Which Home Is Affordable?

Can You Tell Which Home is the Affordable One?

“Proving that it is not impossible to include affordable units in expensive subdivisions, Fairfax County [VA] is home to a new development that places $125,000 townhomes next to single-family estates that sell for upwards of $800,000. In return for providing affordable homes that mirror the more expensive housing in the community, developers are allowed to charge an extra 5 to 10 percent for the affordable homes. In this particular development, four townhomes are grouped together in a design that makes them nearly indistinguishable from the more expensive single family housing next door.” - from Expanding Affordable Housing through Inclusionary Zoning: Lessons from the Washington Metropolitan Area (2002); see also “Find the Affordable Housing in this Picture” (Washington Post, 8/17/01).