Councilmember Jawando to hold media availability on “More Housing for More People” initiatives on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at noon

Councilmember Jawando to hold media availability
on “More Housing for More People” initiatives
on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at noon

On Dec. 8, anti-rent gouging legislation and
a zoning proposal to encourage “missing middle”
housing near transit corridors, both sponsored by
Councilmember Jawando, will be introduced at Council meeting

WHAT: Virtual press availability

WHO:

• Councilmember Will Jawando
• Housing, renter and transit activists

WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 8 at noon

WHERE: Councilmember Jawando’s virtual press availability will be streamed live on Councilmember Jawando’s Facebook page and on his YouTube page. Credentialed members of the press wishing to participate can contact Seamus.McNamara@montgomerycountymd.gov to receive a link.

TOPIC: Councilmember Jawando will hold a virtual press availability on the subject of “More Housing for More People.” Councilmember Jawando will share information about a bill and a zoning text amendment which he is spearheading, and which will be introduced at Tuesday’s Council meeting. He will be joined by representatives of Sierra Club, CASA, Renter’s Alliance and local transit activists, among others.

Bill 52-20 - Landlord-Tenant Relations - Protection Against Rent Gouging Near Transit would establish protections against rent gouging for certain rental units; set the base rental amount for certain rental units; provide for exemptions from certain rent protection requirements; and require each landlord to submit an annual report regarding rents. Councilmember Jawando is the lead sponsor. The goal of this legislation is to set standards regarding rent increases near certain transit corridors and to ensure that unfair rent gouging does not take place. The Council staff report can be viewed here.

ZTA 20-07, R-60 Zone - Uses and Standards would allow owners of R-60 zoned property located within one mile of a Metrorail station to build duplexes, townhouses and multi-family structures within the current R-60 lot coverage, building height, setbacks, minimum lot size and minimum parking requirements. More flexibility would be allowed for projects constructed on R-60 zoned sites located within a half mile of a Metrorail Station. Such sites would be excluded from infill lot coverage limits and the minimum parking requirements would be decreased. Councilmember Jawando is the lead sponsor.

“Missing Middle” housing refers to a range of building types that are compatible in scale, form and construction with single-family homes, but include multiple housing units. Missing Middle housing is typically a two-to-four story multi-unit, clustered housing such as smaller townhouses, duplexes, triplexes, quadruplexes, detached courtyard cottages, attached courtyard apartments or smaller apartment buildings (with fewer than 20 units) that are typically in walkable, transit-accessible neighborhoods.

Both items are tentatively scheduled for a public hearing on Feb. 9, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. The Council staff report can be viewed here.

 

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• Jawando-rent-gouging-bill-and-housing-ZTA 12-8-2020 Media Advisory.docx