The Cat in the Hat will pay Tysons a visit this spring, and unlike in his eponymous book, he’s giving plenty of advance notice.
The anthropomorphic feline is set to appear alongside the Lorax, the Grinch and other classic Theodor Geisel characters in “The Dr. Seuss Experience” that will take up residence at Tysons Corner Center starting April 7.
“The Dr. Seuss Experience is an interactive immersion into the wondrous world of Dr. Seuss,” a press release says. “Inside, guests of all ages will be transported through an awe-inspiring, sensory spectacle including nine different, visually stunning Dr. Seuss worlds, with the opportunity to meet iconic characters, live the classic stories and experience Dr. Seuss like never before.”
The interactive pop-up will feature staff in costume as notable characters and sets like Circus McGurkus, the clover forests from “Horton Hears a Who” and a balloon maze inspired by “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” Other attractions include a carousel ride, carnival games and “exclusive, bespoke merchandise.”
The installation is open to people of all ages, though kids must be accompanied by an adult. The venue is designed to be fully accessible to people with disabilities, according to the website.
Produced by the live entertainment companies Kilburn Live and Fever, “The Dr. Seuss Experience” is coming to Tysons after making stops in Toronto, Houston, Chicago and Denver.
Per the press release, Tysons Corner Center will be the first location with a Sneetches Mirror Maze, a nod to the 1961 short story intended to be an anti-discrimination parable.
The installation will be around for a “limited” amount of time, though an end date for the Tysons run hasn’t been set yet, according to a public relations representative.
A waitlist to get advance access to tickets is now open. Tickets will officially go on sale to the public at noon next Wednesday (Feb. 15).
Workers at the regional nonprofit FRESHFARM, which operates three farmers markets in Fairfax County, voted to unionize with United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400 earlier this week.
FRESHFARM worker Ariana MacMartin told FFXnow that the hope is a union can help workers at the farmers markets negotiate for better pay and more job security, as well as hopefully reduce turnover.
“We’ve asked for higher pay and better benefits, but we realized we couldn’t affect change without a union,” MacMartin said.
MacMartin said the specific demands are still in negotiation.
The unionization effort includes about 25 workers who staff and operate FRESHFARM’s 28 markets in the D.C. area, including sites at the Mosaic District, Reston and Oakton, according to UFCW Local 400.
Employees filed for a union election in December. Ballots were distributed on Jan. 18, and National Labor Relations Board officials counted votes on Feb. 8.
While other workers have had to fight tooth and nail for unionization, MacMartin said FRESHFARM has been an extremely agreeable partner in the process.
In a statement, FRESHFARM said:
FRESHFARM is pleased to announce that our farmers market staff have voted to unionize. The organization strives to create the best farmers markets in the region, and having a professional, well-trained workforce is front and center of these efforts. FRESHFARM management is enthusiastic about working with a collective bargaining unit committed to our mission and shared values of improving our workers’ conditions to ensure we continue to best serve our region.
MacMartin said her hope is that the negotiations and improvements can help inspire other farmers market workers.
“I want to unionize every farmers market,” MacMartin said. “My hope is our message spreads to strengthen the working class and we can have our needs met.”
