FCRHA Begins Pre-Development Activities for Affordable Housing in Falls Church

During its meeting on December 18, 2025, the FCRHA voted to move forward with pre-development activities for 5831 Columbia Pike in Falls Church. The property, located at the intersection of Columbia Pike and Route 7 in the Bailey’s Crossroads neighborhood of Falls Church, is being considered for development of affordable housing and non-residential space.

With the vote, FCRHA and its development partners, NHP Foundation and Gibson Spyre LLC, will commence pre-development activities.  This includes studying the physical characteristics of the property, continuing outreach to gather community expectations for affordable housing, determining what type of housing or amenities the site could support, and reviewing financial impacts to create a viable and vibrant community.

Site specifics – such as the size of the building, number of units, and affordability levels – will be determined as the project planning continues. FCRHA and its development partners are considering 160 affordable homes.

The development timeline remains to be determined and is expected to take several years.

FCRHA Continues Efforts to Gather Community Input

Community engagement activities for potential affordable housing in the Bailey’s Crossroads area began in 2024 and will continue throughout the development process to incorporate feedback. Residents are encouraged to follow fcrha.org for engagement opportunity updates.

Non-Residential Space

Co-location of non-residential space serving the community is being evaluated. The goal of any space would be to anchor essential services onsite through a non-profit service hub, such as education, health care, or workforce development services. The non-residential space would support long-term investment in the neighborhood, as both housing and services would be brought together in a single space. The development team will capture community input on a potential shared space during its outreach sessions.

Revitalization of the Bailey’s Crossroads Area

During community outreach, the development team will also explore ways to leverage affordable housing as an anchor for broader revitalization of the site. This includes improving walkability for safer, pedestrian-focused streets; ensuring inclusive affordable housing for older adults, families and residents; and creating open spaces such as outdoor gathering spaces, play areas, and green spaces.

Transportation connections will also be discussed during the outreach. The nearby Bailey’s Crossroads Shopping Center already serves as a WMATA Metrobus stop. Development partners, NHP Foundation and Gibson Spyre LLC will propose transportation structures to the community which contemplates constructing a segment of the future Seminary Road connection to Columbia Pike.

About the Developers

Development partners NHP Foundation and Gibson Spyre LLC were selected following a competitive solicitation process. Their proposal included an evaluation of public benefits of developing affordable housing; potential design and financial structure; and developer qualifications. The interim agreement enables the development partners to test project viability, working with other Fairfax County agencies such as the Department of Planning and Development and the Department of Transportation. Interim agreement details can be found on the Fairfax County Procurement and Material Management website.

How to get involved

For inquiries about community outreach or development questions, please email  Pamela Lee at NHP (PLee@nhpfoundation.org), Tom Gibson at Gibson Spyre (tgibson@gibsonspyrellc.com), rha@fairfaxcounty.gov, or Davood.majidian@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Media Inquiries: Allyson Pearce, allyson.pearce@fairfaxcounty.gov, 703-246-6033