Judge strikes down affordable housing plan in Arlington Co.

A judge has struck down Arlington County’s plan to allow more affordable housing across varying neighborhoods in Virginia.

Arlington County circuit court Judge David S. Schell ruled that county officials didn’t thoroughly study the impacts of allowing duplexes, townhomes and small apartments in singly family home residential neighborhoods, according to the Washington Post.

The “Missing Middle Plan” was passed by Arlington’s council in March of 2023 and would have eliminated single family housing only zoning and allowed small apartment buildings and town houses in neighborhoods.

The plan would have allowed 58 permits each year to be handed out in the county for housing such as townhomes, a duplex and other six-unit residential buildings to go up on sites that are currently zoned for single-family detached homes. The annual cap of 58 permits was supposed to end in 2028.

Several homeowners sued the county and alleged it failed to thoroughly study the potential impacts of the change, including on the sewer and stormwater system as well as traffic.

Judge Schell ordered the county to stop issuing building permits for projects.

The county is likely to appeal the decision.

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