(Updated at 5 p.m.) A few new tenants are making their way to Merrifield Plaza, the H Mart and Lidl-anchored shopping center at Route 29 and Gallows Road.
The newcomers will include a franchise of Shi Miao Dao, a Chinese noodle shop that can also be found in Rockville, Maryland, among other locations. The Merrifield restaurant is part of the same brand, but the operator isn’t affiliated with the one in Rockville, says a broker for TSCG, which manages and leases Merrifield Plaza.
Specializing in cuisine from the southwestern province of Yunnan, Shi Miao Dao originated in China, where it has more than 750 restaurants, before expanding in recent years to North America, according to Eater San Diego, where a franchise opened last year.
Translating roughly to “ready in 10 seconds,” the name refers to the time it takes to dump the ingredients of the restaurant’s signature, DIY noodle soup into the accompanying pork broth, the Washington Post said in a review of the Rockville location that calls the dish “exquisite.”
Shi Miao Dao will occupy 1,200 square feet at 2833 Gallows Road, per TSCG.
Also coming to Merrifield Plaza is La Mexicana, an expansion of the bakery and taqueria that has operated at 2907 Arlington Drive in Hybla Valley since 2002.
According to its website, the eatery was started by a couple who wanted to “share our Mexican heritage and love for baking” and specializes in traditional Mexican dishes, like tacos and tamales. Washingtonian designated it as one of the D.C. area’s best cheap eats in 2017 and 2018.
“From mouthwatering tacos to traditional enchiladas, La Mexicana promises to be a haven for lovers of Mexican cuisine,” TSCG said.
La Mexicana’s second location will be at a 2,000-square-foot space at 2855 Gallows Road next to Lidl. Owner Carlos Benitez estimates that it’ll be four to five months before the restaurant opens, since they’re waiting for Fairfax County to approve the necessary permits to start construction.
Finally, Merrifield Plaza will add Sou the Spa, a South Korean beauty and skin care clinic that can currently be found in Annandale. The spa has leased 1,200 square feet at 2851 Gallows Road.
TSCG says Shi Miao Dao is expected to open sometime in March, but there’s no estimated opening date for Sou the Spa yet.
“We are thrilled to welcome La Mexicana, Sou the Spa, and Shi Mao Noodles to Merrifield Plaza Shopping Center,” TSCG Executive Vice President Billy Orlove said. “These establishments add a unique and diverse dimension to our current offerings, providing something for everyone in the community. We know that Merrifield Shopping Center will continue to be a great source of retail stores.”
The proposal to permit a casino in Fairfax County has honed in on one specific site: a former Aston Martin and Bentley dealership in Tysons.
Site criteria for the potential gaming establishment emerged yesterday (Wednesday), when state Sen. Dave Marsden’s long-awaited/dreaded bill was officially published online, just two days before the Virginia General Assembly’s filing deadline for the 2024 session.
As first reported by NBC4, the legislation would add Fairfax County to the list of localities eligible for a casino as long as the facility is:
- Located within one-quarter of a mile of an existing station on the Metro Silver Line
- Part of a coordinated mixed-use project development
- Outside of the Dulles International Airport flight path
- Within two miles of a major shopping destination with at least 1.5 million square feet of gross building area
- Outside of the Capital Beltway (I-495)
Those conditions limit possible sites to Tysons, dropping Reston from consideration after residents there prepared to fight the incoming legislation.
However, Marsden confirmed to FFXnow that he plans to amend the bill, titled Senate Bill 675, to further narrow the proposed scope to the abandoned Exclusive Automotive Group lot at 8546 Leesburg Pike near the Spring Hill Metro station.
Marsden didn’t specify what criteria will come with the amendment, but he says it will be added before the bill is presented to a committee. The legislation was referred yesterday to the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology, which hasn’t scheduled a meeting on it yet.
The site of a fire in April 2023, the dealership has been vacant since the company relocated its Aston Martin and Bentley franchises to a new showroom that opened in Ashburn in spring 2022.
The property was sold by the Cherner Development Group to Tysons Development LLC — a joint venture of the Clemente Development Company and Khaled Juffali Co. — for over $57 million on Feb. 4, 2020, per Fairfax County records. The sale involved multiple parcels totaling about 7.5 acres — all part of the planned View at Tysons development.
