APAH Breaks Ground on New, Affordable Apartments for Senior Residents in the Braddock District of Fairfax County
Arlington, VA (November 22, 2022) –On Friday, November 18, APAH began construction on a new, affordable apartment community for older adults in the highly cost-burdened Fairfax/Fairfax City area. The project, yet to be formally named but nicknamed Braddock Senior, will create 80 apartments to serve independent older adults ages 62 and above with household incomes at or below 60% of the Area Median Income. Fairfax County leaders joined APAH and project partners to celebrate the occasion.
Braddock Senior’s 80 affordable apartments also represent a significant step toward the countywide goal of creating 10,000 units of affordable housing by the year 2034. “When we looked at Fairfax County’s affordable housing needs, and particularly the need among older adults, it became apparent very quickly that it would take a communitywide effort to meet these needs,” said Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey C. McKay. “Braddock Senior exemplifies the spirit of partnership and ingenuity that we have and will continue to call upon to achieve our goal.”
In the Braddock District, a resident needs to earn about $60,000 to rent a one-bedroom apartment. For many older residents, their annual income falls far below that. “The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) is proud to be a part of this partnership and celebrate more options for older adults to affordably live near family, friends, care providers, and other conveniences they have come to rely on,” said Broderick Dunn, Braddock District Commissioner to the FCRHA.
In 2019, following a competitive process, Erickson Senior Living selected APAH to be their affordable housing partner as part of the redevelopment of the former Northern Virginia Training Center “It’s so exciting to be a part of the revitalization of this 80+ acre site,” said Carmen Romero, President and CEO of APAH. “We’re thankful to Erickson Senior Living for this opportunity to be their partner here and to build what will become our third senior property.”
APAH and its design team planned Braddock Senior to be a modern development that complements the surrounding neighborhoods and provides amenity spaces for residents to connect, host visitors, and nurture a sense of community. The interior design will evoke the surrounding nature, helping residents to feel at home.
For the many senior residents of the Braddock District, the property represents hope for the future. “Many of these individuals have been active and engaged in our community for many years, have strong social connections, and contribute in many ways. As our residents age and their living circumstances change, many of them just want to find a way to stay in the communities where they are living. Affordable homes like these help make that possible,” said James Walkinshaw who represents the Braddock District on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
“APAH is grateful for the opportunity to realize this project, our second in Fairfax County, and provide not only new, affordable homes for seniors, but also the opportunities and programming we are known for,” said Romero. A variety of meeting rooms will allow APAH to host on-site resident services programming to meet the needs of those who will call the building home.
Braddock Senior will be 100% Universal Design, meaning the spaces will be very adaptable to a range of abilities and allow seniors to age in place more easily. The project will be built to Earthcraft Multifamily Gold, a high standard for sustainable construction and resident living, and is APAH’s first utilizing Housing Innovations in Energy Efficiency (HIEE) funding from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development which allows for additional energy efficient upgrades to reduce energy bills for low-income Virginians. Grimm + Parker Architecture designed the building and Harkins Builders is the general contractor. The property is expected to open to residents in late 2023. “I am already excited to welcome the first residents to their new homes,” said Romero.
Speakers at last week’s groundbreaking included:
- Rich Jordan, Managing Director at Potomac Investment Properties and Vice Chair of APAH’s Board of Directors
- Jeffrey McKay, Chairman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
- James Walkinshaw, Braddock District Supervisor, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
- Broderick Dunn, Braddock District Commissioner, Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority
- Scott Gensler, Vice President, Real Estate Acquisitions and Government Affairs of Erickson Senior Living
- Jimmie Jones, Vice President & Community Development Manager at Truist Bank
- Jill Norcross, Community Outreach Regional Manager of Northern Virginia at Virginia Housing
- Carmen Romero, President and CEO of APAH
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About APAH
Founded in 1989, APAH now helps more than 2,300 households live in stable, secure, and affordable rental homes. APAH has nearly 400 affordable apartments under construction and an additional 1,500 in its development pipeline. As a CORES Certified Resident Services provider, APAH delivers comprehensive services to youth, families and senior across its 20 properties. In 2020, APAH was named one of the nation’s Top 50 Affordable Housing Developers by Affordable Housing Finance magazine. The organization was named 2021 Developer of the Year by the Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND). In 2022, APAH’s Queens Court Apartments received HAND’s award for the Best Large Affordable Housing Project as well as the Urban Land Institute’s inaugural Terwilliger Center Award for Innovation in Attainable Housing. Lucille and Bruce Terwilliger Place was named Best Affordable Housing Development at the 2022 Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference and received a Multi-Family Residential Award of Excellence at the Best of NAIOP Northern Virginia Awards 2022.
About the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA)
The FCRHA serves nearly 20,000 residents through a variety of rental housing assistance and homeownership programs and owns and operates nearly 4,000 units of housing – including multifamily housing, senior housing, licensed assisted living and specialized housing for tenants with a variety of needs. The FCRHA also oversees and administers Fairfax County’s land use housing programs and the investment of public land and local funds (including state and federal grants) to increase and/or preserve the county’s stock of affordable homes. The FCRHA issued $8 million in tax-exempt revenue bonds to support the financing for Braddock Senior.
