What is the City of Falls Church Affordable Housing Program (CFCAHP)?
The City of Falls Church Affordable Housing Program (CFCAHP) is an initiative to support affordable homeownership in the City of Falls Church. Through CFCAHP, the city will acquire market-rate homes and write-down the purchase price for resale to income-qualified, eligible buyers.
How is CFCAHP being funded?
CFCAHP is being funded by $3.8 million in grants from the state (Virginia Housing) and the City of Falls Church.
Why is CFCAHP needed?
The City of Falls Church is a high-opportunity neighborhood that has become increasingly inaccessible to lower-income households. Census data indicates that as of 2022, the median household income in Falls Church was $155,000, and the median household price was $840,000. CFCAHP was designed to facilitate the homeownership process for lower-income households who would otherwise be unable to afford to live in the City.
Who qualifies for CFCAHP?
People who are interested in participating in CFCAHP must meet certain eligibility requirements, as noted below:
- They must be First-Time Homebuyers. (People are considered First-Time Homebuyers if they have not owned and occupied a primary residence in the last 3 years.)
- They must use the property as a Primary Residence.
- Their income levels must be between 50% and 120% of AMI as published by the City of Falls Church.
- They must be prequalified by Virginia Housing.
- They must provide evidence that they have attended a Virginia Housing homebuyer education class.
The city has established an order of priority for potential buyers; these priority criteria reflect those of the City’s Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU) program:
Priority 1 Ranking Order
- Seniors or persons with disabilities who live in and work for the City
- Seniors or persons with disabilities who live in and work in the City
- Seniors or persons with disabilities who live in the City
- Persons who are homeless
Priority 2 Ranking Order
- People who live in and work for the City
- People who live in and work in the City
- People who live or work in the City
Priority 3 Ranking Order
- Seniors or persons’ with disabilities who do not live or work for the City
- People who do not live or work in the City
If the City receives multiple applications for a property, then applicants will be ranked according to the priorities and eligibility requirements listed above. If multiple applicants have the same priority and eligibility status, then applicants will be ranked according to time of submission.
How can I get on a list to learn more?
To learn more about the program, visit fallschurchahp.org, and fill out this form.
What is the process to apply for a home?
People who are interested in buying a home through CFCAHP should fill out the prescreening form on our website. Once a prescreening form is filled out, eligible buyers will be contacted and asked to submit an application packet, which includes a preapproval form. Buyers who meet eligibility requirements and who provide an application packet will be placed on a Certified Buyers List, which will be maintained by the City.
Based on priority and time of application submission, Certified Buyers will be contacted by a CFCAHP representative about homes they are qualified to purchase. Once a Certified Buyer has been given the opportunity to buy a home, they will have 5 business days to enter into the residential sales contract form, which can be found on our website, and will need to agree to place affordability deed restrictions on their home. Thereafter, Certified Buyers will have 45 days to close on the purchase of their home. If a Certified Buyer decides not to purchase a home within the 5-day period, then CFCAHP will reach out to the next priority Certified Buyer until a home is purchased.
What are the restrictions on resale of homes purchased through CFCAHP?
By purchasing a CFCAHP property, buyers agree to enter into a 99-year covenant intended to preserve long-term affordability and ensure that the City can be compensated for its investment. All homes purchased through CFCAHP will have a deed restriction governing the use, refinance, and resale restrictions attached to the home. For example, buyers must agree that homes purchased through CFCAHP will serve as their primary residence. The full deed restriction can be accessed here and a summary is available here.
How will homes be priced?
Homes will be reduced in price by up to $170,000 from the market-rate purchase price at which they were acquired by the City. The precise amount of the write down for each property will be based on an applicant’s household size, income level, and the size of the loan for which they are approved.
How do I find a lender?
To participate in CFCAHP, you must receive a preapproval letter from a lender. For a list of Virginia Housing approved lenders, please visit their website.
We recommend that you work with a lender who is familiar with CFCAHP, and who will have the most up-to-date property information for underwriting purposes. A list of lenders who are experienced with CFCAHP is available here.
How long will CFCAHP be available?
CFCAHP is being supported with $3.8 million in grant funding. The City will acquire and resell properties until grant funds are expended. We anticipate that the grant funds will allow us to acquire approximately 18 properties. The goal is to sell all properties by early 2024.
How do you determine acceptable household size?
CFCAHP will follow the City of Falls Church’s Occupancy Standards for Affordable Dwelling Units (ADUs) for appropriate household size. The following chart details the household sizes that are appropriate for various unit types:
| Unit Size | 0 Bedrooms | 1 Bedrooms | 2 Bedrooms | 3 Bedrooms | 4 Bedrooms |
| Minimum # of persons | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Maximum # of persons | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