Approved by the county in 2019, The View at Tysons would transform the Route 7 and Tyco Road intersection with over 3 million square feet of mixed-use development, including the D.C. area’s tallest office tower and a performing arts center.
Marsden has said the casino could be part of an entertainment district that may also include an arts venue. He confirmed the project was proposed by Reston Station developer Comstock, which was previously reported to be pushing for a casino near the Wiehle Metro station.
“In my view, this casino is needed to ensure further revenue for Fairfax County to fund schools and other vital services due to the decline in commercial real estate revenue and increases in costs for Metro and other county obligations,” Marsden said, adding that broadening the commercial tax base would “take pressure off” of residential real estate and car taxes.
Local reactions to the possibility of a casino have generally ranged from skeptical to hostile. The McLean Citizens Association, which includes Tysons in its coverage area, sent a letter to state legislators last week opposing the impending bill, while Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik told FFXnow yesterday that there are still too many questions around where revenue would go and how the operator and site will be selected.
In addition to providing location criteria, SB 675 would require Fairfax County to consider a prospective operator’s labor practices, including payment of prevailing wages to construction contractors and hospitality workers and labor peace agreements with any unions. The operator would need to enter into an agreement with employee labor groups before it’s submitted to Virginia Lottery for approval.
If the bill passes the General Assembly and gets signed into law by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Fairfax County voters would still have to approve a referendum to allow a casino. Virginia currently has five localities eligible for a casino, but Richmond may be removed from that list after voters rejected a referendum two times.
Image via Google Maps
Public Hearing on Chantilly Data Center Coming — The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing next Tuesday, Jan. 23, on a proposal to build a data center or warehouse off of Route 50 in Chantilly. Residents of the nearby Pleasant Valley community told the planning commission in September that the data center would be bad for their neighborhood and the environment. [The Connection]
Grocery Store Under Construction in Hybla Valley — “Renovations have begun at the former Safeway site at Mount Vernon Square, and the projected opening date for the new Fresh World supermarket is mid- to late summer 2024, according to Joshua Kim, a property management representative for Mt. Vernon Square LLC, which purchased the shopping center last June.” [On the MoVe]
County Starts Summer Camp Registration Soon — “Start thinking about fun in the sun by preparing for Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) spring and summer camps. Registration for spring and summer camps opens at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23. In preparation, FCPA is sharing the full listing of camps, as well as offering multiple ways to search and tools to use that will make enrolling easier.” [FCPA]
Ban on Personal Use of Campaign Money Advances — “Virginia elected officials would be prohibited from spending their campaign funds on personal expenses such as mortgages, vacations or gym memberships under a bill a House subcommittee advanced on a bipartisan basis Wednesday…Currently, lawmakers are only barred from converting campaign funds to personal use once they close out their accounts.” [Associated Press/WTOP]
McLean Candy Company Plans New Factory — “McLean food and pet care giant Mars Inc…announced last week it is building a $237 million baking facility in Salt Lake City for Nature’s Bakery, a maker of fig bars, brownies and oatmeal treats. The 339,000-square-foot facility will create 190 new jobs and is expected to be up and running by July 2025.” [Washington Business Journal]
Metro Lets Riders See Year-End Stats — “For the first time, Metro customers can get a personalized report of their Metro ridership for an entire year. The new website, called Your 2023 Metro report, gives riders detailed information about their use of public transit last year including” trip totals, the number of stations visited and miles traveled. [WMATA]
Tysons Event Planner Makes Acquisitions — “Events planning company Cvent, acquired last year by New York investment firm Blackstone, has made two acquisitions of its own, pushing further into the trade show management business. Cvent has paid an undisclosed sum for San Jose-based B2B automated appointment scheduling company Jifflenow, and an undisclosed sum for Boise, Idaho-based trade show leads company iCapture.” [WTOP]
It’s Thursday — After a mostly cloudy day with a high around 37 degrees, snow is likely tonight, especially after 1am, as the temperature drops to about 28 degrees with light and variable wind. There’s a 60% chance of precipitation and potential new snow accumulation of less than half an inch. [Weather.gov]
The Fairfax Symphony Orchestra and Capital One Hall in Tysons will throw back to 1964 next month — specifically to the D.C. concert that helped introduce The Beatles to America.
