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VHC News Clips, volume 2011-36 (December 23, 2011)
Changing Face of Arlandria: Six-to-one vote approves redevelopment despite opposition.
The Alexandria Gazette Packet, December 22, 2011
(RECAP: Ignoring hours of testimony against a proposed redevelopment in Arlandria and casting aside repeated threats of retribution at the polls this November, a majority of City Council members voted to approve a sweeping new plan for Mount Vernon Village Center that would replace a 1940s-era strip mall with two six-story towers. Councilwoman Alicia Hughes offered the lone dissenting vote, suggesting that a work group be impaneled similar to the one created when council members faced a firestorm of opposition on the waterfront plan.)
Demand for Rentals Drives Big Rise in Home Building
The Wall Street Journal, December 21, 2011
(RECAP: Residential construction surged in November, sparking cautious hope that the U.S. housing market is gaining traction. Housing starts hit a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 685,000 units, the highest level in 19 months, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. Starts in November were up 9.3% from October and 24.3% ahead of the November 2010 figure. While those gains are sizable, starts remain well below the one million to 1.5 million annual pace needed for a healthy market.)Housing Inventory Tightens as Homes Sell More Rapidly
Fairfax News, December 20, 2011
(RECAP: The real estate market in Northern Virginia continued to experience many positive trends in November compared to the same month last year, according to The Long & Foster Market Minute reports. In the Northern Virginia counties surrounding Washington, D.C., including the city of Alexandria and Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties, median sale price has increased in some areas, inventories have decreased, and houses throughout the region are selling in less than two months, on average.)US regulator considers mortgage debt reduction for bankrupt: Report
Reuters, December 20, 2011
(RECAP: The regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is actively considering a proposal that would allow for a reduction in the outstanding mortgage debt of homeowners in Chapter 13 bankruptcy, Financial Times reported on Tuesday.)Habitat dedicates home for the holidays
The Star-Tribune, December 20, 2011
(RECAP: Danville Pittsylvania County Habitat for Humanity dedicated a new home Saturday for Sheniqua Witcher and her family on Lee Street in Danville. The Witcher home is the 35th home completed in Danville and Pittsylvania County. Witcher and her family worked side by side with hundreds of volunteers to help complete their three bedroom home.)Opinion: Arlandria redevelopment represents progress
The Alexandria Times, December 20, 2011
(RECAP: Arlandria represents a culturally diverse community consisting of small businesses supported by subsidized, low- and middle-income housing that plays a key role in the economic viability of its surrounding communities and of the city itself.)The Gift of Giving: FACETS' Hosts Holiday Sibling Shops for local children.
The Vienna Connection, December 20, 2011
(RECAP: FACETS (Fairfax Area Christian Emergency & Transitional Services), helped make the season brighter for more than 200 local children who are homeless or live in transitional housing by hosting "shopping" parties that let children pick out presents for their brothers and sisters.)
Redevelopment partnership will hinge on "radical approach": Public housing's odd couple
c-ville: Charlottesville News & Arts, December 20, 2011
(RECAP: In March, a team from the City of Charlottesville and the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority (CRHA) began to look for the most effective way to overhaul the city's public housing stock. The group, made up of housing and grant specialists for the city and the director of redevelopment for the Housing Authority, found that a partnership between private and public entities was the best way to make the redevelopment of the 376 units, as highlighted in the existing master plan, become a reality.)Despite protests from residents, city council approves Arlandria-Chirilagua redevelopment
The Alexandria Times, December 18, 2011
(RECAP: The Alexandria City Council voted 6-to-1 Saturday to approve two apartment and retail buildings in Arlandria despite protests from residents of the mostly immigrant, low-income community. The six-story, 600,000-square-foot structures will replace Mt. Vernon Village Center, a low-lying 1950s-era strip mall on the 3800 block of Mount Vernon Avenue. With space for shops and restaurants on the ground level, Arlandria Center will contain 478 apartments — 28 of which are considered “lower-income affordable housing,” according to a statement from City Hall.)The nation's Housing: A market in real estate fraud
Richmond Times Dispatch, December 17, 2011
(RECAP: Could today's seductive conditions in the housing market be breeding new generations of the very practices that led to the crash? In an ironic twist, there are signs that the wreckage left over from the housing bust may be reigniting dubious real estate schemes and fraud.)Opinion: Vote no on pricing out immigrants in Arlandria-Chirilagua
The Alexandria Times, December 17, 2011
(RECAP: Arlandria is one of the last neighborhoods in Alexandria comprised of low-income immigrants. The problem is not redevelopment, but rather this particular plan. This redevelopment plan is wrong for Arlandria, and it should be rejected by the city council.)Far East on Route 1? Garden center proposes relocation to North Hill, potentially adding Japanese flair.
