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Yesterday, I introduced the Tenant Protection and Notification Bill at the County Council. This bill will ensure greater information provided by landlords to tenants and generally require enhanced communications related to the safety of units and tenants. The fire at The Arrive in Silver Spring which resulted in the death of Melanie Diaz and the power outage at The Grand in North Bethesda demonstrate the ongoing need to ensure the health and well-being of our community by increasing information about fire prevention plans and improving communication between tenants and management.
The main items this bill covers are temperature, insurance, fire prevention information, noticing, and emergency safety plans. In short, the Tenant Protection and Notification Bill will:
- Strengthen tenant protections particularly related to fire safety and notifications;
- Require a residential lease to include certain information related to building insurance and renters insurance, the inclusion or lack of a sprinkler system, and general fire safety information such as, the location of fire alarms, fire extinguishers and other fire prevention apparatus;
- Mandate and enhance notification of the 24-hour availability of a building representative;
- Require official and timely notifications of any disruption of essential services in a rental building; and
- Require an emergency safety plan for multifamily dwellings.
For more information and the bill text, please view the staff packet here.
When faith institutions and private schools in our district approached my office asking how they could take action on our housing crisis, a vital piece of expanding access to affordable housing depended on helping them. After months of careful work with congregations, affordable housing builders, and housing advocates, we introduced the FAITH ZTA (24-01) with my colleague Council President Friedson.
Last week, we heard from a terrific, diverse group of speakers sharing support for the FAITH ZTA, from organizations such as Action in Montgomery (AIM) representing many Parent Teacher Associations and congregations, to Montgomery Housing Alliance, AARP, and the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County, MD.
While houses of worship and private schools in our community find themselves with more land than they need, these institutions face too many barriers to easily put their land to use to support their mission, address the housing crisis, and benefit our broader community.
Since much of our county is zoned for single family detached residential, religious assemblies or private education institutions seeking to build townhomes or low-rise apartments would have to pursue a lengthy, cumbersome process. This has tended to discourage the construction of housing. The FAITH ZTA requires that these projects meet one of four affordability thresholds, and undergo development review under a conditional use process, where a hearing examiner evaluates each proposed project. This individually tailored approach evaluates proposed projects and provides a forum for community input on the projects.
In addition, the County’s Office of Legislative Oversight in their Racial Equity and Social Justice impact statement found the ZTA should have a favorable impact on racial equity and social justice in the County as the intent is to increase the number of affordable housing units across our county and assist in diminishing residential segregation and reduce racial disparities in access to high quality schooling, transportation, health care, employment and other opportunities.
I am honored that the FAITH ZTA is cosponsored by all of my council colleagues. You can read more about it and find answers to frequently asked questions and how public input will be incorporated into any proposed project under this ZTA here.
The Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center is now open! I had a great time at the Grand Opening on February 24th, recognizing all the work done by our county to get this facility open and seeing the excitement of so many residents. If you missed the ceremony, you can watch a recap video here. The center is located at 1319 Apple Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910 and it is open Monday through Friday from 6 AM - 9 PM and Saturday to Sunday from 9 AM - 5:30 PM.
Last week, the Montgomery County Office of Legislative Oversight released a report titled “Contractor Study on Member Selection for Montgomery County Citizen Commissions, Committees, and Boards.”
This is an issue my colleague Councilmember Balcombe has championed and as the chair of the GO Committee, I requested this report because of questions I had about the process to fill these positions and wanted to learn more about who is serving and how we are recruiting with an eye towards inclusion of all communities and residents. I also very much appreciate the work of those who serve on these committees; this is mostly volunteer work taken up by residents to better our county. But we have seen some residents who serve over and over, and while they are giving back to the County, we also need to expand recruitment to make sure we are continuing to grow the numbers of volunteers and include new voices that represent communities that have had less opportunities to serve.
There is a GO Committee worksession scheduled for March 7th. To read the full report, please visit the OLO website.
The Grand Residents Association - A couple of weeks ago I stopped by The Grand Apartments in North Bethesda to provide an update on housing legislation and engage with residents. We had a lively discussion ranging from the rent stabilization regulations to my upcoming Tenant Protection and Notification Bill.
Long Branch Community Meeting - Last week I was pleased to join CHEER at the Long Branch Community Center to discuss the rent stabilization regulations and other community concerns. We had a great turnout despite the rainy weather!
The Woodside Civic Association - Thank you to the Woodside Civic Association for having me last week. We discussed constituents’ concerns and a range of topics such as transportation, public safety, and housing.
Silver Chips Panel - I was thrilled to join Montgomery Blair High School’s student newspaper, Silver Chips, on Friday at their Magazine Launch Party. A big shoutout to my fellow panelists: Domenico Montanaro, Ginny Bixby, Jeff Mason, and State Delegate Lorig Charkoudian.
The Montgomery County Council is seeking applicants for a full-term vacancy at the Montgomery County Planning Board. Members serve a four year term and must live in the County and be registered to vote in Montgomery County as a member of any political party or as an unaffiliated voter. Applications are due by March 11 and you can find information on the County Council Website, here.
Register today at namimc.org for NAMI Montgomery County's virtual Peer-to-Peer class starting on Wednesday, March 6th. NAMI Peer-to-Peer is a free, 8-session educational program for adults (18+ years old) with a mental health condition who are looking to better understand their condition and journey toward recovery. Taught by a trained team of people who've been there, the program includes presentations, discussions, and interactive exercises to support you on your mental health journey.
Interested in improving your English skills? Want to learn essential digital skills? Need support working toward your GED? Looking to start your journey to become a U.S. citizen? Classroom 2 Community has a class for that! All classes are free to students, and most are virtual. Serving all adults in Maryland. Register today and join an orientation to reach your personal and professional goals. Visit https://www.learnwithc2c.org/student-programs-1.
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Office of Councilmember Kate Stewart
