AHS works to amplify the voices of housing advocates and tenants that are too often absent from the affordable housing conversation. As part of that effort, we will feature stories that shine a light on the lived experiences of those facing housing challenges in our community.
“We’re trying to bring stability and a better quality of life to our community. That’s what we strive for.”
When renters in Arlington, Virginia face challenges finding and keeping a safe, affordable home, the Buckingham and Gates of Arlington Tenants Association (BU-GATA) is ready to lend a hand. By providing resources like rental assistance and advocacy support, BU-GATA creates informed renters and tenant leaders. At a time of rapid change in the County, grassroots organizations like BU-GATA play a key role in preserving affordable homes and the communities that depend on them.
BU-GATA was founded in 1992 by a group of Latino tenants who aimed to stop the displacement of low-income residents from an apartment complex in Arlington’s Buckingham neighborhood. Fast forward to 2022, and BU-GATA has expanded to serve all of the County with Buckingham native Saul Reyes as its executive director.
Reyes first joined BU-GATA in 2002 as a member of the Buckingham Youth Brigade (BYB), a program supporting leadership and civic engagement for youth ages 14–18.
“As the organization grew, residents began to broaden BU-GATA's focus to achieve greater community stability,” Reyes explains. And in 1998, BU-GATA addressed another neighborhood need—youth leadership development—by creating the Buckingham Youth Brigade (BYB) to help young people gain self-esteem and self-sufficiency.
Reyes was first motivated to volunteer with BYB while seeking extracurricular activities to help with his college admissions. But the dedication of the youth in the BYB struck a chord with him. “I enjoyed supporting the youth, who were the kids of recent immigrants,” says Reyes. “Even after I left for college, I kept coming back on Wednesdays to encourage them and explain that college really isn’t that hard.”
The BYB has thrived by filling an important gap in immigrant communities. “We expanded it in 2010 to include the middle schoolers because they didn’t have anything to do after school. We saw kids running around playing soccer in the street, and nothing was organized for them. So today we have BYB Junior for ages 10–13.”
After his college graduation in 2007, Reyes expanded his volunteer role to help with BU-GATA’s campaign to save Buckingham Villages. The large, market-rate apartment complex had been up for sale on the open market until the County stepped in to assist in its purchase and preservation.
“The residents were afraid of displacement, just like we see with Arlington tenants today,” recalls Reyes. “I helped BU-GATA by interviewing and assisting tenants, which prepared me for the work I do now.”
While several parcels of Buckingham Villages were demolished and turned into luxury townhomes, one section of 140 units was preserved as affordable. “Families had been living there for decades before the renovations, and they’re still there today. That provided a lot of stability for the community. Families raised their kids, most of whom came through BYB and went to college. Some of them still come back and help out.”
The Buckingham Village apartment community in Arlington, Virginia (Photo courtesy of Arlington County)
“We have a lot of immigrants who come here and work very hard. Without these workers in our restaurants and hotels, other people in the community would be feeling the pain.”
The tenants BU-GATA now serves across Arlington are primarily low-income and immigrant families. “We have a lot of immigrants who come here and work very hard. Without these workers in our restaurants and hotels, other people in the community would be feeling the pain. Workers would have to come from farther away, and they would demand higher wages.”
But Reyes emphasizes that BU-GATA supports any renter in need of greater stability. “We don’t want families to have to struggle so much to feed their children and make ends meet because of all the expenses that come along with housing,” he explains.
BU-GATA awards a college scholarship to a recipient’s family during the Buckingham Community Festival. (Photo courtesy of Bu-GATA)
“Lower-income tenants often feel afraid to reach out to property management to report problems, and that’s when issues start getting worse in housing.”
In addition to providing resources to tenants, BU-GATA also advocates on behalf of renters whose property managers aren’t willing to work with them. “A lot of people feel disrespected,” says Reyes. “Lower-income tenants often feel afraid to reach out to property management to report problems, and that’s when issues start getting worse in housing.”
BU-GATA also coaches tenants on how to stand up for themselves to property managers. “We tell tenants, ‘the site manager is here, but they have a boss. And that boss has another boss. And when it comes to affordable housing, we can go to the County too.’ The County is being more proactive now in addressing these issues in affordable housing by ramping up inspections. But this is more difficult within the private market,” says Reyes.
“Someone may not meet the income requirement for affordable housing because they earn an extra dollar. But that extra dollar is not going to help them afford the prices in the private market.”
One of the key challenges Reyes sees for lower-income renters is the income restrictions of affordable housing. “Someone may not meet the income requirement for affordable housing because they earn an extra dollar. But that extra dollar is not going to help them afford the prices in the private market,” he says. “People in market-rate affordable housing (MARKS) may move to affordable housing but end up paying even more in housing costs. There’s no low rent, even in affordable housing.”
Reyes notes that since there are fewer occupancy restrictions with MARKS, tenants often double or triple up in these units to ease the rent burden. But they may experience an uncomfortable living situation and poor living conditions. “Landlords or owners often take calculated approaches to keep housing somewhat habitable while awaiting the right opportunity to sell or redevelop,” Reyes explains.
The need for BU-GATA’s services is great—and growing. “Over the years, we’ve seen a lot of losses as far as housing affordability,” says Reyes. “We keep losing what’s market affordable. The private market keeps dwindling down. We’re trying to bring in affordable housing, but you can only do so much. It’s difficult to create enough new affordable units to match the ones being lost and the demand.”
Reyes emphasizes the need for housing advocates and leaders to hear directly from residents about the challenges and barriers they face. “We in the housing community need to help elevate those voices and, whenever possible, bring people out,” says Reyes. “One example of this is the development of the Affordable Housing Master Plan. BU-GATA brought out residents in support so the elected officials got to see the faces of actual people. We also saw this at the preservation of the Buckingham Villages. The residents were involved in the entire process, from the RFP to selecting who the developer and owner would be.”
“That’s the goal we have—to create leaders in the community who help out each other.”
Reyes credits BU-GATA’s track record of success with its network of adult and youth volunteers that spans across Arlington. “These are residents who were grateful for our help in the past and came back. We train them as volunteers, and then they feel empowered to help their friends, families, and neighbors. Some volunteers become independent and do a lot of work on their own in the community. That’s the goal we have—to create leaders in the community who help out each other.”
Most recently, BU-GATA played a key role in advocating and assisting tenants at the Serrano and Columbia Gardens properties. Back in his native Buckingham, Reyes still joins the BYB meetings and oversees the program, helping to continue the cycle of empowerment that is the hallmark of BU-GATA’s success.
“Our fight is to be able to preserve our community here in Arlington. We’re trying to bring stability and a better quality of life to our community,” he says. “That’s what we strive for.”
To learn more about BU-GATA’s work, visit bu-gata.org
Members of the Buckingham Youth Brigade (Photo courtesy of BU-GATA)
