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10.29.2026
Dear Neighbor,
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A study last year found that one in twenty adults surveyed in the U.K. believed they could build a house by themselves just by watching online tutorials.
We couldn’t find similar statistics for the good people of Braddock, but the study got me thinking about what it really takes to build something. Whether it’s a house or a community, it starts with a vision and a strong foundation, and it takes a lot of people pitching in.
This week, we saw several long-term projects come together. On Monday, we celebrated the opening of Fairfax Crest, 279 affordable homes built on a former parking lot next to the Government Center right here in Braddock. On Tuesday, we honored Marlene Blum after 40 years of public service and volunteer leadership in so many roles across housing, health, education and more, including as Chair of the Health Care Advisory Board. Today, we’ll join GMU for the naming of the Anil and Anupama Sharma Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, made possible by the Sharma’s generous support for GMU’s efforts to educate the next generation of entrepreneurs in our region. Homes, health, and opportunity are the foundation of a community where people can build a good life.
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That foundation still needs work. In Fairfax County, roughly 87 percent of renters earning under $75,000 a year spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Behind that number are neighbors: the people who teach our kids, care for our parents, and grew up here hoping to stay. Fairfax Crest shows one practical way to help.
I don’t think I could build a house from an online tutorial, and I don’t think any one person or office can build a community alone either. But I hope there’s a lot we can agree on: that everyone deserves a safe, clean place to live, that the people who keep our county running should be able to afford to live in it, and that we should use public land and public dollars wisely to get there. We won’t always agree on every tool, but I hope we can keep building a place where all can thrive, together.
| | Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer | | |
In this issue:
- 🗨️In the Community: Photo Gallery
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🎬Board Meeting Recap
- 🍎Health and Human Services
- 👥What's Happening Around Braddock?
- 🍎Education
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🏠Land Use and Environment updates
- 🚗Transportation
- 🐱Pet Adoption Corner
| | Our office will be closed on Tuesday, November 3 for Election Day. | | In the Community: Photo Gallery | | 10.26.26: At the opening of Fairfax Crest! What a monumental milestone for affordable housing in the region. There might have been a little trouble cutting the ribbon, but we got there eventually. | 10.22.26: Congratulations to Nurse Practioner Nathalie Louis for winning this year's Honorable Gerry Connolly Community Impact Award at the Lamb Center's Hope and a Future annual banquet. This is her receiving the award with the Connolly family and Congressman Walkinshaw. Thank you for all you've done, Nathalie! | 10.24.26: I spoke at the SEIU Virginia State Council SEIU Virginia 512 Town Hall on Saturday. When workers have a seat at the table, it makes everybody stronger. | | 10.24.26: Get out and vote! Thanks to the League of Women Voters, VA Civic Engagement, and GMU Mason Votes for hosting a Party at the Polls event. | | 10.28.26: We boo-ed the Franconia District office! Happy Halloween! | | |
Resolutions
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We recognized Marlene Blum for four decades of public service and volunteer leadership in Fairfax County. Marlene was an advocate in a way that I strive to embody - through her thoughtfulness, inclusiveness, and leadership. Thank you so much for being a role model and for all your contributions to the County.
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We recognized the Shepherd's Center of Fairfax-Burke on its 20th anniversary. Last year, the Shepherd's Center recorded serving more than 10,000 client contacts and provided more than 3,000 free rides for older adults. Its staff is endlessly dedicated to the Fairfax community, and we appreciate all they've done to make Fairfax-Burke a more welcoming space.
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We recognized the Fairfax Women's Soccer Association on its 50th anniversary. Title IX was passed 54 years ago, and the Fairfax Women's Soccer Association was, and is, groundbreaking for supporting female athletes. Thank you for bringing health, fitness and connection to our community!
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We recognized Celebrate Fairfax on its 43rd anniversary. Celebrate Fairfax has been essential to community and placemaking in Fairfax County, and I am so grateful for their contributions to cultural celebrations and bringing residents together.
