►
Description
Arlington County Board Vice Chair. J Walter Tejada's remarks at the Jan 1st Organizational Meeting
A
There
are
some
some
people
might
be
watch,
that's
the
beauty
but
open
government.
They
can
watch
it
here
in
Arlington
anywhere.
Once
again,
we
start
our
tradition
by
rolling
up
our
sleeves
on
new
year
and
get
into
work.
We
are
now
keeping
this
long-standing
tradition,
going
not
sure
how
many
years,
but
it's
been
several
decades.
A
Gratulations
felicitaciones,
mrs.
Hines
on
your
election
as
a
2015
chair,
I,
look
forward
to
doing
my
part
to
support
your
initiative
as
we
confront
the
challenges
ahead.
I
also
like
to
thank
mr.
fassett
for
his
leadership
as
chairman
in
2014.
I
also
appreciate
your
nominating
me
for
vice
chairman
and
to
all
of
my
colleagues
for
supporting
the
nomination.
As
we
turn
the
page
from
2014
and
look
ahead.
I
will
continue
to
support
the
top
notch
policies
and
services.
A
It
has
been
noted
and,
as
every
many
people
know,
we
have
been
greatly
impacted
by
the
reduction
of
the
federal
government's
presence
in
phase
increasing
competition
in
a
region
for
commercial
development
and
jobs.
We
know
that
we
must
rely
less
on
the
federal
government
and
that
we
must
diversify
our
economy
if
we
are
to
continue
to
prosper.
A
Arlington
is
at
a
critical
moment
and
time
of
our
history.
We
are
redefining
ourselves
in
shaping
the
kind
of
community.
We
will
be
for
the
next
20,
the
perhaps
50
years.
So
as
we
look
ahead
to
a
new
vision
for
the
crystal
city
and
Columbia
Pike
corridors
I
remain
concerned
with
the
high
office
vacancy
rate
and
with
the
investments
that
are
needed
to
improve
these
critical
areas
of
our
community,
which
could
be
of
great
benefit
to
all
of
Arlington.
If
plan.
A
A
So,
while
the
streetcar
transit
initiative,
I
supported
and
continue
to
support,
end
it
over
my
objections
in
2015,
we
not
turn
to
define
what
the
new
vision
for
these
corridors
will
be.
But
genuine
questions
remain
questions
that
are
not
meant
to
divide,
but
which
simply
requires
honest
answers.
What
is
our
vision
moving
forward?
What
strategies
will
spur
sustainable
economic
development
maintain
and
create
new
jobs
in
those
corridors?
A
How
will
the
new
plan
seek
to
protect,
not
some
that
all
of
the
affordable
housing
in
that
area
and
incentivize
the
creation
of
new
housing,
as
the
former
plan
did,
what
will
be
the
total
investment
and
operating
costs?
Will
the
new
plan
use
single-family
home
tax
dollars,
as
the
former
plan
did
not
for
columbia
pike
in
it?
So
how
much?
Of
course
there
are
multiple
other
questions
on
the
minds
of
all
Antonians
on
this
topic,
and
I
commit
to
working
with
all
of
my
colleagues
to
provide
these
answers
to
the
community
as
soon
as
possible.
A
In
2015,
I
will
redouble
my
unwavering
commitment
to
supporting
affordable
housing
and
maintaining
our
lenders
diversity
in
these
very
challenging
time.
I
was
pleased
that
our
new
chairman
mentioned
affordable
housing
in
her
comments,
you
know,
since
World
War,
two
residents
of
different
origins
have
flocked
to
Arlington
people
from
diverse
socioeconomic
backgrounds,
races,
ethnicities,
ages,
cultures
and
income
levels.
We
also
became
a
gateway
attracting
immigrants
from
across
the
globe,
pursuing
their
dreams
and
contributing
to
our
community.
This
has
made
Arlington
our
existing
creative,
vibrant
and
welcoming
community.
A
It
is
our
hometown
I
believe
that
our
continued
success
hinges
on
our
ability
to
protect
and
strengthen
the
diversity
that
built
this
community.
But
here
are
some
sobering
facts
between
the
year
two
thousand
and
twenty
thirteen
Arlington
lost
about
11,000,
affordable
units.
Most
of
those
were
lost
not
because
they
were
torn
down,
but
because
the
rent
rose
so
much
that
they
were
no
longer
affordable.
A
Islands
is
home,
prices
are
among
the
highest
in
the
region.
In
the
past
13
years,
the
median
home
price
in
our
dentist
has
risen
from
about
218,000
to
five
hundred
and
ninety
thousand
dollars.
Just
under
six
hundred
thousand
dollars
is
what
an
average
home
house
costs
in
Arlington.
Today,
our
property
values
are
still
rising
and
our
population
is
still
growing
what
about
one
percent
per
year.
So
we
can
only
expect
that
our
stock
of
market,
affordable
housing
will
continue
to
dwindle
initial
findings
in
our
soon
to
be
completed.
A
Affordable
housing
studies
show
that
the
combination
of
increasing
housing
costs
and
flat
or
declining
incomes
among
some
groups
has
made
our
lenten
far
less
affordable.
Over
the
last
12
years,
nearly
half
of
our
LED
of
african-american
households
in
Arlington,
fifty-seven
percent
of
Latino
renters
and
forty-eight
percent
of
Latino
owners
are
paying
more
than
thirty
percent
of
their
income
on
housing.