The Merrifield-based classical orchestra has partnered with Classical Mystery Tour, a Beatles tribute band, for a Beatles 60th Anniversary Tribute concert that will take over Capital One Hall on Feb. 10, starting at 7:30 p.m.
Recreating the Fab Four’s Feb. 11, 1964 show at the Washington Coliseum, the concert will kick off a new series that the Fairfax Symphony has planned for this year at Capital One Hall (7750 Capital One Tower Road), extending a partnership that dates back to the performing arts venue’s launch in 2021.
“Our partnership with Capital One Center is like a finely tuned ensemble,” Fairfax Symphony Executive Director Jonathan Kerr said in a press release. “Together, we’re able to curate an immersive series of concerts that resonate with audiences. We’re excited to ‘perform’ in such a harmonious partnership that enriches the community!”
Envisioned as a showcase for “generation-defining music,” the series will continue on March 8 at 8 p.m. with the Music of Billy Joel. For that concert, which is timed to the 45th anniversary of Joel’s album “52nd Street” and his upcoming 75th birthday, the orchestra will be joined by musician Michael Cavanaugh, a Tony and Grammy nominee for his starring role in the Billy Joel jukebox musical “Movin’ Out.”
The series will conclude — at least for this season — with a collaboration with the Indigo Girls on May 11 at 8 p.m. Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, who make up the folk rock duo, have been performing arrangements of their music with symphonies around the country since 2012.
Supported by a partnership with ArtsFairfax, which vets community groups seeking to use the Tysons venue, Capital One Center Managing Director Jonathan Griffith says the concert series is intended to blend “popular music artists spanning multiple decades, with melodious, symphonic accompaniment.”
“Capital One Center is thrilled to partner with the Fairfax Symphony to bring three, very different and dynamic collaborations to life,” Griffith said. “…Together with the FSO, we’re creating unique concert experiences to serve our diverse Fairfax County and broader region, all made possible by the special public-private partnership between Capital One, Fairfax County and ArtsFairfax.”
The next show coming to Capital One Hall will be standup comedian Fortune Feimster, who is returning for two shows at 7 and 9:30 p.m. this Saturday (Jan. 20).
(Updated at 2:30 p.m.) The new, much-debated state bill to allow a casino in Fairfax County has arrived with some limited but critical changes from its previous iteration.
Though the bill doesn’t appear to be available online yet, NBC4 reports that state Sen. Dave Marsden (D-35) has filed legislation that would add Fairfax County to the small list of Virginia localities eligible for a casino.
According to NBC4, the bill closely resembles a proposal that Marsden submitted and quickly withdrew last year, but the new iteration includes even more specific criteria for the potential casino site:
The eligible host locality described in subdivision A 6 shall be limited to a proposed site for a casino gaming establishment that is (i) located within one-quarter of a mile of an existing station on the Metro Silver Line, (ii) part of a coordinated mixed-use project development, (iii) outside of the Dulles airport flight path, (iv) within two miles of a major shopping destination containing not less than 1.5 million square feet of gross building area, and (v) outside of the Interstate 495 Beltway.
The addition of proximity to a “major shopping destination” as a requirement narrows the possible locations down to Tysons, specifically a “defunct auto dealership on Route 7,” Marsden told NBC4.
That rules out the possibility of a Reston casino. Patch reported in October that Reston Station developer Comstock was hoping to build a casino near the Wiehle Metro station, a proposal that drew strong objections from Reston Association and the general community.
Arguing that Fairfax County needs to diversify its commercial tax base, Marsden has said he sees Tysons as a more appropriate site, envisioning the casino as part of an entertainment district that could include a performing arts venue and a conference center.
In 2022, Comstock sought an amendment to Fairfax County’s Comprehensive Plan that would allow a residential and retail development to replace the Koons Chevy and Chrysler dealerships at 2000 and 2050 Chain Bridge Road near Route 7. The proposal didn’t advance, since county planners determined that an amendment wouldn’t be needed.
It’s unclear if that location is the one that Marsden has in mind, since those dealerships are still in operation. The Priority and Sheehy auto dealerships on Leesburg Pike (Route 7) near the Spring Hill Metro station closed up shop last summer, potentially setting the stage for redevelopment.
