WASHINGTON – We know how expensive housing is around here. Soon, voters in Arlington County will get to decide on how to address the issue.
Arlington is one of the wealthiest counties in the nation, and as a result, views on housing prices can get a bit skewed.
County Board chairman Walter Tejada said at a recent meeting that a resident referred to a $3,000-a-month rent in Clarendon as “a pretty good deal.” He added that, “a lot of low-income people are being pushed out of Arlington.”
But with so much demand, there’s a debate about the best way to help people who want to live in Arlington. The county has a number of affordable housing programs, but in November, voters will decide whether to move ahead with a full-blown housing authority.
Tejada says the board hasn’t taken a stance on the issue, but says a housing bureaucracy would likely hurt their affordable housing efforts.
Arlington currently works with non-profits on affordable housing. Tejada and others say a housing authority likely would not being any new resources to the county, and may actually be a drain on existing ones.
WTOP’S John Aaron contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter.
