Welcome to FIVE FOR FRIDAY: A weekly roundup of Public Policy Issues and Headlines from around the Northern Virginia Region, the Commonwealth and on Capitol Hill.
1. Missing Middle Housing Study Live Q&A and Feedback Opportunity
The public engagement period on the Phase 2 Analysis and Draft Framework for the Missing Middle Housing Study is now open! There are several ways you can participate and share your feedback:
Live Virtual Q&A - Join the Missing Middle Housing Study team as they answer your questions about Phase 2 Draft Framework.
Tuesday, May 3, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Online Feedback Form - Through May 27
Weigh in on the draft framework and share your feedback on expanded housing options in the County.
The Missing Middle Housing team will also be out in the community at pop-ups throughout May. If you see us, stop by to talk about the framework and share your thoughts.
2. McCloud: Rent relief is plentiful, but landlords and tenants should plan for the future
Benjamin Franklin quipped in 1736, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Franklin was warning his neighbors about the need for fire prevention in colonial Philadelphia. But for today’s landlords and renters in Virginia recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, his words could make a big difference vis-a-vis housing stability. In the summer of 2020, Virginia’s Rent Relief Program launched, throwing a vital lifeline to families across the commonwealth struggling with the impacts of COVID-19. To date, more than 100,000 households have received more than $600 million in assistance through the program.
3. As inflation rises, Northern Virginia officials cut or freeze tax rates
Northern Virginia officials are hoping to offset the impacts of inflation, a robust housing market and other economic forces that have driven up the cost of living by either lowering or freezing residential property tax rates — efforts that critics argue isn’t enough to help some residents get by. On Tuesday, the Arlington County Board was poised to freeze its residential property tax rate at $1.013 per $100 of assessed value, while Fairfax County’s board indicated it would soon reduce its rate by 3 cents and Prince William County was set to slash its own by 12.
Related: Arlington County Board Adopts $1.5B Budget, Tax Rate To Stay Same
Related: Fairfax County budget markup reduces tax rate, hikes employee pay
4. Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Public Input Opens April 18
Loudoun residents, businesses, community groups and other stakeholders will have the chance to review and comment on the first draft of the new county Zoning Ordinance during a 90-day public engagement period that begins April 18. The Zoning Ordinance defines and implements land use and design standards for unincorporated areas of the county, based on the county’s 2019 comprehensive plan. The draft version of the ordinance can be found at loudoun.gov/zoningordinancerewrite. The county will gather input online and at three in-person meetings and a virtual meeting.
5. Feedback sought on Northern Virginia road priorities
The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority is asking for feedback on a slew of funding requests for its six-year program update this year, including nine projects in Prince William County and Manassas.
The NVTA is looking for public comment on the entire list of 26 projects, with an online form the region’s residents can fill out as well as a remote public hearing that the authority will hold on May 12. The form and information about opportunities for feedback can be found at thenovaauthority.org/syp-comment.