Wesley Housing Hosts Affordable Housing Forum in Arlington

May 7, 2002, Arlington, VA

Over 40 pastors, congregational leaders, and county officials turned out for an Affordable Housing Forum hosted by Wesley Housing at our Whitefield Commons Community Resource Center in Arlington. The event, held on May 7, highlighted the affordable housing crisis for low- and moderate-income families and individuals living in Arlington.

The breakfast gathering featured a panel discussion by local religious housing activists, including Rev. Charles Rinker, President of Arlington New Directions Coalition and Fr. Gerry Creedon, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church. Wesley Housing staff kicked off the program with an overview of what we are doing to increase affordable housing in this area. Arlington County officials also fielded questions from local pastors and congregational leaders about what the county is doing to stem the loss of affordable housing communities. Rev. Herb Brynildsen, District Program Officer, for the Arlington District of the United Methodist Church, offered the invocation and facilitated the group discussion.

In the last twenty years, Arlington County has lost over 15,000 affordable units to demolition or condo conversion, according to the Rev. Charles Rinker. Rinker noted that the affordable housing issue no longer impacts just the poor in Arlington. “It affects the middle class, such as teachers, police, firefighters, nurses, cashiers, and postal workers,” Rinker said.

Fr. Creedon confirmed that the affordable housing situation has impacted some of his parishioners adversely. He related that one of the immigrant families who attends his church has been displaced twice in the last two years by higher rents. The faith community reaches out to such families to provide them with services, but we have to do more than that, he said. “We have to be advocates within our own congregations and within the community on this important issue,” according to Fr. Creedon. “That means putting pressure on county, state, and local officials to preserve and create affordable housing.”

Rev. Rinker pointed out that another historic affordable housing community, The Gates of Arlington, is still in jeopardy. Wesley Housing’s Whitefield Commons Community Resource Center serves many of this community’s residents. If for-profit developers had purchased this historic community in the heart of Buckingham, the market rents would probably have increased by 50 percent. “What accompanies this is the displacement of all households and the destruction of a viable and interesting community which the County and the community have already put time and money into,” Rev. Rinker said. Arlington New Directions Coalition, an organization Rev. Rinker co-founded, has been meeting with County officials concerning The Gates and other affordable housing communities
in Arlington.

Fr. Creedon urged County officials to become proactive on affordable housing, rather than reactive to developers’ actions. He urged the attendees to find new allies and new ways of relating to business interests within Arlington to generate greater support for the issue. “We must challenge the institutions of power to help them understand the ethical and moral issues associated with affordable housing,” according to Fr. Creedon.

“We hope to sponsor more issue forums on affordable housing throughout Northern Virginia,” said Alvin Smuzynski, Wesley Housing President/CEO. “We will be working with the congregational leaders who attended this forum to highlight the need for a fuller range of housing opportunities here in Arlington,” Smuzynski said.