““It is hard to argue that housing is not a fundamental human need. Decent, affordable housing should be a basic right for everybody in this country. The reason is simple: without stable shelter, everything else falls apart.””
Annual Reports
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021
History & Accomplishments
2003
AHS founded by a group of concerned citizens who were concerned that Arlington was becoming a place where only the affluent could afford to live. Learn about our Founders.
2006
Arlington’s Affordable Housing Ordinance signed into law by Governor Tim Kaine.
2009
Arlington adopts its first Accessory Dwelling Ordinance.
2012
Arlington adopts Columbia Pike Neighborhoods Plan with strong protections and incentives for affordable housing.
2015
Arlington County Board adopts its first Affordable Housing Master Plan, a component of the County’s Comprehensive Plan.
2016
Led by AHS, housing and services advocates from across Arlington argued successfully for a $13.7 million allocation to the Affordable Housing Investment Fund (up$1.2 M from FY2016). AHS also advocated in favor of APAH’s 68-unit development in Westover.
2017
AHS participated in the County working group that proposed updates that would streamline the requirements and allow more opportunities for residents to add accessory units. The Board adopted the changes in December. AHS supported three affordable housing developments: Queen’s Court in Rosslyn, Park Shirlington preservation, and the American Legion site on Washington Blvd.
2018
AHS commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act by focusing the annual Thomas P. Leckey Forum on the topic of housing segregation and discrimination. Amazon announced in November that it would be opening a new headquarters in National Landing, sparking community dialogue about Arlington’s housing crisis.
2019
In 2019 AHS successfully advocated for zoning changes so homeowners can add new, detached accessory dwellings to their properties. Andrea Brennan, Director of Housing Policy and Development for Minneapolis, spoke to a full house at our annual Leckey Forum about what her city is doing to address historic patterns of segregation and lack of affordability.
We also launched Housing Happy Hours as a way to engage new audiences, served on half a dozen panels, were quoted time and again in the media, and formalized a partnership with Arlington Community Foundation as consultants for their Shared Prosperity Initiative.
2020
A nation-wide reckoning with systemic racism prompted AHS to host three virtual Arlington for Everyone listening sessions and a webinar focused on the history of race and housing in Arlington. We developed a seven-minute video and a timeline of race and housing, hosted on a new web page dedicated to the topic.
The 2020 Ellen M. Bozman Affordable Housing Award was given to Arlington Thrive and the Church at Work for their efforts to keep Arlingtonians housed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ceremony also recognized the late Arlington County board member Erik Gutshall for his dedication to affordable housing.