FCHC Fiscal Year 2018 Annual Report
Community Matters
Shaping Lives
Our organization is a leading voice highlighting the need for more affordable housing in the City of Falls Church, and year after year, community support continues to grow. In 2018, we witnessed more citizens alarmed by the rapid decline in the City’s affordable housing stock, and the decreasing opportunity for lower income people to claim the City of Falls Church as their home. The overall number of housing units deemed affordable for lower income households is now at 244 out of over 5,000 total housing units. These calls for action coincided with proposals for three new mixed-use development projects, all market-rate, representing another lost chance for the City to combat the affordability crisis. However, the FCHC Virginia Community Development Corporation is encouraged by the interest citizens and elected officials are showing. This includes the promise to further develop strategies and relationships to achieve our mission to preserve and increase affordable rental housing, serve unmet needs, and help ensure that low to moderate income people have access to stable housing they can afford. Over the last year, we have followed through on this mission by continuing to strengthen our ties, working to steer local housing policy, and constructing regional housing partnerships to create a more affordable and diverse community. We are excited to announce that we have sponsored another internship for the City of Falls Church and the Department of Housing and Human Services (DHHS). In this report, you will learn how our fourth intern followed the path laid down by past alumni, delivering valuable research to DHHS and providing insight to better inform staff, elected officials, and residents. Through articles and guest commentaries in the local Falls Church News Press , FCHC, and the City of Falls Church collectively advanced the dialogue around affordable housing. And, in line with our commitment to furthering our relationship with the local government and due to the renovations at City Hall, FCHC hosted the monthly Housing Commission meetings and Affordable Housing Policy work group sessions at our Winter Hill offices in 2018. Finally, we will describe how our organization and Operation Pathways produced innovative and interactive programs geared to meet the needs of our residents, along with implementing new policies to form a healthier environment for our seniors. With your help and others, we can continue to open new doors for people, and in the process, shape lives.
Richard F. Burns
Thomas G. Vaccaro
Richard F. Burns
Thomas G. Vaccaro
President Executive Director & COO FCHC a Virginia Community Development Corporation
FCHC Community Engagement
Housing Commission FCHC continues to serve as a liaison to the Falls Church Housing Commission. The role has been to provide not-for- profit private sector experience and serve in an advisory role on issues related to housing, urban development, and affordable housing. FCHC recently made an agreement with the City of Falls Church, to volunteer space at Winter Hill for the use of government and commission meetings. This was necessary because of the construction taking place at City Hall, and limited meeting spaces available throughout the city. Once a month, the Falls Church Housing Commission will convene in the Winter Hill board room. City residents can access the building and are welcome to observe and have their voices be heard. These meetings may not be at City Hall, but they still are open to the public, our community, and our neighbors. Affordable Housing Policy Work Group Every five years, the City of Falls Church establishes a Housing Policy Work Group, with the mission to update the affordable housing policy in the city. In 2018, FCHC also hosted and was represented on the Affordable Housing Policy Work Group in Falls Church, championing such policies as an increase in the percentage of set-aside affordable units in every new
development, which represents the only method the City continues to use to increase their affordable housing. However, the Affordable Dwelling Units (ADUs) are bound by covenants which dictate how long they are deemed affordable, usually lasting 20 years. We saw this policy as a culprit in the precipitous decline of affordable housing in Falls Church. This led our organization to push for ADUs to remain affordable for the life of the property, so that the City will never lose another affordable unit again. This was well received and has since been adopted by some of the new market-rate development projects.
town hall meetings concerning local housing issues. Alex also created, distributed and analyzed a public survey concerning future housing needs in the City. Out of 202 respondents, over two thirds felt the City should take a more active role in forming policies that will preserve and create affordable housing. Specific actions included saving The Fields of Falls Church and negotiating with developers to get a higher percentage of ADUs. Respondents also wanted to limit the amount of tear downs that turn into million-dollar mansions. CASA For four years now, FCHC has welcomed CASA to administer their services at our Winter Hill offices. CASA is the largest organization of Latino immigrants in the DC Metro region working to organize, advocate for, and expand opportunities for Latino and immigrant people. CASA provides workforce development and training, employment placement, health education, citizenship and legal services, and counseling, and financial and language literacy training to immigrant communities. Because of their location in Winter Hill, our community is now better equipped to serve our senior residents and all immigrant populations residing in Falls Church.
