On Tuesday morning, David Jeffers stood in front of a group of business people, many of whom were high-level executives, and told them they should be worried about the lack of affordable housing in Fairfax County.
Although most of the meeting attendees probably don't live in what could be considered affordable housing, many agreed that the county needs more lower-priced housing.
Jim Deuel, manager of the Hyatt Hotel in Dulles, recounted a 1997 proposal to build an affordable housing complex across the street from the hotel.
"We were against the proposal," Deuel said. "We wanted a corporate structure that would help grow our business. What we didn't see was that we had problems with staffing. When the affordable housing units went up, those problems went away and our business has continued to grow."
The meeting, organized by Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill), was the first in a series of meetings on affordable housing. Hudgins would like to build partnerships between Fairfax County corporations and Fairfax County government, so that both sides are working to bring more affordable housing to the county.
Right now, Fairfax County creates between 20,000 and 30,000 new jobs each year, but only 6,000 to 8,000 housing units. Of those new housing units, only four percent are categorized as affordable.
The average Fairfax County house costs $200,000. To comfortably afford a $200,000 house, a household needs to make at least $66,000 per year.
THESE FACTORS have driven many workers out of Fairfax County, in search of affordable housing.
"The challenge in Fairfax is one to be happy with," said Tim Kaine, Virginia's lieutenant governor. "You're not dealing with neighborhoods that are blighted or empty dwellings. That is a more difficult problem, I think. But your problems all come out of being successful."
Hudgins said that the problem of affordable housing goes hand in hand with traffic problems in the county.
"Those who have who have chosen to live outside the county all commute on the congested roads leading into the county," Hudgins said.
Since there is so much turnover among lower paid workers, Jeffers argued that incentives, such as short commutes, would pay for themselves.
"On the lower end of the pay spectrum, you have a retention problem," said Jeffers, director of the Northern Virginia Partnership Office of Fannie Mae. "People will switch jobs for a couple of dollars more an hour, or a 10 or 15 minute quicker commute. It's not a recruiting problem, but a retention problem. It's costing your companies money every time you have to hire new people."
Mindy Williams, Northern Virginia public affairs manager for Washington Gas, asked what local businesses can do to create more affordable housing.
"A BIG PART of our transportation problem is that we don't have enough money," Williams said. "So, the solution is clearer. With affordable housing it is so complex, there are so many solutions. What is it we need to come together with, and advocate, to get at this?"
Jeffers is planning another meeting in July to discuss what employers can do to alleviate the housing problem. He said the cost of admission will be that each attendee bring a guest who also runs a business in Fairfax County.
"You need to tell us exactly what you want," said state Sen. Janet Howell (D-32). "In Richmond, we need to have specific examples of what has worked elsewhere."
For more information on the affordable housing partnership, call Hudgins' office at 703-478-0283.