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Tenants press Alexandria council for ARHA accountability; council holds closed session on housing authority legal matters
Summary
Multiple tenants described unsafe units, lost vouchers and alleged systemic failures at the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority; the council entered a closed session to consult legal counsel on ARHA matters and later adopted a resolution regarding that session.
A string of tenant speakers told the Alexandria City Council that problems at the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) extend beyond one executive and reflect a culture of negligence, missed paperwork and unsafe housing conditions.
Damian Wright told council "this is not about one man" and described a pattern of untrained, incompetent staff and long delays for repairs and relocations. Several speakers recounted individual harms: Bianca Rivera said she reported mold in her unit on Feb. 6, 2024, and described two children who tested positive for contaminants and one child rushed to a hospital; Alfreda Tidings described vouchers and recertifications being lost or delayed "nearly a year," leaving families without housing stability.
Speakers asked the council to demand accountability from ARHA’s board and staff, consider structural remedies such as reorganizing agency functions into city government, and conduct thorough investigations into alleged misuse of public funds. "We are no longer asking quietly for change. We are demanding it," Annette Santiago said.
Mayor Gaskins acknowledged the concerns, pledged follow‑up and asked city staff to connect directly with households facing immediate health and safety issues. Later in the meeting, Vice Mayor Bagley moved and the council approved a closed executive session "pursuant to Virginia code" for consultation with legal counsel regarding "specific legal matters pertaining to the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority requiring the provision of legal advice by such counsel." After reconvening the council adopted the previously circulated resolution concerning the closed session.
The meeting record shows no public vote on corrective action; council members said they would return with information on the city’s authority and next steps. Several tenants asked the council to examine whether the city should absorb ARHA functions or otherwise take direct action if the board and commissioners cannot enforce accountability.
