🌱 Falls Church Property Values Increase + New Senior Living Project

Hello, everybody! It's me, Lauren Kubiak, your host of the Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about what's going on around town, including updates on:

But first, today's weather:

A bit of snow and rain. High: 40 Low: 30.

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Here are the top three stories today in Falls Church:

1. The City of Falls Church experienced an overall increase in property values and total taxable property during 2022. The 4.64 percent increase was largely attributed to new construction, with residential construction accounting for $10.15 million and commercial construction accounting for $47.41 million. Property owners' real estate tax bills will depend on their real estate assessments and the real estate tax rate set by City Council during the budget process, with the current rate set at $1.23 per $100 of assessed value. Updated assessment information will be available on the city's website by Monday. (Falls Church Patch)
2. The family of Christopher Lapp, a Fairfax County nuclear physicist who died by suicide in the nearby Alexandria jail, is suing the U.S. government for a series of errors that led to his death. Lapp had been receiving care at a federal medical prison center, but his medications were discontinued by a physician who evaluated him in Alexandria. The lawsuit alleges that jail officials failed to treat Lapp's withdrawal symptoms and were indifferent to his medical needs, ultimately leading to his suicide. (WRAL)
3. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a proposal by Wesley Housing to build 95 affordable independent senior living units at 6165 Leesburg Pike in Falls Church, in partnership with First Christian Church. It is the first faith-based partnership for affordable housing in the county. The development will also include a low-to-no-cost primary care health clinic for low-income residents and the surrounding community. The development team will seek financing sources and continue community engagement with the surrounding neighborhood after receiving approval for zoning entitlements from the board. (Falls Church Patch)

Today in Falls Church:

• Falls Church Farmers Market At City Hall Parking Lot (9:00 AM)
• Islam's Greatest Love Stories: Dinner, Film Screening & Fundraiser At State Theater (5:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The next Falls Church City Council meeting will be held on Monday, Feb. 27, from 7:30 to 11:00 p.m. The meeting will take place in the Council Chambers/Court room at 300 Park Ave. and will be available for public viewing at fallschurchva.gov/CouncilMeetings. (City of Falls Church Virginia)
• Adopt one of these adorable pets in the Falls Church area! Animals like Munchin the Shar-Pei, Atlas the Beagle, and Amelia the Norwegian Elkhound are waiting for their forever homes in Falls Church area shelters. Visit the link to learn more. (Falls Church Patch)
• Give blood, save a life! The INOVA Blood Donor Services Bloodmobile will be on Strawberry Lane in Fairfax on Mar. 10 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Book your appointment at the link. (Mosaic District via Instagram)

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• Shoff Promotions Comic Book & Sports Card Show (February 26)
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You're all caught up for today! I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow morning with your next update.

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is a freelance copywriter for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. She is a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.