Dear friend,

The Montgomery County Council is considering a zoning text amendment, ZTA 24-01, that would make it easier for faith and private education institutions to build affordable housing on their land. This would open up new opportunities to build much-needed affordable homes, and offer faith institutions greater flexibility to use their land in ways that align with their missions and support thriving congregations and communities.

Send an email to the County Council today asking councilmembers to vote in support of ZTA 24-01!

Email the Council in support of ZTA 24-01

Today, congregations seeking to build housing on their land must go through a map amendment process that can be costly and time-consuming—representing a major obstacle to the feasibility of these projects. ZTA 24-01 would allow faith and private education institutions to build affordable housing through the less cumbersome conditional use approval process.

To qualify, projects would have to meet one of the following affordability requirements:

• At least 50% of the units are price limited for at least 30 years to households earning 60% or less of Area Median Income (AMI)
• At least 30% of the units are price limited for at least 30 years, with 10% of total units affordable to households earning 30% or less of AMI and 20% of total units affordable to households eligible for the MPDU program
• At least 30% of the units are price limited for at least 30 years, with 20% of total units affordable to households earning 50% or less of AMI and 10% of total units affordable to households eligible for the MPDU program
• The project is awarded 4% or 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC)

For projects that meet one of these affordability requirements, the ZTA would allow townhouses and multi-family buildings up to 60ft as a conditional use on sites on or directly adjacent to faith and educational institutions in all residential detached zones.

The ZTA does not permit development in the Agricultural Reserve zone or rural residential zones, affirming the continued importance of preventing environmentally damaging sprawl development.

ZTA 24-01 will add another tool to our housing toolbox as we seek to address Montgomery County’s housing shortage. CSG is proud to have testified in support alongside Montgomery for All and partners including Action in Montgomery, Habitat for Humanity, Montgomery Housing Alliance, and Greater Greater Washington. 

Please email your councilmembers today to ask for their support of ZTA 24-01.