We are encouraging affordable housing advocates to comment in support of Missing Middle Housing, which includes zoning reforms that would increase the ability to build affordable housing options in Arlington County. The hearing will occur on Saturday, March 18th.
You can sign up to make a comment through Teams or in person on March 18th (potentially spilling over to the following Tuesday). If you want help knowing when you’ll be called on to speak, sign up with YIMBYs of NOVA for notifications.
For additional information, read the F.A.Q. provided by the MMH study organizers.
You can also use the following sample language to email a comment to the Arlington County Board. You can also view additional letters of support.
Sample comment:
As a/an [Arlington resident, affordable housing advocate, member of Habitat Young Professionals, Habitat Volunteer] encourage the Planning Commission and County Board to approve the most expansive version of the missing middle (aka Expanded Housing Option) zoning reforms.
Allowing modest increases in density and housing type diversity in Arlington’s single-family neighborhoods is a necessary first step in ending exclusionary zoning, expanding housing choice, and improving affordability.
The changes also would better enable Habitat DC-NOVA and the Virginia Statewide Community Land Trust to produce and preserve committed affordable homeownership units.
Sincerely, [your name]
Other facts that can be included in your letter.
- Improving affordability in Arlington’s R-Zoned Districts requires expanding the housing supply and building forms beyond single-family detached. The current EHO proposal is a foundational step in this process.
- To achieve the intended goals of missing middle housing, the County should not place artificial limits on the location and number of EHO development.
- Greater regulatory flexibility opens more pathways to success. As such, the County should not adopt strict regulations on size and design.
- The County should take additional action to maximize the impact of any approved zoning changes.
Past Habitat DC-NOVA letters of support:
March 6, 2023 comment of support
September 19, 2022 letter of support
Comments can be sent to: CountyBoard@arlingtonva.us and cc’ing; ecleva@arlingtonva.us