Background: 

Preserving and increasing the supply of affordable housing continues to be a high priority in Fairfax County. In March of 2023, the Board of Supervisors doubled its strategic goal to provide a minimum of 10,000 new affordable housing units by 2034. The Department of Housing and Community Development continues to actively investigate the feasibility of development of affordable housing on Board-owned sites within all magisterial districts. Through the Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act, publicly owned land in Fairfax County has been successfully leveraged through partnership with private development and use of resources like Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) to efficiently produce affordable housing units in a cost-effective manner. 

As you are aware, the Board owns approximately 16.49 acres of land in the Hunter Mill District known as the Crescent Property, described as Tax Map Parcels 0172 16 0001A and 0172 14010002G. Occupying the northeast portion of the Lake Anne Village Center in Reston, The Crescent is within walking distance of bus stops, retail, offices, healthcare, and has convenient access to vital services including schools, parks, transit routes, and recreational amenities consistent with the Board’s equity goals as described in its One Fairfax Policy.

As the Board will recall, when Fairfax County purchased the Crescent in 2006, the goals were to preserve and expand affordable housing, and to contribute to the population growth to further the revitalization of Lake Anne. The residential units at the Crescent are now nearly 60 years old, and in need of renovation or replacement. The adopted Comprehensive Plan guidance supports additional density on the Crescent Property, thereby creating an opportunity to replace the 181 existing homes by leveraging development of additional new affordable and market residential units.

The economic visioning study for the Lake Anne Village Center is complete, and the anticipated redevelopment of the Crescent property will be complementary to the revitalization and economic development needs of the historic heart of Reston. 

In short, it is now time to move toward realizing the future of the Crescent.

Motion: 

Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I move that the Board direct staff to initiate steps to formally authorize and schedule a public hearing to consider conveyance of approximately 16.49 acres of the Board-owned Crescent Property located at Tax Map Parcels 0172 16 0001A and 0172 14010002G to the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) for the development of affordable housing, complementary market-rate housing and associated uses consistent with the Lake Anne Economic Visioning Study, subject to the stipulations that:

1. in the event the FCRHA no longer pursues the project, the FCRHA will transfer ownership of the property back to the Board and
2. the FCRHA will provide the county with access to, and use of, the site until such time as development activities begin. 

I further move that the Board direct HCD staff to conduct outreach with

1. the existing residents of the Crescent Property to inform them about the redevelopment and receive their feedback about the community’s needs relative to the replacement of their existing affordable homes; and
2. the broader community and County to understand additional opportunities and challenges that should be considered in the context of a redevelopment.