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We designated November 14 as Fairfax Recycles Day and Stormwater Day. Read below to see how you can participate.
2026 History Commission Annual Report
- The History Commission has had a full year recording Fairfax County's history. They produced two seminal pieces, including a docu-series and conference on Fairfax County's relationship to the Revolutionary War, strengthened ties to the Park Authority, and strove to retain community voices on impacts to historic sites.
- Thank you to Delegate Bulova for her 20 years of service to the History Commission.
- Our office has been discussing starting our history project about the stories of Braddock residents and Braddock history. If you are interested in sharing your story, please respond to this email!
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Action Items
Traffic signal improvements at Rolling Road and Grigsby Drive
- We approved VDOT's design plans for the Rolling Road and Grigsby Drive Traffic Signal Project. This intersection is located outside of West Springfield High School, and the project will help improve traffic operations and safety for students.
- This design includes four pedestrian crosswalks with Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS), as well as upgrading curb ramps for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance. The signal will include a Flashing Yellow Arrow (FYA) configuration for the northbound and southbound Rolling Road left-turn movements.
- We've been advocating to speed up this project given how important it is to the safety of pedestrians, and especially students.
Public Hearing
Comprehensive Plan Amendment for the Fairfax Center Area Study
- We proposed amending the Comprehensive Plan recommendations for the Fairfax Center Area, which includes the Fairfax County Government Center, Fairfax Corner, and Fair Oaks Mall. As the Fairfax Center area changes, we want to ensure that we meet the evolving residential, transit and employment needs of the community. This plan change will allow the County to showcase its vision for a welcoming community where people will want to work, play and gather.
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Find more information about the comprehensive plan amendment here.
Administrative Items
Data centers
- We supported new state efforts to increase data center transparency and accountability.
- Staff was directed to stay in touch with Governor Spanberger's administration as the state government refines rules for dealing with data center development.
- Fairfax County stands at a critical crossroads for technological development, and as opportunities for data centers grow across Fairfax, we must ensure they are developed in a way that is consistent with the needs of our residents.
Clean Buses
- We approved a resolution for Fairfax County to execute a low-no emission grant and bus transfer agreement with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for the purchase of hybrid-electric replacement buses for the Connector Fleet.
- This means that when Fairfax Connector buses reach the end of their life cycle, they will be replaced with hybrid-electric buses. Procurement will begin immediately.
Solar infrastructure
- We authorized the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC) to apply for and accept grant funding from the Virginia Department of Energy to support the interconnection of distributed solar energy systems to the electric grid.
- The OECC will request grant funding from the Virginia Department of Energy in the amount of $600,000. If approved, the funding will help cover a portion of the costs to connect the solar panels at the I-95 Landfill Complex to the electric grid.
Traffic calming measures and additional speeding fines
- We approved a number of traffic calming measures and additional speeding fines as part of the Board's overall efforts for pedestrian safety. The full list of where these calming measures and speeding fines will be implemented can be found in the Board package below.
| You can find the full Board package here. | The Board will reconvene on Tuesday, November 17, for a full Board meeting. You can view the agenda or watch the livestream here. | What's Happening Around Braddock? | | |
Join us for Best of Braddock
November 10!
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The entries are submitted. The votes are counted. And the winners are here.
If you're curious about who took home the gold for the coveted Best of Braddock awards, or who won Braddock's Intergenerational Art Competition, join us for the Best of Braddock awards ceremony on November 10, 2026, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Braddock Hall (9002 Burke Lake Road, Burke, VA 22015). The evening begins with a reception featuring free food and drink from Braddock-area businesses, followed by the awards ceremony with our community members and elected officials. Attire is business casual.
Please RSVP at the link below for an evening of celebration.
| Next Tuesday is Election Day | |
Tuesday is Election Day! We highly encourage you to vote yes on the two bonds to fund our parks and social services.
Here are the two bonds on the ballot:
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A bond for the amount of no more than $180,000,000 to be used to improve Fairfax County's existing parks.
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A bond for the amount of no more than $75,000,000 to be used on the financing of community health and human services facilities.