ICYMI: Speed Camera Program Launches Today — Speed cameras will be installed near eight schools across Fairfax County today (Friday). For the first 30 days, drivers who go 10 mph or more over the speed limit will get a warning with no citation. After that, fines could go up to $100. [FFXnow]
How to Help Victims of Turkey Earthquake — “While our Fairfax County @VATF1 continues their efforts in #Türkiye, you may be wondering if there are ways we can help out. The Turkish Embassy is collecting donations now through Sunday!” Donations can be taken directly to the embassy in D.C., but there will also be a collection box in the Target lobby at the Mosaic District until Feb. 26. [Jeff McKay/Twitter, Dalia Palchik]
Police Seek Information About Lorton Shooting — “At 1:50 p.m. on Feb. 4, officers responded to Dixon Street and 4th Place in Lorton for the report of shots fired. Officers learned that an altercation between the occupants of a silver 4-door sedan and a gold 4-door sedan took place that led to an exchange of gunfire.” [FCPD/Facebook]
Bailey’s Crossroads Live/Work Development Gets Support — “The Fairfax County Planning Commission at its Feb. 8 meeting agreed to recommend approval of a rezoning for a second live/work project at the Skyline Center…Seldin’s project to develop live/work units at buildings 1, 2, and 3 at the Skyline Center is nearing completion. The first units are expected to be ready for occupancy in May.” [Annandale Today]
Freed Nicaraguan Prisoners Arrive at Dulles Airport — “This flight to the U.S comes just a few years after the Nicaraguan government began arresting activists and political opponents in an attempt to quell opposition. As reports of the flight’s destination, Dulles Airport, became public, dozens throughout the Nicaraguan community made their way there to welcome the freed prisoners.” [DCist]
FCPD Focuses on Richmond Highway 7-Elevens — “In the wake of numerous crimes committed at 7-Eleven convenience stores around the Richmond Highway area this past year, the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) has increased its presence and engagement at area locations.” [On the MoVe]
County Collects Over 5,000 Tons of Glass — “In 2022 Fairfax County’s Purple Can Club program collected more than 5,231 tons of glass–a slight increase when compared to 2021 (approximately 63 tons). The county also received two new collection locations at Burke Virginia Railway Express and Saratoga Park and Ride — thus making 18 collection locations across Fairfax County.” [DPWES]
Reston Restaurant Group Has Big Plans — “With a projected annual growth rate of 15% to 20%, Thompson Hospitality aims to become an enterprise with revenue exceeding $1 billion within two years…Its operations in 48 states and six countries include the pact with Compass and retail brands like Matchbox, Milk and Honey, Big Buns, Wise Guys Pizza, Velocity Wings, and Makers Union.” [Black Enterprise]
Former Reston Player Now in Basketball Hall of Fame — “Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill, 50, discusses what it was like playing high school basketball in Reston and why he decided to write his autobiography.” Hill was a core part of South Lakes High School’s team before graduating and finding success at Duke University. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
It’s Friday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 68 and low of 50. Sunrise at 7:07 am and sunset at 5:41 pm. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County is adding speed cameras to monitor drivers around schools for the first time.
The photo speed-monitoring devices will be installed near eight schools across the county tomorrow (Friday) as part of a pilot program approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in December, the county announced today.
Here is where the cameras will be located:
- Kirby Road near Chesterbrook Elementary School in McLean
- Old Keene Mill Road near Irving Middle School in West Springfield
- Franconia Road near Key Middle School in Springfield
- Stone Road near London Towne Elementary School in Centreville
- Sleepy Hollow Road near Sleepy Hollow Elementary School in Lake Barcroft
- Silver Brook Road near South County Middle School in Lorton
- Soapstone Drive near Terraset Elementary School in Reston
- Rolling Road near West Springfield High School in West Springfield
Oakton High School isn’t in the initial lineup, but a camera will be added on Blake Lane near Sutton Road in the future, the county says.
A crash that killed two of the school’s students and left a third seriously injured last June was a major factor in convincing county leaders to adopt speed cameras. Police said the driver — an 18-year-old who had just graduated from the school — was going 81 mph when he hit the students on Blake Lane at the Five Oaks Road intersection.
The pilot will also bring a speed camera to the construction work zone on Route 28 near Old Mill Road at the edge of Centreville. Crews are currently working to widen the road.
“The goal of the Speed Camera Pilot program is to improve the safety of our roads, protect pedestrians and motorists and prevent accidents,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said. “This program, in coordination with the Police Department and Fairfax County Public Schools, is a critical tool to deter dangerous behavior and ultimately save lives. As you drive in our neighborhoods and school zones — the message is clear, please take a moment to slow down.”
The county says thousands of drivers were seen exceeding the speed limit by over 10 mph during a survey of five school zones last year, suggesting that speeding “is prevalent” in those areas.
During the first 30 days of the pilot program, drivers caught speeding will receive a warning. After that, fines of up to $100 will start to kick in for any drivers who exceed the speed limit by 10 mph.
Traffic safety, particularly for pedestrians, has emerged as a top priority for both the county’s elected officials and the police department this year after fatalities surged in 2022. The Board of Supervisors is also pushing for Fairfax County Public Schools to install cameras on its school buses, asking earlier this week why a program hasn’t already been implemented.
