Is There Any Fix for Alexandria’s Housing Crisis? Agenda:Alexandria Asks the Hard Questions

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Housing in Alexandria has become one of the most contentious issues facing the city — touching everything from property taxes and neighborhood character to affordability, density, and who gets to live here.

On Monday, February 23, Agenda:Alexandria will bring together a panel of experts representing multiple sides of the debate for what promises to be a substantive — and potentially spirited — community conversation.

The non-partisan, issue-neutral organization, founded in 1998 to promote respectful civic discourse, says its goal is simple: shed light where there has been far more heat.

The program will take place at The Forum on the Minnie Howard campus (3775 W. Braddock Road). Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for social time, with the discussion beginning at 7 p.m.

The Questions Everyone Is Asking

The panel won’t shy away from the difficult topics. Among the issues to be explored:

• What is the true state of housing development in Alexandria?

• Does increasing housing supply actually reduce costs?

• Must the city increase density to create affordability — and at what cost to services and community character?

• How should policymakers balance the interests of developers, homeowners, and residents in need?

• What role do federal and state housing policies play in shaping local decisions?

• What does “affordable housing” really mean?

• How many affordable units would it take to meaningfully address the housing crisis?

• And what are the long-term property tax implications?

A Panel Representing Multiple Perspectives

The discussion will feature:

• The Director of Housing for the City of Alexandria

• The Director of Housing Alexandria, a nonprofit community developer

• A professor of economics specializing in housing and regional economies

• The Chair of the Council for a Livable Alexandria

Panelists will respond to questions from the Agenda:Alexandria Board, audience members in attendance, and questions submitted in advance to [email protected].

Attendance costs $10 for non-members and is free for current members.

Additional program details are available at agendaalexandria.org. Recordings of past discussions — including “Is Civil Discourse a Dying Art?” and “Behind the Budget Curtain: How Politics Shape Our Schools” — can be viewed at youtube.com/@agendaalexandria.

Whether you see housing primarily as an investment, a human right, or something in between, this forum aims to provide data, perspective, and an opportunity for civil conversation in a city grappling with rapid change.