Welcome to FIVE FOR FRIDAY: A weekly roundup of Public Policy Issues and Headlines from around the Northern Virginia Region, the Commonwealth and on Capitol Hill.
1. NAR Supports Health Insurance Affordability
In a letter to the Congressional Healthy Future Task Force Affordability Subcommittee, NAR advocated for a return to expanded association health plans (AHPs).
2. Letter to Fannie Mae on ANSI Measurements
In response to Fannie Mae’s recent decision that appraisers will be required to use ANSI® Z765-2021 (American National Standards Institute®) for measuring, calculating, and reporting above-grade and below-grade square footage for appraisals requiring interior and exterior inspections with an effective date of April 1, 2022; NAR asked Fannie Mae to delay implementation of this new requirement until Freddie Mac, FHA, VA and USDA adopt the same requirement to reduce confusion.
3. Arlington leaders, Sen. Warner push for bridge funding
The Mount Vernon Avenue bridge is a vital link between Alexandria and Arlington, but it’s in rough shape and in desperate need of a refit. Friday morning Sen. Mark Warner and local leaders met with engineers to review the state of the Arlington Ridge Road/Mount Vernon Avenue bridge and advocate for it to get a significant boost from federal funding. Federal funding for bridge infrastructure is currently in the hands of state leaders who will allocate funding to bridge projects around the state.
4. Lawmakers delay until next session bills seeking limited distance-based pricing on Greenway
A Virginia House Transportation Subcommittee voted recently to delay until next year consideration of a legislative proposal aimed at reducing toll costs on the Dulles Greenway and creating distance-based pricing for commuters traveling the toll road. As part of the Feb. 3 vote, a letter will be sent to representatives from the Virginia Department of Transportation, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and Dulles Greenway asking them to form a workgroup and define the mission moving forward.
5. Alexandria’s 2022 Real Estate Assessments Reflect Significant New Growth
The City of Alexandria has issued assessments for all 46,320 parcels of real property citywide, reflecting a strong market for both residential and commercial property types. The overall value of Alexandria’s taxable property increased 6.24%, compared to January 2021, although each individual property’s value may have increased, decreased or remained unchanged. Assessment notices, representing fair market values as of January 1, have been mailed to property owners and are available online. The equalized tax base increased by approximately $2.93 million, including $2.07 billion in appreciation of existing properties and $857.64 million in either new development or improvements.