NBC4 reports that an unidentified, “interested” developer would like to build “a casino paired with a large convention center, hotels, restaurants, office space and residences.”
The Tysons Community Alliance, which released a strategic plan for Tysons in December that includes increased capacity for large gatherings as a priority, says it has no comment on Marsden’s casino proposal.
Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, whose district includes the Koons dealership site, has expressed opposition to a casino on Metro’s Silver Line, though his focus in the past has been on Reston in light of Comstock’s rumored interest.
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik, who represents other parts of Tysons, says her office hasn’t received any project proposals. In the fall, she told FFXnow she’s open to discussing any proposal brought to her office but was skeptical a casino will materialize, since even if Marsden’s bill is signed into law, it would have to be approved by voters in a referendum.
In a new statement, Palchik says she still has reservations about the proposal, though she supports “increasing local authority in both land use policy and revenue diversification.”
“There are still too many questions that exist around where the income would go and how a location and provider would be selected,” she said. “I have not received any land use proposals, and the site selection and land use processes are not something that are decided at the General Assembly level. This bill was also not requested at the county level. We know that the market has shifted and we continue to review the big picture for the future of commercial and residential real estate, but this specific proposal has not yet provided the necessary data, impact, or outreach to our offices nor to the community.”
In their quest to boost the region’s limited housing supply, Northern Virginia leaders have explored a variety of potential solutions.
Arlington and Alexandria in particular garnered plenty of headlines — and legal scrutiny, in the county’s case — when officials voted separately last year to allow more dense housing in areas previously reserved for single-family detached homes, among other zoning reforms.
Fairfax County, however, has no plans at the moment to follow in its neighbors’ footsteps by eliminating single-family-only zoning, according to Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay.
Instead, the county hopes to increase and diversify its housing stock with more targeted policies, such as looser rules for accessory living units (ALUs) and workforce housing requirements, that can accommodate the different character and needs of different neighborhoods.
“Every county and city is different, and so, I’m not in a position to critique what Arlington and Alexandria have done,” McKay told FFXnow. “But we’ve been careful in Fairfax County to make sure that we can grow our affordable housing base and, at the same time, protect the integrity of our single-family neighborhoods…They’re in a different place [in their development schedule], and so, they have reached the point where they believe the only way they can address the ‘Missing Middle’ is to eliminate single-family [only] development. We are nowhere close to that point in Fairfax County.”
Size matters
The D.C. metropolitan area ranks 10th in the U.S. for “pent-up housing demand” due to a lack of supply and elevated mortgage rates, according to the National Association of Realtors. The tight supply fuels high prices that are expected to keep rising in 2024, peaking in June at a median of $935,930 for a single-family house, per a Northern Virginia Association of Realtors and George Mason University forecast.
Faced with limited space for new development, proponents of Arlington’s “Missing Middle” zoning changes and Alexandria’s “Zoning for Housing” initiative argued that opening up single-family-exclusive lots to different types of housing, such as duplexes and townhouses, will allow more units to be built, easing market pressures that have sent median single-family sales prices soaring over $1 million in both localities.
Though those measures didn’t exactly pass with ease, eliminating single-family-only zones in a place of Fairfax County’s size would be “a little bit more challenging,” says Jill Norcross, executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance (NVAHA).
“There’s just a lot more people, a lot more housing units and communities,” she said.
Of the 426,412 housing units in the county as of 2022, 46.1% are single-family detached houses, while 29.6% are multi-family residences and 24.2% are single-family detached homes, per the county’s most recent demographic report. In comparison, Arlington and Alexandria, respectively, are about 70 to 75% multi-family housing.
Parts of Fairfax County are dominated by single-family houses, which range from the mansions of McLean and Great Falls — the kind that Arlington leaders have said they’re trying to avoid — to older, smaller ranch-style or split-level homes like those found in Annandale or Groveton. Then, there are areas like Reston, where more than 80% of homes are townhouses, apartments or condominiums, according to Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn.
That variety means “a one-size-fits-all answer here is no good,” McKay says. Read More
Snow remains on the ground after the D.C. area’s biggest snowstorm in two years, but the George Washington Memorial Parkway at least has reopened for traffic.
