Arlington Local Positions A.

League of Women Voters^®
of Arlington

A1. Children's Health. A2. Homelessness. A3. Housing. A4. Domestic Violence.

A. Social Policy

CHILDREN'S HEALTH (1998)

The League of Women Voters of Arlington supports:

1. The use of federal and state funds to ensure a primary health provider ("medical home") for underinsured or uninsured children.

2. Public/private partnerships and other innovative programs for the delivery of health care to at-risk children.

A. Social Policy

HOMELESSNESS (1990, 2007)

The League of Women Voters of Arlington supports:

1. An Arlington County goal of providing temporary shelter for everyone in need. Cooperation with other jurisdictions in the region is recommended. Programs for homelessness prevention, transitional housing, and substance abuse treatment should be priorities for County funding.

2. County funding of a program to avert homelessness by keeping people in their present housing while receiving homelessness prevention services; amendment of the zoning ordinance to allow rooming and boarding houses by use permit.

3. Expansion of the total number of emergency shelter beds on the model of the existing (1989) shelters; establishment and expansion of transitional housing programs. Amendment of county zoning regulations to allow single room occupancies.

4. Provision of adequate substance abuse treatment and detoxification programs; the minimization of waiting time for admission to treatment.

5. Establishment of a citizens advisory committee on homelessness.

A. Social Policy

HOUSING (1999)
The League of Women Voters of Arlington supports:
Funding —
Development and continued support by the County of sources of funding and financing for low-cost housing, such as: a fund dedicated to affordable housing of at least $2 million annually; expanded use of the Industrial Development Authority as a housing finance source; and the seeking of state funds.

Housing for Whom —

1. Efforts in Arlington to retain and expand affordable housing being geared primarily towards those with incomes 50 percent or below the median income.

2. Expansion by the County of methods and programs to protect elderly residents with limited resources from displacement.

3. Increased emphasis by the County on programs to enable low- and moderate-income households to purchase homes, to include expanded marketing of existing programs and increased use of innovative financing.

4. Priority for home ownership assistance being given to first time low- and moderate-income buyers.

5. The development by the County of additional low-cost rental housing for the mentally and physically disabled.

Housing Where/The Impact of Housing —

1. The County offering benefits such as increased density and other incentives to for-profit developers who provide affordable housing on the site of their development. Such incentives should be proportional to the number of affordable units on site and the length of the commitment to providing affordable housing.

2. Funding to make improvements to the general neighborhood atmosphere of areas with large concentrations of "market affordable" housing. The League supports the use of increased bond funding and expanded use of other resources (such as the Apartment Conservation Fund, Neighborhood Conservation Fund and other sources) to make improvements such as curbs, sidewalks, parks, etc. to those neighborhoods.

3. The allocation of County resources, such as the Affordable Housing Investment Fund, exclusively to nonprofit groups or nonprofit/for-profit partnerships that specialize in developing housing for low- and moderate-income households. Nonprofit groups or nonprofit/for-profit partnerships that receive County resources should agree to maintain the housing at affordable levels for the longest term possible and/or in proportion to the amount of public funding provided.

4. Programs by the County giving high priority, for the purchase of County-owned land by nonprofit groups that specialize in developing housing for low- and moderate-income households.

Preservation of Existing/Decent Housing —

1. The County providing funding (grants or low-interest loans) to owners of multi-unit "market affordable" housing for exterior and interior upgrades and safety enhancements. The County should consider partial or complete property tax abatement for owners who make significant improvements to "market affordable" housing. Users of such programs should be required to maintain a certain number of affordable units in proportion to the funding provided.

2. The County placing more emphasis on and allocating more resources to code enforcement as a tool to ensure that housing is safe and decent for all residents.

3. In order to preserve existing market rate affordable housing, the League supports the County being more pro-active in identifying "at-risk" affordable housing resources and working collaboratively with owners, developers, residents and neighbors to achieve an appropriate solution. The County should provide a safely net (such as a larger tenant assistance fund or expansion of the housing grants program) for low-income renters who might be displaced by redevelopment of older properties or code enforcement.

A. Social Policy

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (1981)
The League of Women Voters of Arlington supports:

1. Provision by Arlington County of a comprehensive domestic violence assistance and prevention program including shelter, counseling, referral, and community education.

2. The use of the Department of Human Services by Arlington County public agencies dealing with spouse abuse in order to provide effective and efficient use of existing services.

3. Adequate services in Arlington County for the protection of children reported to be neglected and/or abused. (1968)

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