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Happy New Year! Thank you for your support and trust in 2025.
On this 5th anniversary of the January 6 Capitol Insurrection — after a year of extreme hate speech and political violence, I want to share Sophie and Colin Hortman’s call to action after the murder of their parents, Melissa and Mark:
"Hope and resilience are the enemy of fear … Love your neighbors. Treat each other with kindness and respect … do something,whether big or small, to make our community just a little better for someone else."
I hope you will enjoy the updates below and join me to build a respectful, resilient, and innovative Arlington in 2026.
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2026 Organizational Meeting:
Last night we shared our 2026 priorities, elected our Chair and Vice Chair, and set our meeting schedule for the year.
I recapped my 2025 work -- on housing, climate, and good government -- and shared my hopes for 2026.
In 2025 I'm most proud of my work on serving you better, including:
- Resolving constituent inquiries 25% faster (and finally tracking down most of the "never heard back" inquiries from yesteryear!);
- Putting more information in your hands with Document Search, AI search assistant (AVA), real-time posting of site plan applications, online welcome kit, and advanced 911 call routing;
- Auditing housing grants, paratransit, and community benefits; and
- Making it easier to talk to Board members directly through in-person Open Door Mondays, Board liaisons to key issues, and the Faith Leader Roundtable.
For 2026, housing and planning will be my biggest priority -- from reimagining generational sites like the Key Bridge Marriott to rebooting Housing Arlington to deliver more ownership, shared, and workforce housing..We have more homes in Arlington than households, but still far from enough for-sale homes and deeply affordable rentals. I look forward to the courts deciding the Expanded Housing Options (EHO) appeals this year, so we can shift from litigation to rebuilding relationships and revising policy to create the homes we need.
Click below to read or watch my remarks or the full meeting. |
November and December Board Actions:
In November we met with our state delegation and finalized our 2026 legislative agenda. County Manager Mark Schwartz presented the FY25 financial closeout, which was nearly exactly on budget - the first year with no year-end surplus in decades. FY26 July - October revenues are lower than forecast, while expenses - especially healthcare and public safety -are higher than forecast. We'll enter the FY27 budget deliberations with over $40M shortfall for FY26, and that gap may continue to grow.
After an extensive search with truly exceptional candidates, we hired Ryan Samuel as the County Attorney. Ryan brings incredible legal depth, plus a terrific combination of empathy, creativity and get-to-yes problem solving
In December we approved FY27 budget guidance, fire and police collective bargaining agreements, and revised maximum towing rates. After two years of discussion and redesign, we approved the first phases of the Riverhouse redevelopment, with 743 additional homes, including for-sale, rental and committed affordable. We agreed to advertise consideration of sign ordinance updates to ease burdens for our businesses and reduce median signs. And, we laid out next steps to examine County Board Structure and Performance, which I will co-lead with Mr. Spain Sr. You can follow along and share your thoughts here. |
Upcoming Events and Engagement |
Civic engagement is at the heart of Arlington. Find a way to make a difference — share feedback today or get more deeply involved. |
More Ways to Connect in 2026:
- In-person Open Door Mondays - 6:00 PM on the Second and Fourth Monday each month.
- Virtual Open Door Mondays - 6:00 PM on the First and Third Monday each month.
- Monthly meetings, including public comment -
- In-person Town Halls - May 4 and October 26
- Email, call, or stop by the Board Office at 2200 Clarendon Blvd, 3rd Floor.
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Honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Support Our Safety Net
On January 18 and 19, join me at the MLK Day Tribute and MLK Day of Service. Click below for details and to register:
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As economic uncertainties persist, many of our households, businesses, and community partners are hurting. Please support our safety net partners, restaurants, and businesses during these stressful times. See below for opportunities to learn more and to pitch in.
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Useful Info to Keep Handy for 2026 |
I serve as liaison to volunteer commissions and regional bodies that support my 2026 priorities:
Human Resilience:Community Services Board, Faith Leaders Roundtable, Park & Recreation, Sports
Housing & Planning: Comprehensive Plan Liaison, Industrial Development Authority, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) Chesapeake Bay & Water Resources, MWCOG Climate Energy and Environment Policy Committee, MWCOG Transportation Planning Board, Quincy Site Liaison
Climate Resilience: Energy and Environment (C2E2), Forestry & Natural Resources
Fiscal Resilience: Fiscal Affairs, National Landing BID
Good Government & Transparency: Audit ,Community Oversight Board, Virginia Association of Counties, Virginia Municipal League |
Copyright © 2026 Susan for Arlington, All rights reserved.
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