The roadway’s northern section from I-495 (Capital Beltway) in McLean to Spout Run in Arlington had been closed since Monday morning (Jan. 15) in response to the forecasted snow, which was expected to exceed 2 inches.
The National Park Service announced this morning (Wednesday) that the GW Parkway is open again, but northbound and southbound traffic are each confined to one lane in the stretch that’s under construction as part of an ongoing rehabilitation project.
“Drivers should continue to stay alert while driving through the construction zone, observe traffic signs, respect the 40-mph speed limit, expect delays through narrow travel lanes, and plan alternate routes,” the NPS said.
Fairfax Connector resumed regular service today after operating on a reduced schedule since 8 p.m. on Monday, though the bus system warned that some routes are using detours due to road conditions. Metrobus is also running nearly all bus routes on a regular schedule with some detours.
With temperatures dropping into the teens this morning, or even as low as 9 degrees at Dulles International Airport, the Virginia Department of Transportation cautioned travelers to watch out for icy spots on roads and pavement.
According to preliminary totals from the National Weather Service, snowfall totals in Fairfax County ranged from 2.8 inches in Lorton to 4.8 inches reported in Herndon and Vienna. Inside the Beltway, the county recorded roughly 3.5 inches.
This was the first time in 728 days that the D.C. region got more than an inch of snow, according to the Capital Weather Gang.
The storm prompted Fairfax County Public Schools to call a snow day yesterday — its first since 2022. The school system resumed classes today on a two-hour delay.
Baltimore and Washington DC metros picked up the most snow since 2022. Here's a map (followed by a county-by-county list) of the snow and ice totals from this recent event: https://t.co/a1FgB0Rumy. #MDwx #VAwx #WVwx #DCwx pic.twitter.com/aCjogoNpPr
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) January 16, 2024
Use caution this morning, with temps in the teens and single digits, residual #icy spots are likely.
We have crews out this morning spot treating as needed. You can submit a request at https://t.co/12wxgee8pi or 800-FOR-ROAD. pic.twitter.com/eSHnfafxof
— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) January 17, 2024
Image via Google Maps
FCPS Delays Classes After Snow — “All Fairfax County public schools and school offices will open two hours late tomorrow. Central Office employees may report two hours later than their regular scheduled time, but no later than 10 a.m…Central offices will open to the public at 10 a.m.” [FCPS]
Man Arrested for Impersonating Police Officer — “A 31-year-old Georgia man is facing charges after City of Fairfax police said he impersonated a law enforcement officer and deceived four people into paying him money. Officials said they were made aware of multiple cases of fraud in June 2023.” [WJLA]
County Recognizes National Day of Racial Healing — The Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS), Board of Supervisors and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) leaders proclaimed Jan. 16 a National Day of Racial Healing. “The event recognized the partnership between NCS and NOVA to promote racial healing and upward mobility that will secure a more equitable, just and inclusive community.” [NCS]
More Capital Bikeshare Stations Proposed — “The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) will host a virtual meeting on expanding the Capital Bikeshare network in the Mount Vernon District at a virtual meeting on Thursday, Jan. 18″ at 7 p.m. Twelve new stations are proposed around the Huntington Metro Station, Fort Hunt Park and Mount Vernon Trail. [FCDOT]
Vote on Reston AC Service Planned — The Reston Association Board of Directors approved a referendum starting Feb. 16 on whether to repeal a deed provision requiring Lake Anne customers to obtain air-conditioning services from RELAC. “There will be two public hearings held on Feb. 5 and 12 for RELAC customers to provide feedback and learn more about what the referendum entails.” [Patch]
State Lawmakers Debate Raising Minimum Wage — “Among the first bills to draw such partisan debate was legislation that would raise the minimum wage in Virginia, which currently sits at $12 per hour. Under the bill, the minimum wage would increase to $13.50 per hour in 2025, and then rise again to $15 in 2026. The bill passed through the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor Monday by a 9-6 vote, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed.” [WTOP]
Blood Drive Coming to McLean — “January is National Blood Donor Month and the McLean Volunteer Fire Department encourages local residents to participate in its blood drive on Friday, Jan. 26. The fire department, in partnership with Inova Blood Donor Services, will hold the event from 1 to 5:30 p.m. at its station, located at 1455 Laughlin Ave.” [Gazette Leader]
It’s Wednesday — Expect sunny skies with a high near 29 and a west wind ranging from 7 to 13 mph. As the night progresses, there will be increasing cloud coverage and a low temperature around 19. Winds will shift to the southwest, blowing at 3 to 6 mph. [Weather.gov]
The first-ever Northern Virginia Space and Satellite Summit is about to launch in Tysons.
