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Washington Post
22-07-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Montgomery County Council passes ‘missing middle' housing plan
The Montgomery County Council voted Tuesday to enable multiunit homes to be built on certain lots previously zoned for single-family homes, an effort to address a 'missing middle' housing shortage for middle-income residents in the wealthy Maryland county. The zoning change, part of a larger package of bills known as More Housing NOW (New Options for Workers), will allow for duplexes, triplexes, townhouses and small apartments along certain corridors. The change is intended to amp up Montgomery's supply of housing units, particularly for residents — such as firefighters, nurses and teachers — who can't otherwise afford to live in the county that is lined with spacious mansions in some parts. Home to 1 million residents, Montgomery is one of the nation's 30 wealthiest counties in the country, according to a Stanford University database. The average price for a single family detached home in the county last year was $1.02 million, according to a letter the bill's sponsors wrote to their colleagues in January, making homeownership out of reach for even relatively well-off professionals. The bill's sponsors, Andrew Friedson (D-District 1) and Natali Fani-González (D-District 6), included a provision in the zoning change that requires triplexes to include at least one unit affordable for people earning up to 120 percent of the area's median income, which is $157,500 for a family of two and $196,500 for a family of four as of April, according to a county report. For properties with more units, at least 15 percent of those homes must be affordable for that bracket of earners. Duplexes are exempt from the requirement, the sponsors said. Before a jeering audience, where some residents held signs depicting the council members with wrecking balls over their heads, the council members who supported the legislation said it's an important step toward creating more places to live that are accessible to more residents in Montgomery. 'The status quo isn't working for the workforce, for economic competitiveness or for fulfilling our values as an inclusive and welcoming community,' Friedson said, before the 8-3 vote. 'Progress doesn't require perfection, but it does require doing something, even when it's hard, especially when it's hard.' 'To say that we want more housing, and to say that we want more affordable housing, yet let's not do anything is not a solution,' Fani-González said. 'We are giving people choices.' Council members Will Jawando (D-At Large), Sidney Katz (D-District 3) and Kristin Mink (D-District 5) voted against the package. Policies geared toward creating more missing middle homes have grown in popularity across the country and, in the D.C. region, are part of a larger push to build 75,000 additional housing units by 2030 — a target laid out by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. But the policies have also yielded strong opposition from homeowners concerned about how more residents in their suburban neighborhoods could change their character and strain local government resources like stormwater management, roads and schools. Missing middle housing policies introduced in both Arlington County and the city of Alexandria in 2023 have led to lengthy legal battles filed by homeowners opposed to those plans that are still ongoing. Montgomery County has explored the idea of allowing for higher density in areas zoned for single-family homes for years, meeting with opposition each time. The new zoning change, which goes into effect on Nov. 1, was born out of discussions involving the county's planning experts last year, Friedson and Fani-González said. The impacted corridors are mostly concentrated in the county's southeast quadrant around Bethesda, Silver Spring, Glenmont and Wheaton, according to a planning department map. A property owner must submit an application to the planning board to take advantage of the change so planners can assess the impacts on resources, Fani-González said. Jawando said he opposed the bill because of the public outcry and how high the financial bar still is for workforce housing, keeping these potential new units out of reach for some residents who still do not earn enough to afford those homes. 'I've listened intently to residents around the county and I've heard loud and clear,' Jawando said. 'Our residents have asked us to be more nuanced, more thoughtful and more diligent in the approach.' He noted that many of these affected lots are more modest properties facing busy streets and occupied by residents who are already struggling to keep up with rising taxes and other costs of living. Some residents against the plan launched an aggressive opposition campaign, passing out fliers, staging protests and speaking at meetings, where they argued that the zoning change would cause currently quiet streets to become overcrowded while not necessarily creating enough affordable housing for those who really need it. For Paula Bienenfeld, a homeowner in the Seven Oaks area of Silver Spring, the plan is simply unfair. The county's ritzy Potomac neighborhood is virtually unaffected, while the areas already responsible for bearing the brunt of the county's density will be tasked with handling more, Bienenfeld said after Tuesday's vote. 'All the high density development is being kettled down into the Silver Spring area and Wheaton,' she said. 'They talk about equity but this is like the opposite, it's all kettled into the areas that are already hyperdense. To me, that's a big concern. If you want equity, it should be spread over the whole county.' The plan drew support from some local nonprofits and affordable housing advocates, who described it as a potential lifeline for young professionals eager to graduate from apartment living but not yet wealthy enough to own single family homes. Many noted that any increase in the housing supply is a good thing for the market as it will help balance supply with demand. 'We are selling out our working families, the people who make this county run and the kids who taxpayers paid to educate, kids like me 20 years ago who can't afford to stay here anymore,' Dan Reed, Maryland policy director for Greater Greater Washington, a nonprofit focused on housing and transportation equity, said after the vote. 'The council took a brave step today, but it's a first step and we have a lot more work to do.'
