Fairfax County considers expanded use of developer fees for housing

Fairfax County:

“Fairfax County is considering using developer contributions to further expand affordable housing options, particularly in transit centers. The proposal builds on a concept pioneered in Tysons Corner, where the developers of commercial properties near the four new Metro stations are expected to contribute $3 per square foot to the county’s housing trust fund.

However, some supervisors expressed concern that such fees could hamper commercial development in other parts of the county. The so-called '3-2-1' concept developed by county staff would encourage $3 per square foot contributions from commercial development in areas within a quarter-mile of a transit station, $2 per square foot for properties between a quarter and half mile, and $1 per square foot for any other commercial development.

It would apply only to rezoning cases that include an increase in density, said Marianne Gardner, director of the planning division of the county’s Department of Planning and Zoning. Property owners could also take multiple years to pay the fee, for example paying 25 cents per square foot per year, Gardner said.

The Housing Trust Fund would focus on creating affordable housing in the $3 and $2 per square foot tier areas, under the proposal. Affordable housing options would be targeted at people making less than 80 percent of area median income, or about $80,000 for a family of four.”

~Writes Kali Schumitz of the Fairfax Times

Click here to learn more