Route 1 Area Properties Acquired By Affordable Housing Developer

FORT BELVOIR, VA — Two properties were acquired by affordable housing developer AHC Inc. in southeastern Fairfax County, which will preserve 292 affordable apartments.

One of the properties is Haven Mount Vernon, 5401 Claymont Drive, Alexandria in the Mount Vernon area. The second property is Haven Fort Belvoirat 9190 Richmond Highway in Fort Belvoir. The properties will be renamed as Landings I and Landings II, respectively.

The acquisitions were announced Wednesday by AHC Inc. in partnership Virginia Housing and Fairfax County. The apartments will be available to individuals earning between 50 percent and 80 percent of the Area Median Income, which equates to $63,000 and $79,600 for a family of four. Affordability will be implemented in phases.

John Welsh, VP of multifamily development for AHC, noted that families who work in the area may not live there because of lacking affordable housing.

"Landings I and II will offer much-needed affordable and moderately priced homes, located near employment centers and convenient transportation options," said Welsh in a statement. "Landings I & II will connect nicely with Fairfax County’s Embark Richmond Highway."

Landings I, a 12-acre-property, will offer 216 apartments, including 168 two-bedroom units and 48 one-bedroom units. Landings II sits on about four acres and will have 76 units, including 12 studios, 42 one-bedroom units and 22 two-bedroom units. Landings I will have a business center, fitness room, clubhouse, pool, children’s playground and picnic area, while Landings II will have a dog park, playground and fitness center.

Both properties will undergo improvements, including siding and sidewalk repairs, and partial replacements of HVAC system and hot water heaters. Landings I will have improved access to the leasing center and new roofing, and Landings II will get window repairs. Additional repairs are expected at both over 10 years.

The property acquisitions were financed with loans from both Virginia Housing and Fairfax County and an AHC loan. The project also received Virginia Housing REACH grant funds as part of Amazon's regional commitment to affordable housing as it locates its second headquarters in Arlington.

Fairfax County officials highlighted the goal of preserving and adding affordable units.

"Fairfax County is committed to ensuring no net loss of affordability. To accomplish this preservation goal, partnerships with the development community and financial institutions are essential," said Tom Fleetwood, director of Fairfax County's Department of Housing and Community Development. "We are very excited that AHC and Virginia Housing have taken the first steps toward helping us meet that goal by preserving existing market affordable units along the opportunity-rich Richmond Highway Corridor."

Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck commented, "I am committed to preserving and adding affordable and work force housing in the Richmond Highway corridor along with our many other new developments. This new acquisition is a major step to not just preserving, but improving and enhancing the affordable housing stock we already have in the District for our residents."

Additional affordable housing in the Richmond Highway corridor is slated to come through new development such as the North Hill redevelopment in Hybla Valley and The Arden in Huntington. Upcoming developments are tracked by the Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation.

AHC, Inc. runs various affordable communities in DC, Maryland and Virginia. In Fairfax County, AHC, Inc. has preserved 1,100 homes for low and moderate-income families. The developer's latest project is The Spire, a 113-unit community to open in April in Alexandria. Applications are being accepted for the apartment community.