Mount Vernon Gazette, December 15, 2011
(RECAP: The long-delayed North Hill development may have taken a dramatic new turn in recent weeks, with garden retailer Holly, Woods and Vines potentially entering the fray offering a plan that would create a new park at no cost to the county. Last month, owner John Johnston presented a plan to a committee of the Mount Vernon Council of Citizens Associations that would move his plant nursery to the site and create a new Japanese-style visitor garden.)
The Arlandria Dilemma: Will improving the neighborhood push out poor and Latino residents and businesses?
The Alexandria Gazette Packet, December 15, 2011
(RECAP: This weekend, members of the Alexandria City Council will be presented with a dilemma that could radically transform Arlandria — a working-class neighborhood of poor and Latino residents straddling Alexandria and Arlington. Supporters of the proposal say redeveloping the blighted strip mall will transform the neighborhood and create new vitality. Opponents say the proposal would gentrify the neighborhood and displace the existing community.)
Homelessness, affordable housing: It's tough out there
Culpeper Star Exponent, December 16, 2011
(RECAP: The recent closure of Sheltering Arms in the town of Orange sparked a regional conversation among allied professionals in Culpeper Thursday about the bleak outlook for homelessness services and the critical need for area collaborations.)Gentrification fears fuel debate in Arlandria
The Alexandria Times, December 15, 2011
(RECAP: City planners and developers have long viewed Arlandria as a neighborhood in need of a facelift, but as two massive, six-story buildings move closer to reality, local residents worry gentrification is on the horizon.)Census shows 1 in 2 people are poor or low-income
ABC 13, WSET-TV, December 15, 2011
(RECAP: Squeezed by rising living costs, a record number of Americans - nearly 1 in 2 - have fallen into poverty or are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low income. The latest census data depict a middle class that's shrinking as unemployment stays high and the government's safety net frays. The new numbers follow years of stagnating wages for the middle class that have hurt millions of workers and families.)He'll be home for Christmas
The Virginia Gazette, December 14, 2011
(RECAP: Eight months after a devastating tornado ripped the roof off his mobile home, the victim is getting a replacement. Crews on Tuesday dropped off a new trailer for James Banks, whose family underwent a terrifying ordeal the April night when an F3 twister roared through Grove.)JCC Supes Approve Candle Factory Development
Williamsburg Yorktown Daily , December 14, 2011
(RECAP: The James City County Board of Supervisors approved the long-deferred Candle Factory development 3-2 Tuesday after the applicant sweetened the deal by offering to phase construction of the residential and assisted living components.)Funding still available for Holly Acres flood victims
Inside NoVA, December 14, 2011
(RECAP: There is still money available for flood victims, according to Action in Community Through Service Executive Director Frances Harris. During her presentation to the Prince William Board of County Supervisors Tuesday, Harris stated there is an estimated $38,724 – or half a month's rent – available for the 76 people who registered for financial assistance from Tropical Storm Lee.)City panel recommends approval of critical slopes revision
Charlottesville Tomorrow, December 14, 2011
(RECAP: The Charlottesville Planning Commission voted 5-2 Tuesday to recommend approval of a revision to the city's critical slopes ordinance. The commission has been reviewing the critical-slopes ordinance for nearly two years. The goal has been to make the process for getting a waiver more understandable to the public, city staff and commission.)Not Enough Help for Hanover's Homeless?
