In a letter sent to Falls Church City officials this week by Dr. Steve Rogers, president of the Falls Church Housing Corporation (FCHC), it was announced that the FCHC will forgo any appropriation from the City for the coming fiscal year. “The FCHC’s Board of Directors voted at their November meeting to opt out of the Housing Corporation’s annual appropriation request from the City’s General Fund,” Rogers wrote.
The FCHC had been receiving a $55,000 annually from the City consistent with the terms of FCHC’s Cooperative Agreement with the City which dictates that the City will support FCHC for a critical part of its operating funds. Under the agreement signed in 2006, the FCHC was charged with executing the City’s stated goal to create 50 affordable rental units every five years. However, the 66 unit Wilden Senior Apartments new construction housing project was permanently derailed by the City Council this summer. As a result, Rogers’ letter states the FCHC will not undertake any new development projects in the City of Falls Church, and its remaining project resources will be targeted to leveraging permanently affordable rental housing in the greater Falls Church area.