A
At
the
same
time,
the
number
of
households
with
incomes
of
two
hundred
thousand
dollars
or
more
increase
an
astonishing
sixty
percent
between
the
year
two
thousand
and
twenty
twelve
rents
and
housing
prices
are
rising
faster
in
Arlington
than
anywhere
else
in
the
region.
The
study
found
so
the
average
rent
increase
in
Arlington
by
almost
ninety
one-percent
between
the
year
two
thousand
and
twenty
thirteen
quote
without
ensuring
a
sufficient
supply
of
lower
cost
housing
or
providing
direct
financial
assistance
to
families
and
individuals.
Low-Income
households
will
find
it
difficult
to
live
in
Arlington
and
the
cannibal
risk.
A
A
A
We
also
leverage
significant
investment
of
private
and
federal
funds
and
partnerships
with
nonprofit
housing
developers
and
other
private
developers,
but
clearly
we
must
do
more
if
we
are
to
make
good
on
our
pledge
to
remain
an
inclusive,
diverse
community
in
which
each
person
is
important.
You
must
take
concrete
steps,
renew
and
deepen
our
investment
in
affordable
housing
to
ensure
that
people
from
all
walks
of
life
have
a
chance
to
live
here,
send
their
kids
to
our
great
schools,
open
businesses
and
find
jobs
that
pay
a
decent
wage.
A
We
must
invest
more
on
our
look
of
our
local
funds
and
continue
to
seek
federal
funding.
We
must
look
for
new
ways
to
build
creative
partnerships
with
the
private
sector
and
ways
to
make
it
easier
to
build,
affordable
housing.
This
is
not
just
the
right
thing
to
do.
This
is
a
necessary
effort
to
help
secure
our
future
as
a
successful
community.
A
successful
future
needs
both
a
strong
economic
base
and
a
reliable
pool
of
workers
from
all
income
levels
who
will
fill
all
types
of
jobs.
A
This
is
why
Arlington
must
continue
to
invest
and
provide
incentives
to
preserve
and
create
affordable
housing.
This
is
why
I
will
dedicate
myself
in
2015
to
preserving
and
deepening
those
investments
in
efforts.
I
understand
the
maintaining
a
stock
of
affordable
housing
is
essential
to
our
future.
While
acknowledging
that
this
challenge
is
a
regional
one
that
we
alone
will
not
solve
it.
A
However,
abandoning
our
commitment
now
will
threatened
our
future
and
destroyed
what
Arlington
is
about
and
what
has
made
us
great
as
long
time
housing
activists,
Charlie
rancor
recently
said,
quote,
I
sends
in
the
last
couple
of
years
the
commitment
of
the
county
has
waned.
A
little
in
policies
intended
to
preserve,
affordable
housing,
have
weakened
I
implore
you
to
keep
the
affordable
housing
incentives
in
place
and
create
others.
End
quote
I
wholeheartedly
agree.
A
Furthermore,
I
renew
my
commitment
to
protecting
Arlington
safety
net
or
our
most
vulnerable
residents,
for
example,
but
we
have
had
some
success
in
combating
homelessness.
Challenges
remain,
as
the
honorary
co-chair.
Our
ten-year
plan
to
end
homelessness.
I
am
proud
that
we
succeeded
in
our
100
homes,
campaign
and
initiative
that
identified
and
provided
homes
to
all
100
of
the
most
chronic
homeless
individuals.
Yet
we
know
there
are
still
many
others
in
need
of
housing.
A
I
will
continue
my
strong
support
for
further
efforts,
such
as
the
housing
homeless
veterans
program,
our
successful
permanent
supportive
housing
program
and
the
comprehensive
homeless
services
center,
which
we
opening
later
this
year.
We
have
so
many
other
great
programs
going
on
in
Arlington
that
I'll
continue
to
support
and
spend
time
and
energy
promoting
them,
among
them
our
ally,
highway
community
initiative,
a
true
grassroots
effort
to
consider
improvement
possibilities
in
that
area.
A
The
community
volunteer
network
providing
volunteer
opportunities
for
a
young
adult
population,
fit
arlington
to
continue
to
promote
a
culture
of
fitness
for
all
people
of
all
ages
and
abilities.
Yes,
it
will
be
a
busy
2015.
I
will
also
continue
representing
Arlington
in
regional
bodies,
including
the
Metropolitan
watch,
the
Council
of
Governments,
the
Virginia
association
of
counties,
the
Northern
Virginia
Transportation
Commission,
the
Virginia
Rail
Express
operations
board
in
others.
I
look
forward
to
a
visit
2015
once
again
serving
our
community.
A
You
know
who
would
have
thought
that
the
young
boy,
young
child,
who
shined
shoes
and
the
streets
of
san
salvador
will
have
the
privilege
the
enormous
honor,
to
make
a
difference
in
the
lives
of
everyday
people
in
one
of
the
best
communities
in
the
United
States
in
I'm
humble
than
this,
but
maybe
around
the
world,
our
hometown,
arlington
county
I'm.
Always
grateful
and
I
never
lose
sight
of
the
fact
of
this
wonderful
opportunity
and
I
look
forward
to
working
with
all
of
you,
feliz
ano,
nuevo,
muchisimas,
gracias.
Thank
you
happy
new
year,
everyone.