>> Great schools, jobs, and entertainment make Fairfax
County an excellent place to live, work, play and raise a
family
and guess what? The word is out!
Our community is home to more than a million residents and
our growing economy is bringing in more opportunities for jobs
at every level of the income spectrum.
Fairfax County's housing market has reached a pivotal
crossroads in providing homes that are affordable for
residents at all income levels, but especially for households
with lower to moderate incomes. So,
What does it mean to have a home that is affordable?
In general, having an affordable home means you have
enough income to pay your housing expenses
and still have enough money left over to provide for your
basic needs like food, clothing and medical care.
Ideally, your housing expenses should not exceed 30% of your
income.
With the average rent in Fairfax County costing about
$1,877, this means that households need to earn an
average of about $75,000 per year to live in an affordable
home.
For many essential workers in our community - like teachers,
store clerks, restaurant workers, and childcare
providers - the average cost of housing in the county
>> is simply out of reach. Why
is Affordable Housing So Important?
Well today, in Fairfax County, about 1 in 5 renters spend more
than 50% of their income on housing costs. And as rents
continue to rise faster than income, workers have fewer and
fewer opportunities to find housing here pushing them and
their families out of the communities where they work.
Every resident needs a decent, safe, and affordable home.
Affordable Homes provide a platform for everyone to
achieve their fullest potential, and they help us to
become the kind of community we want to be One Fairfax.
How Does Fairfax County Work to Create More Affordable Housing
Opportunities?
The Redevelopment and Housing Authority and the Department of
Housing and Community Development work to enhance
affordable housing opportunities in three main
ways:
We build new and rehabilitate existing affordable homes.
We Invest local, state and federal funds to help finance
private and nonprofit new construction or rehabilitation
of affordable homes. We implement policies to encourage
the inclusion of affordable homes in market-rate
developments.
Affordable homes look just like all the types of housing we
have.
They can be town houses, single-family homes,
manufactured homes, or even multifamily apartment
buildings.
>> The bottom line is that we need more homes that are
affordable to sustain our growing economy and workforce.
With continued community support,
we can make sure that everyone has the opportunity to have a
safe and decent place to call home in Fairfax County.
>> To learn more about Fairfax County Housing initiatives and
programs, follow us on Facebook @FairfaxCountyHousing and visit
us online at FairfaxCounty.gov/Housing.