“We continue to see motorists traveling at speeds well above the posted speed limit and too many crashes are occurring in our county as a result,” Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said. “This program provides a great tool to help reduce speed, deter pedestrian crashes, and keep our communities safe.”
Local drivers got an introduction to speed cameras in Fairfax City, which launched them in school zones last year. Programs are also in the works in Alexandria, Arlington and Falls Church.
A prison sentence is pending for the man who fired gunshots in Tysons Corner Center on Father’s Day weekend last summer, triggering a panicked evacuation.
Noah Settles, a 23-year-old D.C. resident also known as the rapper No Savage, pleaded guilty to four felony charges related to the incident, Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced today (Thursday).
He will serve at least three years in prison, with a potential maximum sentence of 33 years.
“When I came into office, we promised to take serious crimes seriously,” Descano said in a statement. “I can think of few more serious crimes than this: taking a gun and firing into a crowded, public space, endangering the safety of our community members and visitors, disrupting public life, and threatening their future sense of safety.”
A Fairfax County Circuit Court jury indicted Settles on seven charges in September after he fired three gunshots in one of the D.C. area’s busiest malls on June 18. Stores in Tysons Corner Center were locked down, and visitors reported people screaming and fleeing what they feared was an active shooter.
No one was injured by the gunfire, but three people were taken to the hospital with injuries that occurred during the evacuation, Fairfax County police said at the time.
The Fairfax County Police Department later identified Settles as their suspect, describing the incident as an escalation of a verbal argument between two D.C. “crews.” He turned himself in at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center on June 22.
In a hearing today, where prosecutors showed footage compiled from mall surveillance cameras and bystanders’ phones, Settles pleaded guilty to three counts of maliciously discharging a firearm in an occupied building and one count of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, according to Descano’s office.
He had also been charged with felony attempted malicious wounding and two misdemeanors for brandishing a firearm and carrying a concealed weapon.
With the plea, Settles will avoid a trial that had been scheduled to begin Monday (Feb. 13). A sentencing hearing is set for June 23.
“Today’s outcome guarantees accountability for every piece of this incident,” Descano said. “The defendant is pleading guilty to the most serious charges, giving the judge the opportunity to craft a sentence commensurate with seriousness of crime.”
Since the June 18 incident, Tysons Corner Center has been the site of two other gun scares, one of which stemmed from a shattered light fixture and the other related to a jewelry store robbery.
Fairfax County Public Schools is spending what amounts to two full elementary school renovations per year on unexpected increases in construction costs.
Ahead of a school board meeting on the fiscal year 2024-2028 capital improvements program (CIP) tonight (Thursday), one of the major talking points has been the dramatic impact those increases in construction costs have had on the school system’s construction and renovation plans.
At a work session last month, FCPS staff opened up about how badly the construction costs have affected the district’s reserve funding — specifically a “facilities reserve” used to help fund projects.
“At the start of 2022, that balance was $31 million,” interim assistant superintendent Chuck Fanshaw said. “The current reserve balance is at $16 million…There’s an unprecedented amount of escalation [in costs] over the last year that was anticipated by no one.”
Fanshaw said upcoming construction costs are coming in at around 30% over what had been budgeted, totaling around $28 million across four projects. There will be more specific numbers, Fanshaw said, once those projects go to bid in March.
Providence District School Board Representative Karl Frisch laid out the trouble FCPS is facing with the current construction cost crisis.
“In layman’s terms: we’ve spent half of the reserve and Falls Church High School still needs another $33 million in addition to what it was bonded for, even though we only have $16 million left in the reserve, and to address this, you’re thinking of including something to address this in the next bond,” he said.
Frisch said FCPS has spent more than $50 million in unanticipated construction costs — enough to finance two school renovations.
“Typically an elementary school renovation costs $25 million,” Frisch said. “We’re talking about the ability to renovate two elementary schools that we’ve had in additional costs, not to mention the money from the reserve that was spent.”
Frisch suggested FCPS may want to slow down its construction timeline to see if the construction materials market evens out, citing reports of declining lumber prices as a sign that some relief may be ahead.
“No one wants to slow things down, but we’re shooting ourselves in the foot by pouring this money out the window instead of waiting, perhaps a year, to see if prices stabilize for construction materials,” Frisch said. “There’s not a lot we can do about prevailing wages, but where we can do something is the cost of materials for construction.”
