Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Affordable Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Manassas Park council approves widening workforce-dwelling eligibility to city employees
Summary
The council voted to amend the city’s Committed Attainable For-Sale Housing Options policy to let any qualified city employee apply for workforce dwelling units. Staff cited two ADU success cases but zero eligible WDU applicants and warned a unit could revert to market rate if no qualified buyer is found.
The Manassas Park City Council voted to amend the Committed Attainable For-Sale Housing Options policy to expand workforce dwelling unit (WDU) eligibility to all city employees who meet the program’s underwriting criteria.
City Manager Carl (staff presentation) told the council the program is aimed at homeownership and wealth building for first-time buyers. He summarized eligibility rules: applicants must be first-time homebuyers, have a minimum FICO score of 620, be below 80% area median income (AMI), provide about $2,000 in earnest money and a 1% down payment (the latter may range approximately $5,000–$6,500 depending on unit price). Carl said the program previously restricted WDU eligibility to certain classifications (teachers, police, firefighters, dispatchers, EMTs and specified social-services staff), and that those restrictions have produced a very small eligible pool.
“We’ve had applications submitted for the WDU program, but again, the people didn’t qualify to for the program based on the criteria,” Carl said, noting ADU units have succeeded while two WDU units had zero eligible applicants when the agenda was finalized. Staff told council that if the city cannot find an eligible buyer for a WDU within the program’s contractual timeline, the unit reverts to the developer to sell at market rate.
Councilors asked whether part-time employees would qualify (staff: full-time income typically required), whether the city can convert WDU units to ADUs if no employee qualifies, and how the raffle/selection and underwriting fallback process works. Staff said conversion rules are not currently written into the policy but can be explored in future program updates; Stanley Martin (the developer) has granted flexibility on timelines but a drop-dead date does exist in the contracts.
Vice Mayor Moore and other councilors praised the city’s approach to affordable homeownership and asked about marketing and homebuyer education. Randy Knights, director of the Department of Social Services (DSS), said the city partners with Prince William Cooperative Extension and HUD for free first-time-buyer classes and can expand internal outreach to employees.
The council moved and seconded the resolution to expand WDU eligibility to any city employee who meets the policy criteria; the motion passed by voice vote (tally not specified). Staff said the change will allow a broader pool of potential buyers and help prevent units from reverting to market rate.
