The Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), and the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), jointly received the Jamestown Award from the American Planning Association’s Virginia Chapter. The prestigious Jamestown Award spotlights the collaborative, innovative efforts these Fairfax County agencies executed to deliver creative affordable housing solutions. The recognition inspires planning best practices that other Virginia jurisdictions can replicate.
Fairfax County was recognized for its inclusive and results-oriented approach to increasing affordable housing options. Collaboration with the community has resulted in many actions:
The Workforce Dwelling Unit (WDU) Rental and For-Sale Task Forces recommended revising the county’s WDU policy to lower income thresholds for residents and commitment levels for developers.
The Affordable Housing Preservation Task Force recommended new development strategies, financing tools, land use policies, and legislative priorities to preserve affordable market and committed affordable housing.
The Manufactured Housing Task Force recommended new strategies related to community outreach/engagement, community needs assessments, community quality, land use policies and zoning requirements, and legislative priorities to address the unique challenges faced by manufactured housing communities.
DHCD’s annual Notice of Funding availability encourages private affordable housing development and preservation in the county.
Fairfax County leveraged private partnerships to redevelop underutilized county land and acquired land for the development of affordable housing in partnership with private developers.
The Jamestown Award is named in honor of the first local government in Virginia. It recognizes a locality that undertakes sound and innovative planning practices, not in a single plan but through various efforts.