Washington Post
21-07-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
‘Missing middle' housing plan in Montgomery County faces backlash
The Montgomery County Council is preparing to vote Tuesday on a proposal to allow more multiunit housing along certain corridors, part of a years-long effort in the pricey Maryland community to create more affordable homes for a broader spectrum of its residents. In a county of 1 million residents that features sprawling McMansions in some of its tree-lined neighborhoods, the plan to create more 'missing middle' homes is facing mounting criticism from residents who are concerned it will taint their communities and damage their quality of life. The proposed change, part of a larger package of bills titled More Housing Now (New Options for Workers), will enable duplexes, triplexes, townhouses and apartments to be built on lots previously zoned for single-family homes. The intention is to create more housing that middle-income residents can afford and to diversify the kinds of housing available in the county, according to the bill's sponsors, Andrew Friedson (D-District 1) and Natali Fani-González (D-District 6). For years, county leadership and planning experts have wrestled with ways to create more units for those in the center of the income scale. Following recommendations from the county's planning board and discussions with the public, the two council members developed this solution. 'We are not creating enough housing for enough people to make it affordable and accessible to middle-class families, to middle-income workers, to ordinary people,' Friedson said. 'Firefighters and police officers, and teachers and nurses — the people that we need in our community who can't live here who we want to live here.' To ensure the units are financially attainable for those targeted groups, a minimum of one unit for every three units built must meet workforce housing requirements under the proposal. That means prices must be within reach for people earning up to 120 percent of the area's median income, which is $157,500 for a family of two and $196,500 for a family of four as of April, according to a county report. For larger properties, at least 15 percent of units must meet that benchmark. Duplexes are exempt from the requirement, according to the proposal's sponsors. Finding ways to address the missing middle housing gap has gained traction in cities and suburbs across the country over the past several years, meeting with significant backlash in some of those communities. In Northern Virginia, an effort to build missing middle homes in Arlington County has been tied up in a years-long legal dispute, with a state appeals court recently ruling that the plan to eliminate single-family zoning in some areas can move forward. While a number of housing advocacy groups and local nonprofits support the change in Montgomery County, some residents living around the affected corridors have launched an aggressive opposition campaign. They argue that duplexes, triplexes and apartments in their exclusively single-family-home neighborhoods will strain resources such as parking, stormwater management, schools and roads. Many also say the process to develop this zoning change feels fast-tracked and lacking in public feedback, contending that the change won't actually lead to more housing that's affordable for working-class people. The concerns all boil down to uncertainty, said Howard Schoenholtz, who has lived in Bethesda for more than 30 years and is the spokesperson for the Montgomery County Communities Coalition, a consortium of local groups. Residents, particularly those living around the affected areas, fear that more housing density could transform the quaint nature of their communities and stress resources and the environment, Schoenholtz said. 'What people care about is 'What's going to happen to my neighborhood,'' he said. And, with this proposal, 'there's a whole lineup of 'ifs.' If one of these owners decides to sell, and if they sell to a developer, and if the developer wants to spend the money.' Those worries spiral into images of quiet suburban, tree-lined streets suddenly stacked with small apartments and a few lone single-family homes — its occupants fighting with their new neighbors for parking spots and school resources. Fani-González said she knew the plan would be controversial and acknowledged that there is a level of uncertainty a proposal like this one will create for residents. About 2,500 lots are eligible for a zoning change under the plan, she said. But it's impossible to know how many duplexes, triplexes or apartments could result over time, she said. The plan was born out of discussions with planning experts and a lot of community feedback, the proposal's sponsors said in interviews. The corridors were chosen deliberately because of their proximity to jobs and public transit, Friedson said. Creating more missing middle housing is critical to chipping away at the county's affordable housing shortage, Fani-González and Friedson said. 'We must, as government, use every single tool out there to increase the amount of housing that we have,' Fani-González said. 'It's time for us to open up single-family neighborhoods and give people choices.' To ensure the added density doesn't strain resources, Fani-González said, the zoning change requires the property owner to submit an application to the county planning board, which would review how roads, stormwater management and other infrastructure in those areas would be affected before the change is approved. Kimblyn Persaud, who lives in Wheaton, said she doesn't just worry about the added density. She's also concerned about who will be adding to that density. Persaud, who is the founder and executive director of EPIC of MoCo, an organization that encourages residents to get involved in government, predicts that developers will jump at the chance to create more units on small lots if there's a significant profit margin. In her eyes, that would lay the groundwork for gentrification. 'Anything new is going to cost more than it costs now,' Persaud said. She and her neighbors are already feeling the sting of rising taxes and cost of living expenses in the county, she said. Some of them purchased their homes several years or decades ago when property was cheaper. A developer calling and offering a high price for their properties to make multiunit homes may be the thing that pushes them to leave the county, take the earnings and find somewhere more affordable to live, she said. But that trend of people being priced out of Montgomery County is already happening, said Carrie Kisicki, a 26-year-old Silver Spring resident and Montgomery advocacy manager with the Coalition for Smarter Growth, who is in favor of the change. More units, and especially units in larger complexes that will have the price restrictions under the zoning change, will help increase inventory and the variety of homes affordable to younger and middle-income residents, she said. 