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Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States, and it is becoming more frequent with climate change. As we head into the typical spring and summer rainy season, Arlington, Fairfax County and the City of Alexandria are teaming up for Virginia Flood Awareness Week to share key messages of being informed and prepared.

Virginia Flood Awareness Week, March 12-18, 2023, stresses personal safety with the “Turn Around Don’t Drown” campaign. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than half of all flood-related drownings occur when motorists attempt to drive through flood water. Other leading flood-related deaths happen when people walk too close to flood water.

Just an inch of water entering a home can result in as much as $25,000 in damages. Yet only 3% of Virginians have flood insurance. Flood Awareness Week seeks to educate the public about protecting their property by purchasing a flood insurance policy, which on average in Virginia costs between $400 and $1000 annually. It is crucial for residents and property owners to know if they are located in a flood hazard area.

Arlington is taking action to improve Flood Resilience as well, by increasing investment in the County’s stormwater management system, constructing projects such as the stormwater vault at Cardinal Elementary School, and increasing stormwater requirements for building projects.

Some additional tips for protecting property:

As part of Flood Awareness Week, Arlington, Fairfax and Alexandria are hosting a pair of Lunch and Learn Webinars:

To understand more about floodplain areas in the County, visit the Reducing Your Risk of Flooding page.

Visit floodsmart.gov, an official site of the National Flood Insurance Program, for more information or flood insurance, or speak with your homeowner’s insurance agent.

For additional information on what Arlington is doing to be more flood resilient, visit Flood Resilient Arlington.

Arlington County is the second best “city” to live in the U.S., according to a new set of rankings.

The school-and-place ranking website Niche is out with the 2023 edition of its Best Places to Live in America, and Arlington is second only to Cambridge, Massachusetts — home of Harvard and MIT — on the cities list.

“Living in Arlington offers residents an urban feel and most residents rent their homes,” Niche writes about Arlington. “In Arlington there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many young professionals live in Arlington and residents tend to be liberal. The public schools in Arlington are highly rated.”

Arlington is also No. 3 on Niche’s list of Best Cities to Raise a Family in America and No. 5 on its list of Best Cities for Young Professionals in America.

Arlington received “A+” grades for public schools, nightlife, health and fitness, and family friendliness, plus an A for diversity, outdoor activities and commute. It received a B for weather, C+ for housing and a C for cost of living.

Niche puts Arlington’s median home value at $755,800, compared to a national median of $244,900, while the median monthly rent is $2,094 compared to $1,163 nationally.

Arlington was No. 1 on Niche’s best cities list for five years straight, but fell to No. 2 in 2021.

A press release about the rankings release is below.

March 20, 2023 – PITTSBURGH – Niche, the leading platform connecting students and families with colleges and schools, has just published the 2023 Best Places to Live in America rankings. In the ninth consecutive year that Niche has produced these rankings, 228 cities and 17,932 towns and neighborhoods were included. Millions of people each year use Niche rankings and profiles to help with key life decisions such as where to live and where to go to school.

This year, for the first time ever, Cambridge, Mass., has been named the #1 Best City to Live in America. Chesterbrook, Pa., a neighborhood in the Philadelphia area, keeps its title as the #1 Best Place to Live in America for the fourth year in a row.

Niche creates the annual Best Places to Live rankings by using data from sources such as the U.S. Census, FBI, Bureau of Labor Statistics and CDC combined with millions of resident reviews. The company considers factors such as affordability, the local housing market, neighborhood diversity, area public schools, walkability and more.

“For almost ten years now, our Best Places to Live rankings have helped people find a new neighborhood to call home based on what matters most to them, whether that’s affordable housing, easy access to amenities or excellent local schools,” said Luke Skurman, CEO and founder of Niche. “We are proud to be a trusted resource for families, homebuyers, professionals and retirees alike in their research. Families wondering about an area’s school district can also use our comprehensive school profiles and rankings to get a feel for their child’s potential school.”

In addition to the national rankings, users can view the Best Places, Suburbs or Neighborhoods to Live rankings by state, metro area or county. Specialized lists include Best for Families, Young Professionals, Homebuyers, Retirees and more.

2023 Best Places to Live in America:

2023 Best Cities to Live in America:

To explore the full Places to Live rankings, visit: https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/rankings/

To read more about the rankings methodology, visit: https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/rankings/methodology/

For families looking to find out more about schools within a city, see our K-12 school rankings: https://www.niche.com/k12/rankings/#bestbycity

Arlington County has launched the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), a competitive grant program that will support community and individual projects related to Arlington’s history, built environment, and cultural heritage. The application period is now open. It closes on April 28, 2023.

In December 2022, the County Board approved the Historic Preservation Fund Grant Guidelines and authorized the County Manager to approve grants and disburse grant funds consistent with the guidelines.

“There are many civic groups and individuals that could maintain historic buildings and share Arlington’s history and culture with some help financially. The Historic Preservation Fund offers a competitive and transparent process for funding community-initiated projects that celebrate Arlington’s heritage and diversity,” County Manager Mark Schwartz said.

