Bridges to Independence Responds
to Amazon HQ2 Announcement
Amazon encouraged to address homelessness, housing
affordability for at-risk families in Northern Virginia
Arlington, Va. – Bridges to Independence, a Northern Virginia provider of housing and other services for at-risk families and individuals, today released the following statement from Chief Executive Officer Samuel L. Kelly, Jr. regarding Amazon’s location announcement regarding HQ2:
“We are excited to welcome Amazon to Northern Virginia and look forward to working with the company to address the issues of homelessness and affordable housing in Arlington and Alexandria.
“For decades, Bridges to Independence has worked with the region’s employers and other partners to provide emergency housing and critical services to families experiencing homelessness.
“While Amazon’s move to Northern Virginia presents numerous opportunities for job creation and economic development, it may also create new hardships for families already struggling to afford housing in in this expensive market.
“In Arlington, the median home sale price between 2000 and 2013 increased 140 percent, while the average rent increased by 90.9 percent – in an area where those earning less than $25,000 per year must work 68 hours per week to afford housing.
“Amazon can play a pivotal role in addressing these and other challenges experienced by at-risk families in the region, and we look forward to working with them to improve the lives of everyone in our community.”
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Bridges to Independence provides housing and other services in Northern Virginia for homeless women/families and those at risk. The organization offers a continuum of aid and support for all family members, helping them attain stability and move forward into self-sufficiency. As a private, nonprofit organization, Bridges has been working with and for homeless families since 1985, formerly as the Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless.
