Affordable Dwelling Unit Ordinance
The Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance was adopted by the City of Fairfax in 2020. 2 separate matters touch this plan or program; each has its own status.
Beacon Landing
Beacon Landing is a 54-unit supportive affordable housing development co-developed by Wesley Housing and the Lamb Center, located within the city. The project drew on 23 separate financing sources and received a $700,000 gap financing investment from the city's Housing Trust Fund in February 2023 — a fund built from cash-in-lieu payments made by developers prior to the adoption of the city's Affordable Dwelling Unit ordinance in 2020.
- Housing Trust Fund, Process & Application Review
The Affordable Dwelling Unit Ordinance (adopted 2020) was referenced in the context of the existing fund's developer contributions, which were committed prior to its adoption.
passedMotion to proceed with the Housing Program Manager incorporating suggested changes into the Housing Trust Fund Guidelines, Application, and Scoring Tool and presenting to the Council on July 14, 2026.✓ Light✓ LaCroix✓ Anderson✓ Bonaiuto✓ Vincent✓ Ihara✓ Jensen✓ Wilber✓ Derosier✓ Atwood✓ Gillespie✓ Napolitano✓ Hatch✓ Opoku-Yeboah· Delboy· Cabelli· Cattaneo
The City of Fairfax 2035 Comprehensive Plan is the city's primary long-range land use and policy document, guiding development, housing, transportation, and related decisions. A five-year review process culminated on October 8, 2024, when City Council unanimously adopted Resolution R-24-30 approving the updated plan dated September 27, 2024.
- Orientation
It was highlighted that the Ordinance now mandates inclusion of affordable units in future developments; approximately $540K in prior cash-in-lieu contributions from developers was noted as the only such funding available before the Ordinance took effect.
- HHCAB Strategy Teams, Working Session
The Affordable Dwelling Unit Ordinance was referenced in the Housing Trust Fund background as the reason future developer contributions to the fund are not anticipated.
- Strategy Team Updates
Discussed in the context of housing goals; it was noted that the current 6% affordable unit allocation for qualifying developments should be increased to 10%.
passedMotion to approve the information sharing/gathering approach of attending various Village in the City events for the Home Sharing Strategy Team.✓ Light✓ LaCroix✓ Delboy✓ Bonaiuto✓ Vincent✓ Ihara✓ Derosier✓ Atwood✓ Gillespie✓ Napolitano✓ Cattaneo✓ Opoku-Yeboah· Anderson· Jensen· Wilber· Cabelli· Hatch
- December 2nd Council Presentation Debrief
It was noted that the current standard of dedicating 6% of units in multifamily developments with a minimum of 30 units affordable to households earning less than 60% AMI may not produce the volume of affordable units needed.
- City of Fairfax Community Development and Planning
The board discussed the six percent set-aside for multifamily (ten percent for single-family) under the Affordable Dwelling Unit Ordinance, noting the percentages derive from enabling authority in the Code of Virginia and that the city adopted the more restrictive, legally time-tested standard, though a different percentage could be considered.
In full
It mandates the inclusion of affordable units in qualifying new developments, replacing a prior system under which developers could make cash-in-lieu contributions to what is now called the Housing Trust Fund (current balance ~$542,524, all committed before the ordinance took effect). The ordinance requires 6% of units in qualifying multifamily developments (minimum 30 units) to be affordable to households earning less than 60% AMI, and 10% for single-family developments; these percentages derive from enabling authority in the Code of Virginia, and the city adopted the more legally time-tested standard, though a different percentage could be considered. The ordinance also includes slightly reduced setbacks for affordable dwelling units compared to standard zoning requirements, a provision that has been referenced repeatedly in ongoing discussions about proposed Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) amendments, with staff recommending that ADU setbacks align with the existing ADU Ordinance setback standards.
Additionally, the ordinance provides a density bonus (up to 20%) for qualifying developments, which has been a key consideration in ongoing Zoning/Activity Center density discussions. Because the ordinance now requires affordable units in-kind, no further cash contributions to the Housing Trust Fund are anticipated, making the existing ~$542,524 balance a one-time resource.