'The zoning status quo isn't working, either for affordability or for the environment,' Kisicki said. 'We need to be looking at both the subsidized affordable housing investments but also thinking more expansively about what affordability means when so many people in our communities are experiencing struggles with housing affordability that don't always fall into the traditional categories we think about.' One of the proposal's most outspoken critics is County Executive Marc Elrich (D), whose office has no authority over zoning change proposals such as this one. He echoed the community concerns and said he wished the county would stick to the current master planning process for residential zoning so residents can have some predictability. 'People put a lot of effort into deciding where they're going to live,' Elrich said. This proposal erodes any faith residents had in their government to protect those decisions and guarantee certainty, he said. 'It's not what people want,' Elrich said. The council vote is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Washington Post
13-06-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Race to replace Elrich as Montgomery county executive already heating up
More than a year ahead of Montgomery County's elections, five candidates are already vying to succeed Marc Elrich (D) as county executive after he leaves office. Three Democratic Montgomery County Council members, Will Jawando (at-large), Andrew Friedson (District 1) and Evan Glass (at-large), announced plans to run in their party's June 2026 primary. Celeste Iroha, a health care professional, and Mithun Banerjee, who invests in real estate for a living, are also trying for the Democratic nomination. No Republicans have submitted documentation to run for the seat yet, according to the Maryland Board of Elections campaign database.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Montgomery County leaders introduce bill to deter illegal house parties
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. () – Montgomery County leaders said they're trying to put a stop to illegal house parties that are causing problems in many communities. Montgomery County councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Dawn Luedtke recently introduced Bill 13-25 which would fine people up to $5,000 if they don't have the right permits for a party. Currently, the maximum fine is only $500. Neighbors help woman escape home fire in Rockville Neighbors in the Woodfield Estates community in Gaithersburg said they're fed up with illegal house parties happening in their neighborhood. 'It's just mindboggling that this is even allowed to exist,' Seth, who's lived in the community for 10 years, said. 'This is not a not club.' They said one home in the neighborhood has been the site of several illegal house parties for three years. 'It's just a sea of people displaying all different kinds of lewd behavior,' Seth said. 'Obviously, like drunk and intoxicated in public. People trespassing, coming on my property, my neighbors' property. Driving on our properties, going to the bathroom on our properties.' 'So thankful, appreciative': Playset built for 7-year-old with leukemia in Montgomery County Seth said he and others call the police when the parties are taking place. Officers often tell them there's not much they can do. 'There are people who are genuinely scared,' he said. 'When you've got people here for a party that you don't know who they are, or where they are, or where they belong to, nor does the person hosting the party.' Seth said Council passing Bill 13-25 would be a step in the right direction, but not a long-term solution to the problem. 'I'm all for the legislation,' he said. 'This has been years in the making. Again, what are you going to do to enforce it?' As for that home where the parties are supposed to have taken place, DC News Now talked to the owner, Eric Tataw. He said a friend was responsible for two parties last year. 'I asked the friend to leave because he had the first and the second, and when the police came, I said, 'You know what? It has to stop, and you have to leave,'' Tawtaw said. Parents, teachers react to Montgomery County Public Schools updated cell phone policy Tataw said he is in favor of the proposed legislation to increase fines for illegal house parties. 'That's a proactive approach from County Council,' he said. 'I support that 100%.' The Council has scheduled a public hearing for Bill 13-25 on Tuesday, June 10. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Yahoo
Montgomery County PD expands drone program to Bethesda
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. () — On Wednesday, Montgomery County leaders and the Montgomery County Department of Police announced that it is expanding its Drone as First Responder Program (DFR) to Bethesda. The program first launched in Montgomery County in November 2023. Since then, the drones have completed over 2,000 flights and operate in the downtown Silver Spring, Wheaton/Glenmont, and Gaithersburg/Montgomery Village areas. 'I'm thrilled about the long-awaited expansion of the Drone as First Responder Program in Bethesda, which will help us leverage technology to reduce response times and improve public safety,' said Councilmember Andrew Friedson, who represents Bethesda. PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Montgomery County PD drone program completes 1,000 flights, improves response times Since its induction, the DFR has improved emergency response efforts and assisted law enforcement. The drone's average response time is under 90 seconds, but officials noted that drones typically reach the scene in under 60 seconds. Data from DFR's dashboard reflected that the drones were mostly deployed in theft and robbery cases. The second-highest number of calls were for suspicious people or vehicles. According to Montgomery County, they have also been used to help locate crime suspects, people experiencing mental health crises and missing persons. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich emphasized that the program was part of ongoing efforts to leverage technology and make operations more effective. 'The Drone as First Responder Program represents one of our largest and smartest investments in utilizing technologies to keep our communities safer and our police and first responders safer,' said Elrich. According to Montgomery County, in 2024, overall crime dropped across the county by 7%, but the number of homicides and carjackings showed the largest drop. Late last year, officials noted that a conviction was secured because of evidence obtained from a drone camera. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
