Author: Scott McCaffrey

A Northern Virginia native, Scott McCaffrey has four decades of reporting, editing and newsroom experience in the local area plus Florida, South Carolina and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. He spent 26 years as editor of the Sun Gazette newspaper chain. For Local News Now, he covers government and civic issues in Arlington, Fairfax County and Falls Church.

Countywide

Staff proposal for new ‘trash tax’ wins few backers among Fairfax County supervisors

By Scott McCaffrey
Trash collection bin outside a townhouse in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County supervisors have reacted tepidly to a staff proposal for imposing what might be termed a “trash tax” on Fairfax’s property owners to support solid waste disposal.

“I don’t think we’re ready. It’s kind of a hard sell,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said in response to the proposal, floated at the May 12 meeting of the board’s Environment Committee.

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Countywide

Fairfax County leaders weigh multiple options to increase housing stock

By Scott McCaffrey
Construction continues in early February 2026 on the Exchange at Spring Hill apartment buildings near the Spring Hill Metro station in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County officials now have a lengthy to-do list in their efforts to increase the community’s housing stock.

The goal is to “ensure we keep the pedal down on this priority,” Ben Aiken, a county staffer who serves as project manager for the Housing Task Force, told the Board of Supervisors at a Land Use Policy Committee meeting on Tuesday (May 12).

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Countywide

Fairfax County sees 22% jump in people considered chronically homeless

By Scott McCaffrey
Individuals call attention to homelessness in Reston near a newly cleared homelessness encampment on the morning of Sept. 10, 2024 (staff file photo by Fatimah Waseem)

Despite a relatively stable year-over-year homelessness count in new data, Fairfax County’s level of those experiencing chronic homelessness ticked up more substantially between 2025 and 2026.

A total of 302 people were counted as chronically homeless in Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church in this year’s Point-in-Time Survey, coordinated by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG).

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Countywide

Fairfax’s plan to manage trash collections countywide appears dead for now

By Scott McCaffrey
Fairfax County trash collection (photo via Fairfax County)

Fairfax County leaders appear to have largely abandoned controversial efforts to impose a future countywide residential trash district.

“We’ve heard pretty loud and pretty clearly that this is not the model,” said Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik, who chairs the Board of Supervisors’ Environment Committee and presided over its May 12 meeting.

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Countywide

Average Fairfax County home price tops $950K in latest monthly data

By Scott McCaffrey
House for sale sign (file photo)

Fairfax County’s average home sales price tiptoed toward $1 million in April, as the spring buying market was dominated by upper-end properties.

“There is significant pent-up demand in the marketplace, but higher-income buyers are the ones primarily driving activity while budget-conscious buyers remain more sensitive to rate volatility and economic uncertainty,” said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist for Bright MLS, the region’s multiple listing service.

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News

Town hall explores whether Fairfax County should adopt ranked-choice voting

By Scott McCaffrey
A Cunningham Park Elementary School voter at the ballot box for the 2022 general election (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Should Fairfax County switch to ranked-choice elections for Board of Supervisors’ races? Views were mixed during a community forum held last night (Monday) in Reston.

Even Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn, who could be directly impacted by a voting-format change, said he needs to learn more about any potential impacts.

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News

McLean Project for Arts nears fundraising goal for newly opened community hub

By Scott McCaffrey
RIbbon-cutting ceremony for Berlage Arts & Education Center (photo copyright Tony Powell)

It took nearly a decade of planning and a few detours along the way, but the McLean Project for the Arts’ (MPA) Berlage Arts & Education Center has made its debut.

“This is now an asset for the future,” MPA Executive Director Lori Carbonneau said during a May 8 interview at the center, located on the ground floor of The Signet condominiums at 6910 Fleetwood Road.

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Countywide

County leaders honor Garden Club of Fairfax for century of service

By Scott McCaffrey
Proclamation honors 100th anniversary of the Garden Club of Fairfax (courtesy Fairfax County)

Fairfax County supervisors saluted the Garden Club of Fairfax on May 5 for its members’ efforts over the past century.

“Thank you for all you do in our community,” said Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman, who sponsored the centennial resolution while acknowledging that he, unlike club members, lacked a green thumb.

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News

County allows up to 300 new apartments on Cavalier Club site in Seven Corners

By Scott McCaffrey
Conceptual rendering of the proposed new Cavalier Club apartment building (via Hord Coplan Macht/Fairfax County)

A Seven Corners apartment building owner has been granted the option to more than double the number of residential units on the site while also adding retail space.

Voting unanimously and without comment, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a site-specific plan amendment (SSPA) on Tuesday (May 5) that lets the Cavalier Club accommodate up to 300 new multifamily units, along with up to 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail uses.

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Countywide

County leaders vote reluctantly to trim Fairfax Connector bus service

By Scott McCaffrey
Fairfax Connector bus for Route 463 heading into Vienna on Chain Bridge Road (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has approved the elimination of two Fairfax Connector bus routes and reduced schedules on more than a dozen others to trim $7.3 million in budget costs.

The vote on Tuesday (May 5) was unanimous but, in several cases, unenthusiastic.

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