In the late 1970s, affordable housing was deeply misunderstood. That was when Lou Ann Frederick became the first full-time Executive Director of what was then the Arlington Housing Corporation, now Affordable Homes & Communities (AHC), a role she held for 20 years.
Civic associations, Arlington County board members, and community residents raised questions and concerns about what affordable housing would mean for their neighborhoods and who would live there. Lou Ann spent hours in meetings with these groups, and gradually, as they saw their input reflected in property decisions, opposition began to shift toward understanding and participation.
Lou Ann’s approach was rooted in a belief that would shape AHC’s work for decades: affordable housing is more than just physical buildings.
“Each one of these properties is not just an apartment building with people living in it and receiving services, but it is part of the fabric of the community where it lives.”
– Lou Ann Frederick, Former AHC Executive Director
She said individuals and families who need affordable housing aren’t separate from the community — they are essential to it.
That philosophy extends beyond community-building to the way AHC operates its properties. Lou Ann recognized that residents needed support systems, connections to services, and pathways to self-sufficiency. Under her leadership, AHC introduced Resident Services, reinforcing its commitment to address not just where people lived but how they could build stable, thriving lives.
“That’s what I’m most proud of, that the organization understands the relationship between the physical building and the social structure that goes along with the whole property,” she said. “That it’s not just housing … it’s everything that people need.”
The buildings provide shelter, but the programs and staff provide the foundation for residents to pursue education, employment, and long-term goals.
That commitment to community engagement defined Lou Ann’s favorite project: Woodbury Park in Arlington. Originally built in 1949, AHC purchased the garden-style apartment community in 1987. The acquisition prompted a comprehensive, two-year historic renovation that would restore and update the property, eventually offering more than 200 affordable homes. It was the longest negotiation, largest development, and most community-involved project of her tenure.
For more than a year, Lou Ann met weekly with advocates and residents, working through concerns and garnering support.
When the renovation was complete and Woodbury Park finally reopened, Lou Ann said, “Residents, AHC members, and County staff danced in celebration. It was just joy.”
For Lou Ann, the measure of success came in what happened after residents moved in.
“Some of the people who started out in a couple of our original properties actually started their own businesses and have raised families,” she said.
“That’s what it’s all about — to see people who were facing challenges now thriving and achieving the American dream.”
– Lou Ann Frederick, Former AHC Executive Director
Nearly a decade after Lou Ann’s tenure ended, AHC completed The Frederick in 2007 and moved its headquarters there under the leadership of then-President & CEO Walter Webdale. The Frederick is a nine-story building next to Woodbury Park that honors Lou Ann’s name and legacy. With 108 affordable apartments, the building sits steps from the Courthouse Metro, local shops and restaurants, and Rocky Run Park. AHC’s Resident Services operates on site alongside AHC’s corporate office, embodying the integration of housing and support that Lou Ann championed.
Jennifer Endo, now AHC’s Vice President of Community Relations & Chief of Staff, joined the organization as a Resident Services Manager during Lou Ann’s final years and saw her leadership firsthand.
“There’s something fitting about having our main office in The Frederick,” Jennifer said. “Lou Ann showed us what it means to listen to communities and to build housing that strengthens neighborhoods rather than standing apart from them. We see that every day in the neighborhood around us, and in the residents whose lives she helped change.”
Buy your ticket for our 50th anniversary event and view special content celebrating five decades of impact: ahcommunities.org/50years
2230 North Fairfax Drive
Suite 100
Arlington, VA 22201
703-486-0626
1501 Saint Paul Street
Suite 130
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-685-0366