The fund provides a unique opportunity to invest in the future of preservation in Arlington County, including the repair of historic building materials, tours of historic neighborhoods, the creation of an economic strategic plan for a historic commercial area, or another idea that meets the adopted guidelines. The HPF will support projects that:

“We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with the Arlington community and think creatively about how to further the County’s historic preservation goals,” said Historic Preservation Section Supervisor Cynthia Liccese-Torres.

About the Grants

Eligible projects must align with the stated goals of the Historic Preservation Master Plan. There are two grant categories, and some projects may be eligible for both.

A separate grant application will be required for each project proposal. The fund can be used only to support new projects and will not provide reimbursement for previously completed projects or prior expenses.

Grants awarded to capital projects can have a maximum support of up to $100,000 and will require a 100% match. Grants awarded to non-capital projects can have a maximum support of up to $25,000. Matching funds will not be required.

How to Apply

The grant application period is open through April 28, 2023. Applications will be evaluated based on the quality of the proposed project, equity and inclusion, community impact, and managerial competence. Applicants must be at least one of the following:

The application process is digital. Applicants will need access to the internet, the latest version of Adobe Reader software, and their own email. The application and grant guidelines are available in English, Spanish, Amharic, Arabic, and Mongolian.

Historic Preservation Program staff and designees of the County Manager will consider applications and administer the funds. A formal HPF award letter will be sent to grant recipients by June 30, 2023.

For application assistance, email HistoricPreservationFund@arlingtonva.us or call the Historic Preservation Program office at 703-228-3549.

This spring, Arlington County will offer its first hybrid in-person and virtual Neighborhood College experience featuring new opportunities to tour County facilities and interact with staff. Applications for the spring session are due by Friday, March 24, 2023.

The Neighborhood College program is geared toward Arlingtonians who want to become more involved in their neighborhood and countywide interests. Participants will learn about Arlington County government operations, services, and resources directly from leaders and key County department staff. The objective of the program is to foster a more active and informed community by giving Arlingtonians an opportunity to understand and engage with their local government.

Classes will be held on Wednesdays, from April 12 to June 21, between 6:30 and 9 p.m. They will feature conversations with County staff and tours of several County facilities. To graduate, participants are expected to attend at least nine of the sessions, attend a County Board meeting, a commission meeting, or a civic association meeting during the program period, and commit to volunteering 10 hours in Arlington County within six months of completing the program.

Apply to Neighborhood College

Applications are due Friday, March 24. The application is open to anyone aged 18 or older who lives or owns a business in Arlington and is willing to devote time and energy to improving their communities.

For more information about the program, email Arlington Neighborhoods Program Planner Naudy Martinez.

About Neighborhood College

Launched in 2000, Neighborhood College is a key component of Arlington’s civic engagement infrastructure. The program seeks to strengthen our community by building broader, more diverse participation in civic life. Neighborhood College aims to prepare Arlingtonians to address issues in their neighborhoods or in the County as a whole, and to encourage their involvement in volunteer activities.

More than 500 participants have graduated from Neighborhood College. Many have gone on to become neighborhood leaders, members of advisory groups and commissions, officers in their civic associations, County Board members, volunteers at nonprofit organizations, local activists, and more. County Board members Katie Cristol (class of 2012) and Matt de Ferranti (class of 2017) deepened their engagement in civic affairs after participating in Neighborhood College.

Media Contact

Rachel LaPiana 703-228-0059

What You Need to Know

On Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, the Arlington County Board authorized public hearings in March on proposed Zoning Ordinance and General Land Use Plan amendments related to the Missing Middle Housing Study. The approved advertisement sets the parameters for what the Board can consider in March and reflects changes made by Board members in response to extensive public engagement.

If adopted, the amendments would expand housing options in the portions of the County that currently only allow single-detached homes.

MORE: Summary of Advertised Amendments to Expand Housing Options

The draft Zoning Ordinance text focuses on 12 policy areas with various options for consideration. During the January 25 meeting, Board members amended some of these areas, including:

Policy options and draft text that were not amended Wednesday night will be advertised as reflected in the staff report. They include:

WATCH: County Board Discusses Missing Middle Request to Advertise

The Planning Commission will also hold a public hearing on these amendments and make a recommendation in early March. The County Board will hold its public hearing and consideration during its regular March meeting.

The Board’s vote to advertise public hearings came after nearly 200 people spoke at hearings on Saturday and Tuesday evening. The Board also hosted 20 community conversations throughout the fall.

MORE: Read the advertisement

Review and consideration by the Board is Phase 3 of the Missing Middle Housing Study. The study began in 2019, and Phase 1 continued through fall 2021. In the first phase, the study team relied on community engagement to identify priorities and concerns related to expanding housing options in Arlington and prepared a Research Compendium of Arlington-specific data and existing conditions.

Phase 2 was a focused study of specific housing types that sought to balance the community’s priorities and concerns identified in Phase 1. A draft framework for expanding housing options was released in April 2022, and the County embarked on a multifaceted public engagement period that culminated with a Board work session in July 2022. During that work session, Board members provided guidance to staff that resulted in the draft zoning text and amendments presented in the fall. The Planning Commission’s subcommittees reviewed the draft text in four meetings in October and November, before the commission held a public hearing and made a recommendation on the advertisement language in December.

The County Board will continue to take community input on the advertised draft text and amendments through an online form. To learn more about the Missing Middle Housing Study, visit the County website.