Institutional Partnerships

Cathedral

The Institutional Partnerships Initiative encourages collaboration and potential new partnerships between affordable housing developers, the faith community, County, schools, local colleges and universities, and other community-serving institutions with support from local and national technical assistance organizations. Staff will also identify potential sites for colocation or joint development and investigate zoning/land use hurdles.

Arlington already has had success in creating affordable housing through collaboration with non-profit developers, churches, and community-serving institutions. Notable successes and developments in the pipeline include:

  • vPoint (Church at Clarendon)
  • The Macedonian (Macedonian Baptist Church)
  • Gilliam Place (Arlington Presbyterian Church)
  • Ballston Station (Central United Methodist Church)
  • The Cadence (Red Cross/Trenton Street site)
  • The American Legion Post 139 (Post West 9/Post East 4)

Process and Goals

Collaborations with Enterprise’s Faith-Based Development Initiative (FBDI) and the Alliance for Housing Solutions (AHS)
Status: In process

Enterprise’s FBDI provides predevelopment grants, financing products, technical assistance, and pro bono legal services to houses of worship. Local Arlington-based housing advocate AHS held a “Faith and Housing Roundtable” in late October 2018 with affordable housing developers, churches, advocates and County staff to discuss how faith communities can help address affordability needs in the County.

In partnership with both Enterprise’s FBDI and AHS, the County sponsored a half-day workshop in October for faith leaders and houses of worship to discuss ways the faith community can pursue affordable housing strategies. The workshop was attended by approximately 20 participants representing 13 houses of worship in Arlington. The workshop included an introduction to the County’s affordable housing need and Housing Arlington, a Development 101 session, and a panel discussion with local houses of worship discussing their affordable housing projects, how they got started and lessons learned.

Research of national examples of co-location
Status: In process

Staff will research national examples of colocation and joint development of affordable housing with houses of worship, schools, other public facilities, and colleges/universities. After conducting research, staff will present its findings in a summary report.

Identify potential sites for co-location or redevelopment and investigate zoning/land use hurdles
Status: Future study

Staff will examine sites with potential for colocation of housing with other uses. Potential sites might include County-owned sites, Arlington Public Schools properties, or privately-owned sites, such as houses of worship or community-serving organizations interested in colocation. Staff will investigate zoning and land use hurdles for the potential sites. Finally, staff will develop a community process to review the sites that have been identified, coordinating with relevant advisory boards and commissions.