On Monday, July 1, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ (COG) partners came together to celebrate the announcement of a shared multimillion-dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This grant is aimed at collaborative efforts of DC area jurisdictions to identify and implement new approaches and approaches to enhance the production and preservation of affordable housing across the region.
The more than $3.5 million provided through the HUD Pathways to the Removal of Obstacles (PRO) grant offers funding to communities that have been actively taking steps and demonstrating progress in addressing local housing barriers.
“This is a first of its kind grant funding to further develop, evaluate, and implement housing policy plans, improving housing strategies, and facilitate affordable housing production and preservation,” HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Marion McFadden said. “This funding will allow (jurisdictions) like Alexandria to build on the work the Council has already done to advance housing supply through land-use reform, development financing, assistance to low-income homebuyers, and tax incentives for transit-oriented development” among other tools.
Under COG’s leadership, the City of Alexandria, along with Virginia partners Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties, as well as Maryland jurisdictions Montgomery and Prince Georges County and the City of Gaithersburg, and the District of Columbia, will share the funding for their continued work to study and implement recommendations of the recently completed Regional Fair Housing Plan, and to meet regional housing targets set in 2019, which were unanimously adopted by the COG board, by improving and expanding local housing policies and regulations.
“Every policy issue we take on as a region, whether it’s transportation, public safety, education, wealth attainment- everything we do as a community, comes from housing,” City of Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson said. “And that’s why getting housing policy right is going to help us be successful in so many other different ways.”
The event, held at the Spire Apartments in Alexandria, an Affordable Homes & Communities development funded with low-income housing tax credits, Alexandria City housing loans, and federally sourced HOME funds, featured a check presentation and tours of the property.
View the highlights of the event.
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ALEXANDRIA AT 275: CONNECTING TO OUR PAST TO DEFINE A BRIGHTER FUTURE.
Since its 1749 founding, the historic city of Alexandria has played a major role in our nation’s story and reflected its progress toward inclusivity. Join us at events from April through September as we mark Alexandria's 275th anniversary and embark on the next chapter in our City’s vibrant history at alexandriava.gov/ALX275.