The good news is that at yesterday's meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved a project for the development of 175 affordable homes within walking distance of the Spring Hill Metrorail station, which will be called Dominion Square West. The development is the first step of a two-phase plan to bring affordable housing for working families to the Tysons area and close to Metrorail. This project will have a life-changing impact on the families that will call Dominion Square West home. Learn more.

However, there is still a lot more work to be done, especially for our very low income households. In 2020, the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness was merged into the Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development in recognition that homelessness is in part an affordable housing issue. Despite the hard work of our nonprofits and county staff, homelessness in Fairfax County is up 27% during the past four years. The merger aligns approaches and resources with a plan to offer more affordable housing for our most vulnerable residents. While the county makes every effort to do rapid-rehousing of the homeless, there is simply not enough housing available within reach of persons with very low income levels to address the need. As a result, the county is undertaking a strategy of developing permanent supportive housing with services.

I look forward to having more good news to share with you on affordable housing, as I and the rest of the Board are committed to this important priority. Here are some resources below and please contact my office if you have any questions.

Order your free at-home COVID-19 test kit from the federal government at http://covidtests.gov.

Booster and Vaccine Update for Teens and Children

Whether you take Metrorail or Metrobus occasionally or for your daily commute to work – or maybe you just interested in doing so – you are encouraged to provide input on WMATA's proposed FY 2023 budget through Feb. 15. The proposed budget focuses on providing safe, reliable and affordable transit service to the region. It also includes the planned launch of Metrorail service to six new Silver Line stations, expanding Metro access to Dulles Airport and beyond, and the opening of Potomac Yard Station on the Yellow and Blue lines. You can provide input via an online survey or a virtual/in-person public hearing on Feb. 7 (for Virginia residents). Learn more.

Information on upcoming Reston Comprehensive Plan Study Task Force meetings is below. To learn more about the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study and the task force, visit the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study webpage. Meeting details and agendas will be found here. You can watch live streams of the meetings on YouTube Live, as well as the video archive of all past task force meetings.

The Board of Supervisors' first full meeting of 2022 was yesterday, Jan. 26 and several actions were taken, including those highlighted below. Watch the full meeting here and review materials here.

The Board held a public hearing and approved the FY 2022 Mid-Year Review to amend the appropriation level in the FY 2022 revised budget plan. This included funding for bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements, and an economic visioning study for Lake Anne area revitalization efforts. Learn more.

Running Bamboo Public Hearing

The Board authorized a public hearing to consider amendments to the Code of the County of Fairfax to establish regulations on running bamboo and to add a new article to establish civil penalties. Learn more about running bamboo.

The addition of a portion of Edmund Halley Drive to the Secondary System of State Highways was approved.

Information on the Board approval of financing support for the development of 175 affordable homes can be found at the top of this newsletter.

The schedule of upcoming Board of Supervisors meetings, including committee meetings can be found here.

This past Monday, Jan. 24, the Town Council approved funding for the Patrick Henry Library Parking Garage design. In June 2020, the Town Council approved a design and construction development agreement with Fairfax County to construct shared public parking in conjunction with a complete renovation of the Patrick Henry Library, 101 Maple Ave. The County will build 125 library parking spaces, and the Town will fund 84 public parking spaces for a total of 209 spaces. Learn more. Tysons Reporter article

"I would like to encourage residents and businesses to start the new year by becoming more involved with your local police station. The Reston District Station Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is looking for community members and local businesses to join our CAC membership. Reston CAC meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. and are designed to enhance our police-community partnerships. Meetings include engaging and informative presentations on special topics, highlights of the latest public safety trends and concerns in our community, and important crime prevention resources. All are welcome and we hope you join us and share what you learn with your neighbors and families. Get involved, share your voice and let’s make Reston a better place together! For more information or to join, contact the Reston District Police Station at 703-478-0904."

A reminder from Lisa's dog Max (photo) to get your annual dog license or renew it by Tuesday, Feb. 1. The fee is $10 per dog, except for service dogs which are given licenses for free.

Learn more.

The annual Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (NVSWCD) seedling sale will open Tuesday, March 1! These species were selected because of their value to native bees, but they also serve as valuable food sources for wildlife. All species are native to Virginia. More information.

Permit applications increase every spring especially for popular summer projects such decks, screened porches and pools. Many of these projects require homeowners or contractors to submit architectural plans and plats as part of the permit application. Higher volumes of applications increase queue times for permit processing. You are encouraged to obtain your permit now and avoid the rush. Learn more.