Style Weekly, December 13, 2011
(RECAP: Is it better to be homeless in the city than almost homeless in the county? Lucinda Jones founded Ashland Supportive Housing in January 2010 to provide emergency housing assistance for Hanover residents on the verge of homelessness. Many clients are families working low-income jobs who live in cramped motel rooms as a last resort.)Supervisors Allocate County Funds To GSA Shelter Purchase
Leesburg Today, December 13, 2011
(RECAP: The Board of Supervisors, as part of the final business meeting of its term, voted to allocate up to $500,000 from the county's Housing Trust Fund to the Good Shepherd Alliance, as well as advancing proposals to change to the funding of affordable housing projects.)Gentrifying Arlandria: Mount Vernon Village Center sparks fears of displacement.
Mount Vernon Connection, December 12, 2011
(RECAP: For years city planners have been hoping to redevelop Arlandria, a working-class neighborhood of immigrants bordering Arlington. Now the Planning Commission has unanimously approved a plan to demolish a 1940s-era strip mall and replace it with a massive new mixed-use development. Meanwhile, a coalition of neighbors and activists has joined forces to oppose the project as gentrification that will displace the poor and Latino community.)
County Supervisors Honor Volunteers
Fairfax News, December 7, 2011
(RECAP: The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has recognized Gerald W. (Jerry) Hopkins and Marlene Blum for their years of volunteer service to the community.)Owner hopes to redevelop old Dunsmore Business College building in Staunton
Newsleader.com, December 6, 2011
(RECAP: The owner of the old Dunsmore Business School building on West Beverley Street said he still hopes to redevelop the 7,000-square-foot historic structure. In the meantime, Stu Armstrong of Staunton Development Solutions LLC hired a contractor early this year to stabilize the dilapidated building.)Occupy Protesters Take Over Foreclosed Homes: Protests Break Out In More Than 2-Dozen Cities
WCYB News 5, December 6, 2011
(RECAP: In more than two-dozen cities across the nation Tuesday, an offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement took on the housing crisis by re-occupying foreclosed homes, disrupting bank auctions and blocking evictions.)Prince William supervisors vote to appeal decision on rebuilding Holly Acres
InsideNOVA.com, December 6, 2011
(RECAP: The Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to appeal the Board of Zoning Appeals' decision to allow reconstruction of the flood-ravaged Holly Acres mobile home park.)Pivot away from yesterday's sprawl patterns
The Richmond Times-Dispatch, December 4, 2011
(RECAP: Research shows that for every dollar the average American family has to spend, 52 cents is taken up right away for housing and transportation. This means that everything else gets squeezed, sometimes dangerously. So what's a promising cure? It's clearly helping workers and families gain easier, more affordable access to jobs and schools. And this does dictate that communities pivot away from sprawl patterns, embracing instead smart development strategies such as housing closer to work centers, homes closer to schools, and transit services to help households spend less on automobile travel.)'Save the Dream' saves homes
The Richmond Times-Dispatch, December 4, 2011
(RECAP: When they walked into the Richmond Convention Center on Saturday morning, Keith and Desiree Bradby, homeowners for two decades, were on the verge of losing their Varina home to foreclosure. They walked out a few hours later with a revamped mortgage, including a lower interest rate and payments reduced by $300 per month, and a head start on holiday spirit. Their home had been saved.)Comprehensive plans seek to address area housing goals
Charlottesville Tomorrow, December 4, 2011
(RECAP: As Charlottesville and Albemarle County prepare to update their comprehensive plans, the conversation turned last week to how both communities will meet future housing demands.)Hard times drive many people to live out of cars
The Virginian-Pilot, December 4, 2011
(RECAP: Homeless service providers in the [Virginia Beach] area say a growing number of people teetering on the brink of poverty now live in their cars. Some are turned away by shelters experiencing high demand. Jimmy Barnes, a spokesman with the Virginia Beach Police Department, said it's illegal to sleep in a car in public in the city. He said police have charged 11 people with the misdemeanor offense since January; 17 the previous year.)Regional planners continue outreach series
Charlottesville Tomorrow, December 2, 2011
