report

Report: Redevelopment Threatens Affordable Housing on the Pike

By ARLnow.com

A new report on affordable housing in Northern Virginia suggests that the redevelopment of Columbia Pike will make it difficult to preserve affordable housing along the corridor.

The report, commissioned by the Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance, examined three major corridors where redevelopment is underway: Alexandria’s Beauregard corridor, Fairfax County’s Baileys Crossroads area and Arlington’s Columbia Pike corridor.

All three areas, the report says, are affordable thanks to a “lack of private investment, along with poor transportation options and infrastructure” — attributes that have made the areas undesirable to more affluent residents. Now that the Arlington County is actively encouraging economic development and planning a new streetcar line along Columbia Pike, however, the “type of households” seeking to live on the Pike will likely change, leading to “opportunities” for the owners of existing affordable apartment complexes to “reposition their properties… to attract higher-income residents.”

According to the report, there are currently 7,736 affordable, privately-owned rental units along Columbia Pike. Even with the county’s planned efforts to preserve affordable housing on the Pike, however, the report cites county projections that predict 23 percent fewer affordable units by 2040 — a loss of nearly 1,800 affordable rentals.

That loss is expected to be concentrated among the 3,344 market-rate rentals that are affordable to residents who make between 60 and 80 percent of the area’s median income (AMI). About half of the Pike’s 80 percent AMI units are projected to be lost by 2040, while the county focuses its efforts on preserving all of the 3,151 units affordable to those making 60 percent AMI or below. Meanwhile, the county is forecasting a 447 percent increase in market rate (non-affordable) units, or nearly 6,500 new units targeting more affluent renters.

The Alliance is recommending Arlington set “more aggressive targets” for affordable housing on the Pike while offering affordable housing financing that’s more lucrative than that offered by private developers. The Alliance also recommends using reduced property taxes as a “carrot” for preserving existing market-rate affordable apartments.

Crime Report: Unusual Assaults Edition

By ARLnow.com

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, an argument in Alcova Heights turned violent when one man threw his cell phone at another man’s face.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY, 06/29/11, 3700 block of S. 5th Street. On June 29 at 5 pm, a man threw a cell phone at another man during an argument, striking him on the face.

That same day, a suspect on a motorcycle struck a parking aide with the bike’s wheel as she was trying to write a ticket.

ASSAULT AND BATTERY WITH A VEHICLE, 06/29/11, 1300 block of S. Joyce Street. On June 29 at 9 am, a parking aide was writing a ticket when the owner of a motorcycle confronted him. The suspect left the scene on the motorcycle, striking the parking aide with the motorcycle wheel. The suspect is known.

Then, on the Fourth of July, a man wounded a movie theater employee in Ballston after he was not allowed to bring food into the theater.

UNLAWFUL WOUNDING-ARREST, 07/04/11, 4200 block of Wilson Boulevard. On July 4 at 4 pm, a man assaulted a movie theater employee when the employee would not allow him to bring food into a movie. Police located the suspect. Franklin Parker, 55, of no fixed address, was charged with Unlawful Wounding. He was held without bond.

After the jump, a more serious assault: a woman is hit in the head with a hammer after she tried to stop a vehicle break-in.

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Crime Report: Four Charged With Cell Phone Robbery

By ARLnow.com

How many people does it take to steal a cell phone and some cash in Ballston? Four, according to this week’s Arlington County crime report.

ROBBERY-ARREST, 06/23/11, 1100 block of N. Stafford Street. On June 22 at 11 pm, four men confronted and assaulted a man walking down the street. They stole his phone and some currency. Police located the suspects. Taha Bencherki, 20, of Washington D.C., Garland Mines, 25, of no fixed address, D’Lonte Fuller, 21, of Arlington, and Lamont Russ, 21 of Arlington, we all charged with Robbery. They were held without bond.

As always, suspects mentioned in the police department’s crime report are innocent until proven guilty. The rest of this week’s report, after the jump.

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Crime Report: Girl Touched Inappropriately

By ARLnow.com

Two teenage girls were the victim of perverted behavior on the streets of Arlington over the past week. Last Tuesday, according to the Arlington County crime report, a 14-year-old girl was touched by a man while she was walking home from school.

SEXUAL BATTERY, 06/07/11, 2600 block of John Marshall Drive. On June 7 at 2:30 pm, a 14 year-old female was walking home from school. An unknown male walking in front of her abruptly turned around and touched her chest. The suspect is described as a white male in his late 20’s, 5’7″ and of an average build. He had dark hair and was wearing a white t-shirt, gray mesh shorts, a white baseball cap and black sneakers.

Then, on Monday, a man exposed himself to a 16-year-old girl in Virginia Square.

EXPOSURE, 06/13/11, 3800 block of Wilson Boulevard. On June 13 at 9 pm, a 16 year-old female was walking home from work when an unknown man exposed himself in front of her. A taxi driver heard her yell and ran to assist. The suspect fled and the cab driver drove the girl to the police department. The suspect is described as a Middle Eastern or Indian male in his late 20’s, 5’8″ and 180 lbs. He was wearing a light colored shirt, khaki pants, and “Crocs”.

The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

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Crime Report: Young and Preyed Upon

By ARLnow.com

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, a young woman was allegedly attacked by a man near Shirlington.

ABDUCTION-ARREST, 05/31/11, 2600 block of S. Arlington Mill Dr. On May 31 at 11 pm, a man grabbed a young woman walking and pulled her to the ground. The suspect covered her mouth with his hand, but she fought back and was able to run from the area. Police located the suspect. Marvin Mejia, 40, of no fixed address, was charged with Abduction and Assault and battery. He was held without bond.

In another incident, a teen girl was walking home when a man exposed himself to her.

EXPOSURE, 06/02/11, 1400 block of N. Jackson Street. On June 2 at 3:15, a 16 year-old girl was walking home when an unknown man sitting on the steps to a residence called out to her. When she turned to look at him, he exposed himself. The girl walked on and called her father to meet her.

The rest of the crime report, including a police chase and a bank robbery on which we’ve already reported, after the jump.

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