Frisch argued that the worst-case scenario is construction slows down, but the best-case scenario is that FCPS saves $40-50 million that would have been spent on overpriced construction materials.
Fanshaw said the rate of increase will likely go down from the current spike, but it’s unlikely the cost of construction will go back to pre-pandemic levels.
“The rate will go down, so it won’t be increasing as much, but nobody sees a retreat at this point in time to the previous level,” Fanshaw said. “It’s worth monitoring and it’s going to have a huge impact. Every school system I’ve talked to is wrestling with the same question at this point in time. The reality is the dollars are what they are, we can build up to the dollars we have, which means it’s going to take longer.”
Chief Operating Officer Marty Smith said the idea of holding off on purchasing to see where the market goes holds true for school real estate as well:
The logic you’re using for brick and mortar also holds true for real estate. When you think about the environment we’re currently in for real estate, when you think about interest rates, it might be prudent for us to come together with recommendations for us to think about the timing on certain purchases so we can maximize our spending power for major land purchases down the road.
The proposed FY 2024-2028 CIP identifies funding for 25 renovation projects over the next five years, along with the Justice High School expansion and new construction on Dunn Loring and Silver Line elementary schools.
Photo via Josh Olalde on Unsplash
A new micro-roast coffee shop hopes to beautify an aging office building in the Town of Vienna.
Frame Coffee Roasters recently got the Vienna Board of Architectural Review’s approval to add signage above its future entrance at 302 Maple Avenue West. It will fill a ground-floor space vacated a couple of years ago by Burke & Herbert Bank, which relocated.
The shop will serve cold sandwiches, pastries and madeleines to go with the coffee, which will be made from beans roasted by owner Johnny Lee.
“I want to make this space as a gallery or some kind of art museum,” Lee told FFXnow, explaining the intent behind the shop’s name. “As the customer comes in, they should feel a very cozy and comfortable area and with some big frames for some beautiful art posters, and also good smells from the coffee and some good food with the coffee.”
This will be Lee’s first business, but he has experience as a barista and learned how to roast coffee beans in his native South Korea.
When he first saw Maple Avenue, he was struck by the abundance of restaurants, delis and other “beautiful shops.” The street’s role as a connector for commuters going to and from D.C. added to its appeal.
“I thought it was the best place for grabbing a coffee in the morning,” Lee said.
After recently obtaining a final needed building permit, Lee anticipates that construction will take about two months, putting Frame Coffee on track for an April opening.
At the Jan. 19 meeting, BAR members lauded the proposal as an aesthetic improvement over the previous tenant, particularly since it’ll remove a navy blue awning that wraps around the front of the building.
“I think this is a good design for this particular building,” BAR Chair Roy Baldwin said. “I like the idea that the awning is removed. This building is verging on historic, because it’s been around for a long time.”
The two-story office building was constructed in 1962, according to Fairfax County land records. Current owner Vienna Property Management LLC acquired the property for $2.4 million on Feb. 1, 2016.
Though it’s not an official historic site, one board member called 302 Maple Avenue a rare example of a “true modern building” in Vienna. Baldwin said the awning had “never looked really right,” commending Frame Coffee for a plan that “respects the building.”
The proposed sign will consist of illuminated channel letters that appear black during the day and white at night, per the BAR staff report.
“I think the signs that change from night to day or day to night are actually pretty elegant,” board member Paul Layer said, adding that the coloring “definitely goes well” with the building’s beige facade.
A representative for Frame Coffee Roasters confirmed the business will repaint and do any necessary repairs on the area that will be newly exposed once the awning is removed.
While Vienna residents often lament the town’s abundance of banks, this is the second former bank set to be converted into an eatery. The BAR approved plans to turn the vacant SunTrust Bank at 501 Maple Avenue West into a Yellow Diner last summer.
Fairfax County officials have waited a decade now for public school buses to be outfitted with video cameras, and their patience is wearing thin.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion Tuesday (Feb. 7) asking Fairfax County Public Schools to explain why it has yet to implement a school bus stop-arm camera program that staff started exploring back in 2013.
The supervisors emphasized the program’s urgency after a year of surging pedestrian fatalities, including some crashes that killed students but didn’t directly involve school buses.