Summer Internship Our fourth year of sponsoring a
Housing intern for the Department of Housing and Human Services (DHHS) built on the successes of past interns. Alex McMillen, a native resident of the City of Falls Church and former student of George Mason High School, displayed a strong work ethic and a unique understanding of housing policy. Alex focused his work on the City’s update to the Housing Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan and gave a presentation to City Council introducing the plan. He also worked on the new 2018 Affordable Living Policy, the ADU program selection process and ADU lotteries, assisted with the groundbreaking of the City’s new group home, the Miller House, and facilitated
Financial Opportunity Program Your contributions have resonated with
individuals and communities within Falls Church, and the surrounding region. This is possible because FCHC functions as a Lending Institution, concentrating on establishing lucrative returns on noble investments. Community Service Funds Community Service Funds were awarded to FCHC and Winter Hill in 2017. FCHC and Winter Hill are committed to providing our residents with the tools necessary to maintain their ability to live independently, grow their capacity to socialize, preserve their cognitive functions, and combat debilitating neurological diseases. The funds provide our residents with Amazon Fire tablets to further increase their capacity to socialize and obtain mental stimulation, reducing potential factors that may influence the onset of neurological diseases. Residents were asked to take classes/training for three months, before they were able to have one of these tablets for themselves. This ensured that residents were competent and able to get the most out of this useful new technology. Smoke-Free Second-hand smoke has for years been labeled as a health hazard for people and animals, but this is especially true for seniors and individuals with existing health issues and disabilities. FCHC is proud to announce that Winter Hill
became a smoke-free community in June 2018. Residents unanimously supported this change, to better their living environment and prolong the health of themselves and their neighbors. James Moran Community Center The multipurpose Community Center continues to provide a space where seniors can interact with one another, socialize, take classes, host events, and exercise. From yoga to Vietnamese New Year celebrations, the Center acted as a vibrant hub. Additionally, the City of Falls Church and DHHS perform outreach in this location once a month, updating residents on new services, distributing educational materials and transportation coupons for taxis. The Community Center remains a refuge for residents of the city who suffer from power outages and high temperatures, as it can be utilized as an emergency cooling center. These are just a few examples of how FCHC and Falls Church work together to provide a service- enriched environment for our residents as well as to residents of Falls Church who access the space for meetings and gatherings. FCHC Portfolio Asset Management (CDBG) Operations at Winter Hill continued to be very stable in 2018. Winter Hill
was virtually 100% occupied in 2018 with minimal turnover; annual vacancy loss = <1.0%. The City of Falls Church continues to be very supportive of our mission at Winter Hill as another project using CDBG grants was completed in 2018. The property was awarded $33,008 in CDBG funds which were used to reface and repair the railings of 12 balconies. The total cost of the project was $37,313 of which $33,008 was paid by the CDBG grant. The property was also recently awarded $95,000 in CDBG funds which will be used to reface and repair the remaining railings of about 40 balconies. This project is scheduled to be completed during the second half of 2019. The permanent debt on Winter Hill was refinanced in August 2018. The variable rate loan of $6.2 million was replaced with a 10-year, $8.5 million loan with a fixed rate of 4.48%. Even with the new debt, property operations yield a very strong Debt Service Ratio of 1.80+. This transaction generated $1.5 million in loan proceeds and the release of escrows and reserves. These funds will be available for future development opportunities.
Winter Hill is projected to continue stable operations in 2019.
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FCHC Community Engagement
Members
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2018
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centric celebrations and activities, computer and technology classes, wellness workshops, exercise and yoga, flu shot clinics, and financial workshops. Assistance and Authorship of Housing Commission Articles To further educate and encourage support of Falls Church City residents of the need for more affordable housing options in the community, FCHC and the local Housing Commission have partnered in publishing articles in the Falls Church News Press. One of our former Housing Interns and current Data and Communications Analyst for FCHC, Joshua Shokoor, authored the first commentary, detailing the present status of affordable rental units in the City, and proposed potential solutions to this systemic problem. “F.C. Officials Should Negotiate More Affordable Rental Units,” was published January 25, 2018 in the Falls Church News Press .
FCHC, a Virginia Community Development Corporation, is reliant on these valued partners in the pursuit of our mission. We appreciate their generosity and hope to gain more partners as we build on this
Operation Pathways Programming for FCHC Residents Operation Pathways programs for all FCHC residents are conducted in the Winter Hill Community Center. Under the thoughtful leadership of Resident Services Coordinator, Dong Bui, FCHC offered the following programming in Fiscal Year 2018. Pathway to Aging in Place These programs provide the senior residents of Winter Hill the necessary tools to ensure economic security, prevent illness, improve health, understand their legal rights, and live in a safe environment. Residents engage in one-on-one, small group, and large group activities and events, all of which engage and hone their social skills. Other Operation Pathways initiatives for FCHC residents included: community-
foundation of support. Patti & Alan Brangman Marilyn Bugg Shirley Camp C. Tutty Fairbanks Mary Fitzgerald Ellen & Richard Flaherty
Laurie & Ian Graig Linda & Bill Hamill Edward Jenkins Wendy Frieman & David Johnson R.K. & Dana Kaufman Korte Realty Susie & Dan Larcamp Virginia & George Long Willa & Ted Lutz Mary Ann Mahoney Barbara & Richard McCall Tori McKinney Cindy Mester Christine & Brian O’Connor Ann O’Neil Dr. Steven & Glenda L. Rogers Sharon Schoeller Nancy & Jim Scott Edith & David Snyder Kathy & Dennis Szymanski Madalyn Cafruny & Jeffrey Tarbert Jeanne & Edward Trott
330-B.S. Virginia Avenue, Suite 2, Falls Church, VA 22046 703.241.540 • www.fchccdc.org
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