If you'd like to know more about these bonds, click on the link below.
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Winter Gear Drive
November 2 - December 5
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Swing by the Braddock District office (9002 Burke Lake Road) and drop off any new or gently used winter gear.
Our office will be collaborating with the Providence District on their Winter Gear Drive between Monday, November 2 and Saturday, December 5 to support Second Story, Committee for Helping Others, the Lamb Center, and Northern Virginia Family Services.
You can find a link of all available donation spots at the link below.
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🤖 Kings Park Library AI Discussion Group
Join the Kings Park Library on November 13 at 2:00 p.m. in the Kings Park Library Conference Room for an AI Discussion. This program is designed to bring older community members into the conversation about AI in society. It will provide an overview of AI capabilities and selected risks, and our roles as humans in relation to AI.
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🧹 November 11: Clean Up on Americana Drive
The Fairfax County Restoration Project will be hosting a clean up event on Americana Drive on Wednesday, November 11th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. As usual, the sign in table will be at the corner of Americana and Patriot Drive. If you are a student, community service hours are available through Friends of Accotink Creek, but you will need to sign out in order to track your hours.
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🎨 ARTIST CALL: Mini Masters Show Submissions due November 11
The Arts Center in Orange, VA, invites submissions for The Mini Masters Show, a juried group exhibition celebrating the power, intimacy, and innovation of small-scale mixed media works.
| | Halloween and Fall Festivities | | Make Your Halloween Spookily Sustainable | | |
Many of us love Halloween, but it has a pretty trashy reputation: did you know that every year, Americans throw away 35 million costumes, most of which are made from cheap, synthetic fibers or plastic? We also trash one BILLION pounds of pumpkins after using them for decorations for less than a month.
Want to change things around? Try some of these more sustainable strategies:
● Make your own upcycled DIY decorations, like ghosts from old sheets, decorative pierced tin can lanterns, and paper creatures. Check out this link for ideas. Try to steer clear of plastic decorations, especially polyester spiderweb material, which traps and chokes wild birds.
● Thrift or make your own Halloween costume out of stuff you already own, and express your creativity!
● If your house is a trick-or-treat destination or you attend a trunk-or-treat, consider giving out candy wrapped in paper, cardboard, or recyclable foil, such as movie theater boxes (or fun size) of Junior Mints, Nerds, or Milk Duds. Tony’s Chocolonely is ethically sourced chocolate wrapped in recyclable paper and foil. You can also distribute (paper) bags containing a small candy and other non-plastic items like pencils, stickers, or crayons.
● After Halloween, if you don’t have your own compost pile, compost your pumpkin rather than throwing it in the trash! All pumpkins (free of paint and wax) can be dropped off at Fairfax County’s I-66 and I-95 transfer stations or the Fairfax City composting center at City Hall.
● If you are throwing a party, don’t buy paper plates and plastic cups - consider borrowing a reusable party kit from Clean Fairfax to save money AND waste! Reserve your reusable party kit online at the Clean Fairfax website.
| | State of Our Schools 2026 | |
Today was the annual State of the Schools event, where staff, students and community leaders came together to celebrate student achievement, community partnerships, and the future of public education in Fairfax County.
This year's recognitions were especially heartwarming. Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid shared a number of initiatives and statistics that demonstrated that Fairfax County kids are thriving.
Did you know?
- FCPS serves 176,000+ students and is one of the largest school districts in the United States.
- FCPS SOL and SAT pass rates surpass all state averages.
- The FCPS math annual SOL pass rate has increased by 19 percentage points since 2021, from 61% to 80%.
- 8,700 students enrolled in one or more dual enrollment courses, and 17,000 students earned industry credentials.
Wins and new initiatives
- FCPS is piloting free field trips for all second graders to local libraries to encourage reading.
- The new pilot program that allows sixth graders to take Algebra 1 is immensely successful. This pilot grew from 30 students to almost 700 students in just a year. 95 percent of students who took the class passed the math SOL.
