Last week, Arlandria residents, elected officials and staff from Wesley Housing Development Corporation celebrated the addition of 33 new affordable housing units in the neighborhood with the opening of Beverly Park Apartments on Notabene Drive.

With the assistance of acquisition finance partners, the City of Alexandria, the Housing Partnership Network and United Bank, Wesley Housing purchased Beverly Park a few years ago and began to turn the market-rate development into affordable rental housing, adding long-term committed units to the citys stock.

In a city that saw a rapid and vast decline in affordable housing stock since 2000, the 33-unit increase is especially significant.

The celebration also coincided with Wesley Housings 35th anniversary. Those taking part were treated to music, face painting, birthday cake, an ice cream sundae bar and a clown to entertain the many children attending the celebration.