The Alexandria Brief: Tuesday, December 9
City Council to vote on police contract, Gaskins discusses housing crisis, and a new bus route to D.C.
Good morning, Alexandria. I’m Ryan Belmore, founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief.
Sunny skies return as City Council meets tonight to vote on a $2.7 million police contract impasse and appoint a permanent policing auditor. Plus, a recap of Monday’s housing forum, a new transportation survey, and a new bus route coming to Alexandria.
1️⃣ Warmer weather, Santa visits, and live music on tap for Tuesday
It will be mostly sunny today, with a high near 37 degrees. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Tonight will be partly cloudy, with a low around 30 degrees. South wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. The sun will rise at 7:15 a.m. and set at 4:46 p.m.
Highlights today include Ice & Lights: The Winter Village at Cameron Run at 5 p.m., Visit with Santa Claus at Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap at 5:30 p.m., Eagles Run at Market Square at 6:30 p.m., and Beer Yoga at Port City Brewing Company at 7 p.m. For live music, catch Musiq Soulchild at The Birchmere at 7:30 p.m., Antonio James at Laporta’s Restaurant at 6 p.m., or Pete Baker at Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub at 8:30 p.m. Trivia nights are on tap at Atlas Brew Works ALX, Lost Dog Cafe, Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub, O’Shaughnessy’s Pub, and The Garden.
It’s a busy night for Alexandria City High School basketball, with girls hosting Wakefield at 4:30 p.m., 6 p.m., and 7:30 p.m., and boys traveling to Justice High School at 7:30 p.m. The Commission for Women meets at 7 p.m., and the Alexandria Police hosts an evening hiring event at 6 p.m.
Get the full rundown below.
2️⃣ City Council to vote on police contract impasse, appoint policing auditor Tuesday
City Council will vote on the city’s final position in a $2.7 million contract impasse with its police union and permanently appoint the city’s independent policing auditor when it meets tonight at 7 p.m. The gap between the two sides totals roughly $2.7 million, with the city’s final offer totaling $8.4 million in wages and longevity bonuses for fiscal years 2027 through 2029. The union is seeking $11.1 million.
Council is also expected to permanently appoint Ameratu Kamara as independent policing auditor, a role she has held in an acting capacity since January. Kamara, a native Alexandrian and Alexandria City High School graduate, would succeed Kim D. Neal, the city’s first policing auditor, who died Dec. 13, 2024. Council will also receive a semi-annual update on the Office of the Independent Policing Auditor and the Independent Community Police Review Board, including an update on investigations into the Aug. 15 in-custody death of Allan Tucker II.
The agenda also includes a draft of the city’s 2026 General Assembly legislative package, with priorities including housing affordability, transit funding and school construction.
3️⃣ Gaskins shares personal housing struggles at Monday forum
About 100 people filed into the Lyceum on Monday evening to hear Mayor Alyia Gaskins and author Yoni Appelbaum discuss the roots of America’s housing crisis. The forum, titled “Let’s Talk About Housing: Zoning For Justice and Affordability,” explored how zoning laws originally designed to enforce racial segregation continue to shape housing outcomes today.
Gaskins opened with her personal housing story, describing how her mother worked two and sometimes three jobs but still struggled to keep a stable home. The mayor said she and her husband now work a combined five jobs to afford living in Alexandria and have repeatedly been outbid when trying to purchase a home. Appelbaum, deputy executive editor at The Atlantic and author of “Stuck,” traced zoning’s origins to Modesto, California, in the 1880s, where officials passed an ordinance restricting laundry businesses to the block labeled “Chinatown.”
Alexandria had approximately 18,000 naturally occurring affordable units in 2000, but now has fewer than 6,000, according to Gaskins. Federal policy is compounding local difficulties, she said, pointing to affordable housing projects sitting idle due to financing uncertainty, workforce shortages from immigration policy changes, and rising construction costs tied to tariffs.
4️⃣ City wants to know how you’re getting to the grocery store, the gym
The City of Alexandria wants to know how you’re getting to the grocery store, the gym, and your favorite restaurant — and what might get you to leave the car at home more often. The 2025 AlexMoves survey launched Monday and will remain open through Dec. 28. The questionnaire takes about 8–11 minutes to complete and is available in English and Spanish.
The city has conducted the survey every two years since 2016, building a nearly decade-long dataset on local travel habits. Unlike many transportation studies that focus narrowly on commuting, AlexMoves captures how residents move for all types of trips—errands, recreation, dining out, and visiting friends.
This year’s survey asks respondents how they traveled to various destinations over the past month and which modes they used. It also identifies factors that could encourage greater use of public transportation, cycling, or walking, such as better lighting, more bike lanes, or improved transit reliability. City planners use the data to track shifts in travel behavior and inform long-range planning.
5️⃣ Alexandria riders get new one-seat ride to downtown D.C. next week
Alexandria residents will soon have a new one-seat ride to downtown Washington, D.C., when Metro launches the A29 bus route next Monday, Dec. 15. The new line will connect Van Dorn Street station to Metro Center via the I-395 Express Lanes, with stops at Beauregard Street, Mark Center, Southern Towers, and Shirlington. Buses will run every 24 minutes during rush hour — mornings toward D.C. and afternoons toward Northern Virginia.
The route is funded through the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission’s I-395/95 Commuter Choice grant program. The A29 launch comes a day after Metro implements changes to 50 other bus routes systemwide, including 11 Virginia lines. Those adjustments, which begin Sunday, Dec. 14, are part of ongoing efforts to improve reliability and reduce crowding following the agency’s June network redesign.
Extra Extra!
A boat themed around the 2026 Olympics took Best in Show honors Saturday as dozens of decorated vessels lit up the Potomac River for the 25th annual Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights. (The Alexandria Brief)
The city is hosting a free New Year’s Eve celebration at Waterfront Park, capping off a full day of First Night Alexandria festivities with live music and two fireworks shows over the Potomac River. (The Alexandria Brief)
Registration for winter classes and activities offered by RPCA will begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, December 17, for City residents and Friday, December 19, for nonresidents. (City of Alexandria)
Alexandria housing board holds special meeting (DCNewsNow)
Katie Choe named new CEO as Virginia Railway Express pushes into next phase of expansions. (Virginia Mercury)
An active police presence in the 5300 block of Holmes Run Parkway on Monday evening resulted in the arrest of a man wanted on multiple charges. Police said the situation involved an individual in crisis. The person is safe.
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