June is National Homeownership Month

June 16, 2021

family Homeownership has long been considered a quintessential component of the “American Dream.” For many, owning a home provides stability, security, and a key investment towards building wealth for themselves and their posterity. In any case, the ability to live in a home that is affordable is an essential component towards achieving successful outcomes in nearly every aspect of our lives.

Fairfax County is an expensive housing market, but for more than 40 years, the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) has provided assistance to thousands of low- and moderate-income homebuyers to purchase homes in the county.

“The FCRHA is active in providing assistance and advancing opportunities for affordable housing at every stage of the housing continuum – including support for people experiencing or at-risk for homelessness, affordable rental programs, and homeownership. Everyone deserves the opportunity to live in a safe, decent, and affordable home that serves as a springboard to success in their individual pursuits. Our homeownership programs serve as a gateway for low- and moderate-income households to be in a position to purchase a home that can serve as a foundation for their economic growth and success and lead to even more options down the road.”

Melissa McKenna, Chairman
Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority

Fairfax County Homebuyer Programs connect prospective buyers to affordable homes through two main programs – the Workforce Dwelling Unit (WDU) Program and the Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU) Program. Essentially, these programs allow developers to include more units of housing in their proposed development plans in return for their committing a percentage of the units in their community to be priced affordably to households at income tiers ranging from below 70 percent up to 120 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). ADUs and WDUs can be provided as either “rental” or “for-sale” units. The for-sale homes are sold through our Homebuyer Programs:

The First-Time Homebuyer (FTHB) Program has been providing affordable homes primarily through the ADU Program to low- and moderate-income families since 1978. Affordably priced new and resale homes are available to First-Time Homebuyers earning up to 70 percent AMI. Minimum household income of $25,000 is required.

Homes are offered at sale prices well below the sale price of other homes in the same development community. Homes in this program are priced from $95,000 to the low $200,000s.

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The WDU Homebuyer Program provides a means for qualified homebuyers earning between 70 and 120 percent AMI to purchase a home at below-market prices near employment centers and transportation options. WDU townhomes and condominiums are located within market-rate developments throughout the county and vary in size and layout. Current home prices range from $200,000 to the high $400,000s.

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Since July 1, 2020, the FCRHA has facilitated the sale of 44 affordable homes through its homebuyer programs totaling over $10 million in contract sales prices with an average home sales price of $210,981 (ADU) for homebuyers with income below 70 percent of the AMI, and $345,517 (WDU) for homebuyers with income up to 120 percent AMI.

Additional Homebuyer Assistance

In addition to helping connect homebuyers with affordably priced homes, the FCRHA has also worked to make buying a home easier for qualified homeowners through lower interest rate mortgages and down payment assistance.

The FCRHA has established a strong partnership with Virginia Housing (the primary housing authority for the Commonwealth) which has resulted in millions in set aside state funding through programs such as the Sponsoring Partnerships and Revitalizing Communities (SPARC). Through these programs, the FCRHA acts as the sponsoring local housing authority in connecting qualified homebuyers with reduced-rate mortgages through approved Virginia Housing lenders. Since July 1, 2020, the FCRHA has sponsored more than $4 million in approved first-trust mortgages.

The FCRHA has also leveraged federal resources through the Community Development Block Grant program to allocate $380,000 in down payment assistance funds for qualified purchasers. Assistance can be provided in amounts up to $10,000 for purchasers meeting the income guidelines depending on funding availability at the time of purchase.

Questions?

If you have questions about affordable homeownership, please contact our staff at FTHBhomeownership@fairfaxcounty.gov.

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