provides technical assistance and grants up to $50,000 to assist low- and moderate-income renters (meeting the Tier 1 HUD Income Limits) with physical disabilities to complete accessibility modifications to their primary residences. The program also provides "mini-grants" of up to $1,500 to assist renters needing limited modifications. Landlords are encouraged to make funded accessibility modifications permanent. To learn more, download the programBrochure (English) , Brochure (Spanish) , Flyer (English) , Flyer (Spanish) , Flyer (Amharic) , Flyer (Arabic)

To apply, please submit a completed application in English or Spanish  to Kim Cadena at 703.746.3104. For other languages, please contact Kim Cadena.

Virginia Housing Rental Unit Accessibility Modification Program

City residents may also be eligible for the Virginia Housing Rental Unit Accessibility Modification Grant Program. The Office of Housing is a designated Community Agent for Virginia Housing and can assist City renters in completing and submitting the required application. For more information, contact Kim Cadena at 703.746.3104.

Senior Rent Relief Program

The Department of Community and Human Services through the Senior Rent Relief Program offers limited grants to low-income renters who are 65 or older and/or permanently disabled and who are struggling to pay their rent. 

Area Relocation Counseling

The Office of Housing offers information, coordination and other relocation assistance to residents who are impacted by potential redevelopment or renovations of existing apartment buildings. To learn more, contact Virginia Patton at 703.746.3083.

Mold Remediation Requirements

To learn about disclosure requirements and tenant and landlord responsibilities, download the 2020 Guide on Mold in Rental Properties . 

Fair Housing Testing

To identify problems and promote compliance with fair housing laws, the Office of Housing conducts fair housing testing to determine the presence of discrimination in the rental and sales housing markets and in mortgage lending. To learn more, read our 2022 Fair Housing Testing Report, or contact Melodie Seau/703.746.4990 with questions.

State Rental Assistance Program

The State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP) provides eligible individuals with developmental disabilities rental assistance so that they can live independently. The program is funded by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and administered in the City of Alexandria by the Office of Housing. Services and supports are provided through sources separate from housing, including Medicaid Waiver-funded home and community based services, natural supports, privately paid supports, and other community resources. For more information, visit the SRAP website.