“Elderly, Big Families Have Housing Problems.” This front-page headline might look like a current one, but it was in the Northern Virginia Sun in 1972. The issue at hand was the County Board’s consideration of a rezoning request for about 5 acres of land in the Buckingham neighborhood. The project was ambitious: providing committed affordable housing for low-income seniors. 

The rezoning was approved, and the project was built, known as Culpeper Garden, an eight-story apartment building with over 200 units that have been providing affordable housing services and programs since 1975.The history of Culpeper Garden provides a glimpse into the two challenges facing any attempt to provide affordable housing for seniors: First, getting the project approved, financed and built; and second, sustaining the project. 

The idea for this project started in 1963 with Earl Bailey, a member of the Unitarian Church of Arlington. Bailey, an architect by profession, saw a need for what was referred to back then as “elderly housing.” Bailey worked with his fellow congregants and minister to turn his vision into a reality. In a way, the story really goes back as far as 1926, when Charles and Anna Culpeper bought five acres of property near Route 50 and George Mason Drive.  

Dr. Culpeper, as he was known, was a retired botanist who had worked at the Department of Agriculture from 1920 to 1955. His property was well-known for its remarkable gardens, including azaleas, daffodils, and day lilies. Contemplating a move from their property, the Culpepers were approached by their fellow members from the Unitarian Church to use their property for senior housing. The Culpepers readily agreed, and plans were made to create the Arlington Retirement Housing Corporation, a non-profit corporation that would purchase the property at half its value. The first challenge was to obtain the rezoning approval. 

Some of the immediate neighbors opposed the rezoning, taking the position that the Culpeper property was an “unofficial arboretum” that should be preserved. The property was rezoned by the County Board in a close 3 to 2 vote in 1972, and several homeowners filed a lawsuit to overturn the approval. The lawsuit was not successful, but the delay led to more challenges, including increased financing costs. 

The project was built and completed in 1975, with 210 apartments for independent living. Appropriately named Culpeper Garden, much of the open space has been preserved, including beautiful azalea and daffodil gardens. Culpeper Garden expanded in the 1990s, building a new wing known as Culpeper II, with 63 additional independent living apartments. 

Responding to the growing need for affordable assisted-living services, Culpeper Garden created a new wing in the early 2000s, becoming the first community in the country to combine affordable housing with assisted-living services, using a new HUD program that included construction financing and ongoing rental subsidy for residents. This most recent portion of the project, known as Culpeper III, has 73 assisted-living apartments. 

Sustaining the assisted-living services in Culpeper III has been an ongoing financial challenge, leading to the recent announcement that Culpeper Garden plans to close the assisted-living wing, phasing it out over the next year, and converting the apartments to independent living units. 

To put it mildly, this was an incredibly difficult decision for the Board of Directors of the Arlington Retirement Housing Corporation. For years, the leadership of Culpeper Garden has been trying to find alternatives for funding that could sustain the assisted-living services. Arlington County and local community organizations have been helpful, but a long-term solution has been elusive. Unfortunately, the “Elderly Housing Problems” noted in 1972 remain a challenge more than 50 years later. 

Meanwhile, Culpeper Garden will continue to provide the much-needed independent living units for low-income seniors. To understand the importance of such services, I would recommend a book about Culpeper Garden, written by a number of members of the Unitarian Church. The title is aptly named: “Culpeper Garden: Community Treasure.” In reading the inspirational stories of 29 residents at Culpeper Garden, it becomes evident that Culpeper Garden is indeed a community treasure, committed to its vision of providing affordable housing for seniors.