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Thursday, April 4, 2024

Spotlight on Housing

Councilmember Luedtke speaks with colleagues, residents, and housing advocates about affordable housing legislation

Everyone deserves access to safe, affordable, and quality housing. Affordability is one of the top concerns we hear, and the steps this Council has taken will create more housing to address the current shortage of housing supply that is making it increasingly unaffordable to live in our County.

It's a challenge for many jurisdictions around the country, region, and state, where Governor Moore and lawmakers in Annapolis are also working on policies to increase housing to meet the demand.

The housing shortage impacts all of us - renters and owners, longtime-residents and those just starting their careers. Whether you're seeking to live in an urban, suburban, or rural community in our County, housing affordability matters to you. Montgomery County is already short 24,590 units for residents who make less than 100 percent of the area median income and our existing stock of naturally occurring affordable housing could shrink by an additional 7,000 to 11,000 units before 2030.

The Council has taken on this issue from multiple angles to improve affordability across income levels and I'm proud to have supported smart and important initiatives, including:

- $20 million for the Nonprofit Preservation Fund, led by Council President Friedson, to preserve more than 1,800 units of affordable housing over the next year.

-  The Facilitating Affordable Inclusive Transformational Housing (FAITH) Zoning Text Amendment, led by Council Vice President Stewart and  Council President Friedson, which permits the construction of multifamily housing on more land owned by faith institutions, something for which many houses of worship have long advocated.

- Legislation to abolish required parking minimums in locations where transit is easily accessible, led by Councilmember Glass, Councilmember Mink, and Council President Friedson. Parking minimums are an outdated, one-size-fits-all standard that stifle housing production and make homes more expensive due to the expense of constructing parking, which ranges between $70,000 - $100,000 per underground spot in urban areas.

- We continue to support the County's landmark Housing Production Fund, established by the last Council, which allows our Housing Opportunities Commission to partner with developers to more efficiently finance much-needed affordable housing projects like The Laureate near the Shady Grove Metro Station.

Celebrating Pleasant Valley Farm

Click the image above to view Councilmember Luedtke's video with Pleasant Valley Farm.

Family farms like Pleasant Valley Farm in Brookeville make our Agricultural Reserve special and are integral for the preservation of farmland in Montgomery County. They stay busy 365 days a year and I was honored to help showcase the extensive winter work that goes on at this multi-generational District 7 family business. Thank you to the Stablers for sharing their story and remember to support them and all of our local food producers!

An Exciting and Promising Success Story

I’d like to take a moment to uplift a District 7 success story that demonstrates what can happen when we collaborate on our environmental, affordability, and workforce development goals to benefit the community.

To contribute to the County’s goal of zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, Green TurnKey, a member of the County’s Minority, Female, and Disabled-Owned Business Program, recently completed a series of energy efficiency improvements and upgrades at Damascus Gardens Apartments, a community located near Damascus High School. 

To reduce energy consumption, lower utility bills, and enhance the overall quality of life for residents, the project conducted comprehensive energy audits and assessments of the property based on the Department of Housing and Community Development guidelines and leveraged the Multifamily Energy Efficiency and Housing Affordability Program grant to invest in replacements and upgrades.  

The project relied on local labor that consisted of 10 full-time workers. The project management team engaged Worksource Montgomery to conduct a recruitment, training, and placement campaign in the community, which led to more people trained in the electrical trades and two part-time hires.

This project demonstrates that energy efficiency is achievable and beneficial - not just for our environment but also for training people in good-paying professions and reducing housing costs. Congratulations to Damascus Gardens for setting an example for other housing communities.

In The Community...

Councilmember Luedtke at Coffee With A Cop, Norbeck Community Church 50th Anniversary Celebration, and Sunflower Bakery.

Coffee With A Cop in Cider Mill

I appreciate the advocacy from Cider Mill residents to make their community safer and the security improvements made over the past year thanks to the Housing Opportunities Commission and Grady Management in coordination with the Montgomery County Police Department. Last week’s Coffee With A Cop was a great chance to catch up and reflect on this work!

Norbeck Community Church 50th Anniversary Celebration

Congratulations to the Norbeck Community Church on 50 years of service and leadership in our community. I was proud to be part of the celebration with Reverend Courtenay Miller and the community.

Sunflower Bakery Visit

I loved visiting Sunflower Bakery and learning more about the incredible work they do preparing young adults and teens with developmental disabilities and learning differences for careers in pastry arts and hospitality. Thank you Jody, Vickie, and the entire team for your commitment and care!

Olney Days is Coming Up!

April 26-28 will be a weekend full of fun and celebration of Olney businesses and community organizations during the annual Olney Days. I encourage everyone to check out the calendar of events and take part in this gathering organized by hardworking volunteers who embody what's great about our community. I hope to see you there!

5K to Support Adults with Developmental Disabilities

Upcounty Community Resources' annual 5K Walk & Roll-a-thon is coming up April 27. It's a great opportunity to support this organization's programming to give adults with developmental disabilities chances for social interaction and to participate more fully in the community.

RespectFest 

Hosted by the Montgomery County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, RespectFest on April 7 will celebrate healthy relationships and raise awareness about dating violence. The program will feature online and in-person activities that teach middle and high school students about dating violence prevention and intervention. SSL Hours are available for MCPS students who attend.

Travel Training for Seniors 

Travel Training is a free half-day workshop presented by JCA Connect-A-Ride that helps 50+ seniors gain confidence using Ride On buses and Metro trains and buses. To learn more and register contact 301-738-3252 or connectaride@accessjca.org.  

Operation Clean Sweep Maryland Underway

Spring’s moderate temperatures allow mowing to resume along State roadways so Operation Clean Sweep Maryland is underway to pick up litter and debris in advance. Last fiscal year, 364,077 bags of trash were collected along State-maintained roadways at a cost of $15 million. Don’t forget to slow down and move over to help protect crews as they work! Report issues of litter and high grass on State roads.