"We are now concentrating on affordable housing and senior housing."
That was the word from Cynthia Ianni, Senior Program Manager, Revitalization Division, Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development, during the Mount Vernon Town Meeting Exhibitor Hour this past Saturday.
To buttress her point the department representatives were distributing brochures describing both Kings Crossing, a mixed use project, and Gum Springs Glen, a new retirement community for seniors with moderate incomes.
King's Crossing is being touted as, "Fairfax County's preferred location for mixed-use development in the Richmond Highway Corridor." Located at the intersection of Richmond and Kings highways, a mile south of the beltway, it is being marketed as "a town center in the main street tradition."
To attract potential investors and developers, the County's Revitalization Program is promoting King's Crossing with real estate tax abatement, flexible zoning provisions, expedited planning and zoning review, and facilitated site/building plan review and permits.
In order to entice business to the site, the county implores them to "Become part of the profitable retail market providing good and services to Southeast Fairfax County's 105,000 plus residents and Fort Belvoir's 19,000 plus employees."
Literature on King's Crossing notes that, "median household income in Southeast Fairfax is more than $70,000, nearly double the rest of the county." And, "the mean housing value is more than $250,000."
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR FIXED INCOME
At the other end of the promotion spectrum is Gum Springs Glen, located in the historic Gum Springs area of the county on Sherwood Hall Lane just off Route 1. It is described as "an exciting concept in affordable retirement living to senior with moderate incomes."
With the vast majority of those attending Supervisor Gerry Hyland's Town Meeting in the senior ranks, the Gum Springs Glen information drew extra interest, while King's Crossing was visited by the younger attendees.
Some of the amenities listed included all electric kitchens with microwave ovens, individually controlled heating and air conditioning, draft resistant, double-glazed windows, access to a personal response system, and wheelchair accessible passageways throughout the community.
Rents range from $375 to $825 per month and minimum annual income eligibility requirements from $9,000 to $19,800 depending on size and configuration of units desired. Maximum income range restrictions are $17,650 to $29,400 for one person to $20,150 to 33,600 for two, also depending on unit.
Composed of two residential buildings, Gum Springs will provide 56 one-bedroom apartments and four two-bedroom units. Allocation will be based on a four category priority system:
* Special Priority - Six units reserved for present Gum Springs residents,
* First Priority - Persons who live and/or work in Fairfax County,
* Second Priority - Persons who have immediate family residing in Fairfax County, and
* Third Priority - Other applicants who do not meet the other criteria.
Gum Springs Glen is operated under a special tax credit program which requires residents to meet the following criteria: 62 years or older at the time of application; and with an income between the minimum and maximum requirements. However, "persons with Housing Choice Vouchers will be considered and qualifying income may include contributions from family or other sources," according to the literature.