Manassas Park council expands workforce-dwelling eligibility to all qualified city employees

Council members voted to broaden eligibility for the city’s workforce‑dwelling unit (WDU) program to any full‑time city employee who meets the program’s underwriting rules, a change staff said is intended to increase the pool of qualified buyers and prevent designated units from reverting to market rate sales.

The resolution approved by the council amends the city’s committed attainable for‑sale housing options policy so that the WDU program is open to all city employees who qualify under established criteria. City manager Carl summarized the problem: “As it sits right now, the only people eligible for the deputy program are teachers, police officers, and dispatchers, firefighters, and EMTs, and social services staff that work for Manassas Park,” and added that “those classifications tend to be in the higher end of the pay scale,” producing a shallow applicant pool.

Staff described the underwriting rules and current program mechanics: applicants must be first‑time homebuyers, attend required classes, have a minimum FICO score of 620, be at or below 80% of area median income, provide a $2,000 earnest deposit at contract signing, and a 1% down payment that staff estimated could total roughly $5,000–$6,500 depending on unit price. Staff reported two ADU units in the program (one closed, one in closing) and no eligible WDU applicants at the time the agenda was finalized.

Council members pressed staff on several operational questions: whether part‑time employees could qualify (staff said part‑time employees would likely not qualify for a mortgage), whether unsold WDU units could be converted to ADUs (staff said the current policy does not allow immediate conversion but the council could consider revisions), and how the city would handle multiple qualified applicants (staff said a raffle is used when more than one applicant is qualified). City staff said developer Stanley Martin had provided some flexibility on contract timelines but that there is a final drop‑dead date after which unsold units revert to the developer.

Randy, director of the Department of Social Services, told the council the city refers prospective buyers to existing classes offered by the Prince William Cooperative Extension and HUD rather than running a separate in‑house course.

The council moved, seconded and approved the staff recommendation to adopt the resolution expanding WDU eligibility. The motion carried on voice vote. The change takes effect under the amended policy and staff indicated they would immediately begin outreach to city employees and prospective buyers to fill available units.