“It’s inconceivable to me that the school board or school administration has ignored this opportunity to make our children safe,” Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust said. “…You don’t have to be on the roads very long around here to see people passing school buses. Something bad is going to happen if we don’t implement this program.”
FCPS “is working with a vendor and the contract is in review,” a spokesperson told FFXnow, but it had no further comment on the delays or a possible timeline going forward.
Failing to stop when a school bus is loading or unloading students is prohibited in Virginia, which imposes a civil fine of $250 for violations.
After the state gave localities the authority to let their schools install video-monitoring systems in 2011, Foust led the county board in directing staff on Oct. 29, 2013 to work with FCPS on adding cameras, according Chairman Jeff McKay’s board matter.
What followed, however, was a flurry of legal questions requiring more state legislation to clarify that police departments can mail summons to violators and permit vendors access to Department of Motor Vehicles data.
Once those concerns were resolved, FCPS staff notified Foust’s office in January 2020 that a vendor had been selected and contract negotiations were underway — only for COVID-19 to put those talks on hold.
FCPS procurement staff then learned in April 2021 that their contact for the vendor had left the company, leaving them unsure whether the existing offer was still viable.
In December 2021, McKay sent a letter to then-Fairfax County School Board chair Stella Pekarsky proposing that a camera program be in place by summer 2022, but neither the school board nor FCPS responded.
After getting an “informal” update this past December, McKay says he has “lost my patience with the excuses that seem to come up from the working group repeatedly,” which he reported range from the disruptions of the pandemic to questions about the availability of police resources.
“I want to hear exactly why this hasn’t been started and hear exactly what the timeline will look like to implement this,” McKay said, noting that all the school board and community members he’s talked to support the program. “…I don’t know that I’ve ever seen something so widely supported, and yet, so miserably delayed, and it’s time to act on this.”
The board’s request comes as Fairfax County prepares to install speed cameras in school and work zones. The county has yet to announce the sites for its pilot program, but County Executive Bryan Hill said Tuesday that the cameras will be put in place next week.
Hill told the board he will talk to FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid about getting an update on the bus cameras “hopefully” in the next two weeks.
Rachna Sizemore-Heizer, an at-large school board member and the current chair, says the county can expect an update soon.
“FCPS is negotiating with the vendor and working through details with our County partners around budget implications, scope, and implementation responsibility,” she said in a statement to FFXnow. “I look forward to providing an update soon.”
Virginia school systems with bus stop-arm cameras include Falls Church City, Arlington and Newport News.
According to the National Safety Council, school bus-related crashes killed 1,252 people in the U.S. from 2011 to 2020, about 5% of them bus passengers. About 70% of those fatalities were occupants of other vehicles and 16% were pedestrians, though it’s unclear if that includes students walking to or from a bus.
Beware of Tax Scam — “Some residents may have received a ‘distraint warrant’ letter from the ‘Tax Assessment Securities.’ This scam alleges that a warrant has been issued against the recipient due to delinquent tax debt and states the Federal Tax Authorities may take enforcement action to satisfy the debt. Fairfax County did not send this letter and is not connected with it in any way.” [Department of Tax Administration]
Virginia Task Force 1 Lands in Turkey — “WHEELS DOWN: Two flights carrying @usaid search and rescue experts from @vatf1 @ffxfirerescue & @LACOFD just touched down in #Türkiye. Team members will soon be working to search for survivors of these deadly earthquakes.” [USAID/Twitter]
Auto Parts Thief Arrested in Merrifield — “Catalytic converter thief caught! Monday night, officers were called to Kings Chapel Rd in Merrifield for a man stealing a catalytic converter. Officers found & arrested the man. In his truck, they found four catalytic converters & three A/C units.” [FCPD/Twitter]
Police Seize $500K in Drugs From Huntington Man — A 28-year-old Huntington man was arrested and charged on multiple drug-related counts after Fairfax County police found marijuana and THC products in his vehicle and home. The investigation began with a traffic stop after detectives learned that he was allegedly transporting drugs from out of the state. [FCPD/Facebook]
FCPD Tests New License Plate Readers — “A new type of license plate reader technology adopted by the Fairfax County Police Department is already yielding positive results in the department’s effort to catch car thieves and solve other crimes.” The FCPD is the first police agency in the D.C. area to use the Flock Safety License Plate Readers, starting with an eight-week test period that began in November. [Patch]
