2022 Candidate Profile: Audrey Clement For Arlington County Board

ARLINGTON, VA — Audrey Clement, a long-time Arlington civic activist, is seeking election to the Arlington County Board in the Nov. 8 general election.

Clement, who has run for Arlington County Board a number of times, is facing incumbent Matt de Ferranti (D) and Adam Theo (I) in this year's election.

She served on the Arlington Coalition for Sensible Transportation from 2006 through 2021 and on the Arlington Transportation Commission from 2018 through 2021.

In-person early voting in Arlington County began Friday, Sept. 23 and will continue through Saturday, Nov. 5. Election Day voting will happen from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Patch asked each of the candidates in the Arlington County Board race for their answers to the same questions. Here are Clement's responses:

Name

Audrey Clement

Campaign website

https://AudreyClement.com

Education

Ph.D, Political Science, Temple University, 1993.

Occupation

Programmer, 25+ years.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office (if any)

Arlington Transportation Commission, 2018-2021

Arlington Neighborhoods Advisory Commission, 2021

The single most pressing issue facing Arlington is Missing Middle up-zoning, and this is what I intend to do about it:

I intend to explore the following alternative solutions to Arlington's housing crisis:

• Establishment of community land trusts to enable affordable home ownership by people of moderate means.
• Reestablishment of partial tax credit for renovation of multi-family dwellings, which the County repealed in 2021.
• Promotion of office to residential building conversions to provide more housing and drawdown Arlington's 20 percent office vacancy rate.
• Encouraging local builders to pursue transit-oriented development along the six new rail stations opened in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties at a cost of $3 billion.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am the only candidate who opposes Missing Middle up-zoning.

What are your views of the residential zoning changes suggested by Arlington County's Missing Middle Housing proposal?

“Missing Middle” up-zoning — is multi-family dwellings in single family home neighborhoods. Contrary to what the County says, Missing Middle will not make housing more affordable. Instead it will inflate land values, resulting in higher housing prices, overcrowded schools, more traffic congestion, loss of tree canopy, increased runoff and more air pollution.

The County’s own data indicate that an income of $108,000 per year will be needed to afford a low-end 1 bedroom condo. In 2019 the County reported Black and Latino median household income at a fraction of that. Furthermore, the County projects that 90 percent of new units built will be 1-2 bedrooms already in good supply, not the 3 bedroom units that are needed. 80% will likely be rentals, not owner occupied.

Let’s face it. The only beneficiaries of Missing Middle are the developers who are already making a killing by flipping properties in your neighborhood.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Another issue that concerns me is tax gouging.

The Board recently adopted a $1.5 billion budget that includes a 5.3 percent effective real estate tax rate increase. Nothing new here. In fact between 2012 and 2021 Arlington’s 10-year average annual effective real estate tax rate increase was double the rate of inflation (FY 2023 Online Budget, p. 95 [108]).

Are these over the top annual tax rate increases actually needed to fund the budget?

Neighboring jurisdictions have lowered real estate tax rates in the wake of rising assessments. In fact, Fairfax County recently reduced its real estate tax by 3 cents per $100 of assessed value.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am a past member of the Transportation Commission and current member of the Arlington Neighborhoods Advisory Committee.

Why should voters trust you?

Unlike current Board members who are famous for their doublespeak, I am a straight shooter. I will not describe a site plan as "biophilic" when the only sign of life on it is a planter. I will not describe as "resilient" a project that clear-cuts either side of a Potomac River tributary and levels it with artificial infill, destroying the existing biome.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Hold your friends close and your enemies closer.

RELATED:

• General Election 2022: Key Dates To Know In Arlington
• 2022 Candidate Profile: Adam Theo For Arlington County Board
• 2022 Candidate Profile: Matt De Ferranti For Arlington County Board