Organized by the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce, the event will bring space industry leaders and experts to the Womble Bond Dickinson office in Boro Tower (8350 Broad Street, Suite 1500) on Thursday, Jan. 18.
“We are excited to bring together industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals in the field of space and satellite technologies for the first-ever Space and Satellite Summit,” Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce interim president and CEO Mark Ingrao said. “This event is a testament to our commitment to fostering innovation, collaboration, and economic growth in the Dulles region and beyond.”
The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority counts aerospace as one of the county’s key industries when coupled with the plethora of defense contractors in the area.
- David Bettinger, CEO of Arlington’s Axta Space
- Dennis Gatens, CEO and founder of LEOCloud in Ashburn
- George Nield, president of the British consulting firm Commercial Space Technologies
- Joseph T. Darden, director of aviation business development for Iridium, a satellite communications company headquartered in Tysons
- Stephen McCall, director of government relations for Texas-based Firefly Aerospace
The chamber says the event will also provide a valuable opportunity for networking. Attendees are required to register for the summit, which costs $45.
The summit comes just a week after NASA announced that its Artemis missions will be delayed in response to technical issues. The launch that the agency hopes will return humans to the Moon for the first time since 1972 isn’t expected now until September 2026.
Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine is calling on the federal government to investigate whether Navy Federal Credit Union has discriminated when approving loans to homebuyers.
The country’s largest credit union, which is headquartered in Vienna, rejected more than half of the Black people who sought a conventional home purchase mortgage in 2022, despite approving over 75% of white borrowers seeking the same loan, CNN reported last month.
Hispanic applicants also got approved just 56% of the time compared to 77% for their white counterparts, according to the report, which was based on data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
The disparities, which exceed those reported by other major lenders, suggest Navy Federal’s practices may violate prohibitions on discrimination in the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), Kaine and other senators wrote in a Jan. 12 letter urging a review by the CFPB and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
“While it is appropriate for a lender to deny a mortgage application when the loan will not be sustainable for the borrower, those decisions are made based on a borrower’s financial ability to repay the loan,” the senators said. “It should go without saying that a person’s race, or any other protected characteristic, should never be a factor.”
Founded in 1933 to provide loans to Navy Department employees, Navy Federal has grown to 13 million members and now serves all branches of the military, along with Department of Defense civilians, veterans and their families. The not-for-profit credit union has over 350 branches around the world and employs more than 4,000 people at its headquarters (820 Follin Lane), according to its website.
A spokesperson for Navy Federal Credit Union said the organization has “already initiated a review to assess our mortgage lending policies and practices,” noting that more of its conventional mortgage loans go to Black borrowers — about 18%, per CNN — than most other large lenders.
However, CNN reported that most Black applicants are still getting denied, and the racial disparities persisted even when variables like income, property value and neighborhood characteristics were the same.
“Navy Federal is committed to serving each and every one of our members fairly, and we strive every day to expand economic opportunity and access to credit for our diverse community of members,” the Navy Federal spokesperson said. “…We will continue to work to support all of our members — including Black borrowers — to help them build strong financial futures.”
Homeownership emerged in the post-World War II years as a critical path for accumulating wealth. Over the past 10 years, homeowners have gained anywhere from $98,900 to $150,800 in wealth from rising home values, depending on their income, according to a National Association of Realtors report.
However, Black and Hispanic residents have often been excluded by segregation, redlining and other discriminatory practices, leading to the creation of the 1968 Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, gender, disability and other identity factors.
The legislation helped narrow the gap between white and Black homeowners, but those gains were erased by the 2008 recession, according to Urban Institute. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments announced last week that Fairfax County is among eight localities that have adopted a Regional Fair Housing Plan intended to improve access to housing.
In a press release, Kaine noted that he, fellow Virginia Sen. Mark Warner and other senators introduced legislation last July to reduce the wealth gap by helping first-time, first-generation homebuyers get mortgages.
Image via Google Maps