Community Gardens Available at Culmore Park — “The newly developed Boyd A. and Charlotte M. Hogge Park in the Culmore area includes a large, fenced community garden with 34 raised 6-feet-by-9-feet garden beds available to rent for one year — February through November…The Hogge Park Community Garden Plots are rented at an annual cost of $80.” [FCPA]
Teens Lead After-School Arts Program in Reston — “Something very special is happening at Dogwood Elementary School in Reston. Friendships are blossoming, and kids are learning as teenagers mentor smaller kids in music and art…The Tuesday after-school program is the brainchild of Ella Kim, 15, and Emma Kim, 13 — sisters who are classically trained musicians.” [WTOP]
Tysons Corner Center Owner Reports Strong Year — “Macerich’s slice of high-end retail property is surpassing even the national mall landlord’s big expectations. The real estate investment trust said it signed nearly 975 leases last year totaling more than 3.8 million square feet, demand not seen since the Great Recession.” [CoStar News]
It’s Thursday — Overcast throughout the day. High of 66 and low of 45. Sunrise at 7:08 am and sunset at 5:40 pm. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County and several other localities have released a draft of the Regional Fair Housing Plan that not only provides some goals for housing, but comes with a look at specific zoning changes that can be made to help achieve those goals.
The plan was put together by a team of representatives from eight localities, including Fairfax County, and a few partner groups. A 60-day public comment period is scheduled to run through March 31, allowing locals to submit their thoughts on the plan.
The plan comes as Fairfax County considers drastic measures to try to boost the supply of affordable housing countywide, including compelling developers to replace affordable housing lost in redevelopment.
The overall goals laid out in the Regional Fair Housing Plan are:
- Increase the supply of affordable housing for families earning at or below 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for the region — especially where there hasn’t been any.
- Change zoning and land use policies to expand access to fair housing. Increase the development, geographic distribution, and supply of affordable housing.
- Implement policies to preserve affordable housing and prevent displacement of residents. Keep the same number of existing affordable rental units in our region.
- Increase the number of homeowners in the region and reduce the unequal treatment and discriminatory practices that keep members of protected classes from buying a home.
- Protect the housing rights of individuals who are part of protected groups. For example, people of color, those with disabilities and seniors.
- Increase community integration and reduce housing barriers for people with disabilities.
- Make public transit easier to access and afford for members of protected classes.
Each of the goals comes with strategies for localities to pursue. Some of the potential zoning changes, for example, involve not only reducing limitations on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), but also offering incentives to homeowners who want to build them on their properties.
The plan also lists fair housing goals and strategies for specific localities. For Fairfax County, it suggests:
- Reform the county’s for-sale workforce dwelling unit policy by lowering income requirements and creating a separate policy for high-rise condominiums outside Tysons
- Protect the housing rights of individuals in protected groups
Fairfax County has its own 231-page document in the plan outlining the current state of affordable housing, a history of affordable housing policies, and what work remains ahead. The document includes a detailed breakdown of economic stratification in the county.
According to the report, Black and white communities in Fairfax County are “moderately” segregated. In fact, the county’s white residents are more segregated from non-white residents than at any point since 1990.
According to the document:
Fairfax County’s highest priority should be to work to expand the housing choices of existing and potential new residents beyond the neighborhoods dominated by their own race or ethnicity. It needs to make African Americans aware that housing is available to them throughout Fairfax County. It needs to make Asians and Hispanics aware that housing is available to them outside enclaves in which concentrations have developed. It needs to expand the housing choices of Caucasians to include racially integrated neighborhoods. If White households do not continue to move into integrated neighborhoods, these neighborhoods inevitably resegregate.
Beyond just increasing the supply of affordable units, the plan makes policy suggestions aimed at making housing more accessible to seniors, people with disabilities, and other protected classes.
One strategy involves creating a loan fund to help tenants, nonprofit groups and local governments buy apartments and manufactured home parks that are for sale.
“Adopt design standards that require accessible units in new multifamily developments that receive public funds,” the document said. “10% of all units must be accessible to people with mobility disabilities and at least 4% for those with hearing and/or vision disabilities.”