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FCPS has been honored as a Purple Star Division, meaning that all schools in the County excelled in supporting military-connected students.
- FCPS leads the nation in Green Flag Honors for sustainability work, which is a recognition given to schools that show exceptional achievement in educating students about sustainability and youth leadership for environmental change.
Click the link below for the full report.
| How to Recognize Warning Signs of Domestic Violence Before It Turns Deadly | |
Domestic violence homicides are on the rise in Fairfax County, raising concerns about the warning signs that could help save lives.
A Fairfax County domestic violence prevention expert says the County has seen more domestic violence homicides in 2026 than in recent years and emphasizes the importance of recognizing warning signs, supporting victims and teaching children about healthy relationships.
| Scroll through the list below of upcoming Braddock-area theater performances! | |
Urinetown: October 28 -November 1 @ George Mason University
A Wrinkle in Time: November 5-7 @ Lake Braddock High School
Our Town: November 5, 6, 7, 13 and 14 @ Woodson High School
The Woodsman: November 12-21 @ West Springfield High School
Romeo & Juliet: November 19-21 @ Annandale High School
Blue Stockings: November 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21 @ Robinson Secondary School
Moana Jr: November 19-22 @ Lake Braddock Middle School
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RIDDLE OF THE WEEK
If you read this far, email us the answer to the following riddle and you'll have made our day :)
What's big, scary and has three wheels?
| November 15 is World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims | |
Please join Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets (NoVA FSS) and its Fairfax FSS chapter on Sunday, November 15, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Woodson High School in Fairfax for Fairfax County’s observance of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. This annual event is free and open to the public.
Since last year’s observance, 30 people have been killed on Northern Virginia streets while walking, biking, or rolling. Behind every number is a person whose life mattered, a family grieving a profound loss, and a community changed forever.
Our call to action: smarter street design, safer speed limits, speed safety cameras, and stop sign cameras in school zones are among the proven solutions that can help save lives.
The program will include elected leaders, law enforcement officials, and school board members reflecting on how we can do better.
Your presence matters. By attending, you’ll join others in honoring those we’ve lost and showing our elected decisionmakers that our community supports meaningful investments in road safety.
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Public Hearings:
Accessory Living Units
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Planning Commission: Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
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Board of Supervisors: Tuesday, November 17, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.
Public hearings on Accessory Living Units will take place in-person at the Government Center Board Auditorium (12000 Government Center Parkway). Additional information regarding ways to provide testimony is available at the Planning Commission and Board websites.
The amendment proposes changes and clarifications to the use-specific standards for Accessory Living Units (ALUs). An ALU is a secondary dwelling unit established in conjunction with and subordinate to a single-family detached dwelling unit. An ALU is sometimes referred to as an in-law suite or accessory dwelling and can be either interior/attached to the dwelling or detached (freestanding). The current standards for ALUs in the Zoning Ordinance can be found in Subsection 4102.7.B.
To review the proposed Zoning Ordinance amendment for ALUs, click the link below.
| | The Vacuum Leaf 2026 Season is Here! | The Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Program (SWMP) provides vacuum leaf collection for residents in designated areas from November through January. It operates in three collection rounds. Residents simply place leaves at the curb for specialized trucks to collect and transport them for shredding into mulch or composting. To ensure smooth and effective collection in your neighborhood, please review the program guidelines and take advantage of this valuable service. Thanks for helping us keep our community clean and safe. | | |
"Ohana means family. And family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten." - Lilo and Stitch
Stitch is 56 lbs. of love heavily sprinkled with young pup energy! Stitch loooves to get his feet moving, so a family ready to take him on weekly trail runs or breezy hikes is what he's craving.
The ideal family for Stitch is one that understands what kind of enrichment a dog like Stitch may need in his new home. Plenty of walks, play time, and puzzle games will keep this handsome boy occupied and out of trouble.
If Stitch sounds like the pet for you, read more about him and the adoption process here.
| | Follow Supervisor Rachna Sizemore Heizer on
Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Bluesky, and 'X.' | | | | |
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