Affordable housing preservation
Affordable housing preservation has emerged as a consistent cross-departmental priority in the City of Fairfax.
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.
- Committee Activity
Housing goals/targets discussions included affordable housing preservation as part of broader Housing Trust Fund and Affordable Housing Strategic Plan goals discussed at the activity tables.
- Continue to Review Compiled Data
Preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) was identified as an important strategy; members discussed adopting a preservation policy similar to Fairfax County's Affordable Housing Preservation Task Force, and noted recent and pending state legislation supporting NOAH preservation.
- Mar 24, 2025Planning Commission · item WS-1Informational introductions of the Planning Commission to the new City Council
[WS-1] Recent Planning Commission recommendations on redevelopment regarding the preservation of affordable housing were discussed.
In full
It was introduced as a discussion topic at the March 2025 joint Planning Commission/City Council work session, where recent Planning Commission recommendations on redevelopment touching on preservation were noted. By February 2026, the city's first-ever Affordable Housing Strategic Plan had been adopted, with preservation identified as one of its three core focus areas—alongside affordable housing development and strengthening community services—reflecting research findings that 50% of city renters and ~20% of homeowners are cost-burdened. The Housing and Human Services Advisory Board (HHCAB) has been actively engaged: its February 2026 Post-It Note activity flagged preservation as part of Housing Trust Fund and strategic plan goals, and at its April 2026 committee meeting members discussed adopting a preservation policy modeled on Fairfax County's Affordable Housing Preservation Task Force, with an emphasis on naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) and relevant state legislation.
As of July 2026, the Housing Trust Fund guidelines are being refined by HHCAB, with a recommendation that the fund be used to support both affordable housing preservation and development, and the Affordable Housing Strategic Plan's adoption is reflected in the Comprehensive Plan implementation tracker.