(RECAP: Planners from Charlottesville, Albemarle County and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District welcomed comments from the public during a workshop Thursday on the city and county's goals for housing and economic development.)Event aimed at helping struggling homeowners
The Richmond Times-Dispatch, December 2, 2011
(RECAP: People needing mortgage loan modifications so they can stay in their houses may be able to get help at a five-day event starting today at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. The "Save the Dream Tour" is aimed at people struggling to pay their mortgages, those who may be behind on their payments or even homeowners facing foreclosure, according to Neighborhood Assistance Corp. of America, or NACA, the event sponsor.)More people need help: Part one of two
By SWVA Today , December 1, 2011
(RECAP: The economic downturn and an increase in the number of people seeking services have created ongoing challenges at Floyd County's Department of Social Services. The Department, which has no additional staff to meet the demand, has also been dealing with budget cuts from the state.)BBB Warns Homeowners: Changes to Mortgage Rules Bring Out Scams
Better Business Bureau, December 1, 2011
(RECAP: Starting today, some homeowners who are “under water” with their mortgages can refinance under the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), but the Better Business Bureau is warning consumers that banks and mortgage companies aren't the only ones gearing up for the rush of applications.)Reston Interfaith Honors Community Partners
Reston Connection, November 30, 2011
(RECAP: Reston Interfaith held an annual meeting on Nov. 16 in the recently built-out Community Conference and Training Room, which was developed in partnership with Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services. Reston Interfaith celebrated and highlighted connections to the community and partners. The quality, innovative services are what made the difference for more than 20,000 men, women and children served last year. The Community Room was created to foster partnerships and is available to other nonprofits to hold meetings. This is made possible through dedicated staff, partners, donors, and the over 2,500 volunteers who give more than 25,000 hours of service each year.)
Contracts to buy homes hit highest level in a year
The Richmond Times-Dispatch, November 30, 2011
(RECAP: The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes jumped in October to the highest level in a year. But the gain follows three months of declines and isn't enough to signal a housing recovery. The National Association of Realtors said today its index of sales agreements rose 10.4 percent last month to a reading of 93.3. A reading of 100 is considered healthy. The last time it was that high was in April 2010, one month before a federal home-buying tax credit expired.)Watchdog: Fannie, Freddie abuses went unchecked
The Virginian Pilot, November 30, 2011
(RECAP: A government watchdog said Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac improperly foreclosed on homeowners and cost the government billions of dollars by not holding major banks to strict underwriting requirements. The report released Tuesday also said the Federal Housing Finance Agency gave "undue deference" to Fannie and Freddie officials and didn't scrutinize more than $35 million in bonuses and compensation to Fannie and Freddie executives.)Danville manufactured homes industry hit hard
WSLS 10, November 29, 2011
(RECAP: In the past few years the housing market has seen rough times, and the manufactured housing sector is no exception. While these homes enjoy a vibrant market in the Dan River Region, it has seen significant decline in the past few years.)Merrimac Trail eyed for trouble: Apartments have more children
The Virginia Gazette, November 28, 2011
(RECAP: Is Merrimac Trail a neighborhood at risk? The one-mile stretch between Second Street and Capitol Landing Road contains 692 apartments at Colonial Pines, Colonial Towne, Parkway Apartments and the Village of Woodshire. More than half of the 80 new city students in WJC Schools this year live along Merrimac Trail. There are suspicions of multiple families living together, but nothing provable.)
Orange homeless shelter closes doors
The Daily Progress, November 19, 2011
(RECAP: Sheltering Arms homeless shelter now sits dark and empty after closing its doors at the beginning of November. A total of $22,000 from the Orange County Board of Supervisors subsidized the shelter's final month, enough time for the 24 residents to find another temporary housing solution.)News Clips Archives
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