The Arden Affordable Housing Development Breaks Ground

HUNTINGTON, VA — On Monday, a groundbreaking event was held for The Arden, an affordable housing development coming to Huntington. Wesley Housing and Fairfax County officials, as well as other project partners, attended the socially-distant ceremony.

The Arden will be a 126-unit affordable housing development one block from the Huntington Metro station at 2317 Huntington Avenue. The seven-story building will include 10 efficiencies, 26 one bedrooms, 76 two bedrooms, 14 three bedrooms, and 11 fully accessible units with community amenities like a community room, courtyard patio, bike storage, on-site laundry facilities, surface parking, and a dog walking area. It will also meet Energy Star and EarthCraft Multifamily Gold green building standards.

The Arden will serve households with 80 percent of the Area Median Income or below. It will also remain committed to offering affordable housing for 30 years.

"When we talk about affordable housing, we often lose [sight] of the people who represent this segment of our population – our teachers, police officers, grocery store and construction workers, many working more than one job to make ends meet," said Mount Vernon Supervisor Dan Storck. "This well planned, beautiful and high-quality community asset will provide dignified housing options for those who need and deserve them. As we redevelop and re-envision the Mount Vernon District, we need all our neighbors to remain in our incredibly diverse communities."

The ground floor will include 7,500 square feet of office space, which Wesley Housing will occupy to relocate its main office to the property.

The development has funding from a number of sources and has a commitment of 12 project-based vouchers to serve extremely-low-income households and individuals with developmental disabilities.

"It has definitely taken a creative mix of resources to bring this project about," said Tom Fleetwood, director of Fairfax County’s Department of Housing and Community Development. "Of the dozen or so resources feeding into this project, many have been locally directed – including $7.4 million in local Housing Blueprint loans; nearly $1 million awarded in federal Community Development Block Grant Funding; and committing project-based rental assistance from the State Rental Assistance and Housing Choice Voucher Programs to serve extremely low-income households and individuals with developmental disabilities."

The estimated completion date is summer 2022. Wesley Housing anticipates rental applications will open spring 2022, and it will take referrals from the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority waiting list.

For more information, visit www.LiveTheArden.com.