The Coalition for Smarter Growth and Montgomery for All are proud to support the More Housing N.O.W. package to increase housing options in sustainable locations and support our workforce and first-time homebuyers. Building more housing along our corridors, a central piece of this package, will help more people afford homes in Montgomery County and live close to jobs, transit, and amenities.
Category: Montgomery County
CSG in the News: Jawando urges County Council to pause attainable housing plan
The Coalition for Smarter Growth, a nonprofit that, according to its website, advocates for “walkable, bikeable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities” in the Washington, D.C. area, released a statement Tuesday afternoon saying the organization is “deeply disappointed” by Jawando’s comments.
“Smaller, multi-family units like those proposed in the Attainable Housing Strategies recommendations can be built and sold more affordably than single-family detached homes. Expanding housing choices also offers creative pathways and opportunities to produce subsidized affordable homes, a feat that is financially prohibitive to accomplish with single-family detached homes,” the nonprofit wrote.
RELEASE: CSG Response to Councilmember Jawando’s Comments on Attainable Housing (MoCo)
We are deeply disappointed by Councilmember Will Jawando’s statements on the Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative (AHSI). His statements fail to recognize the reality of our county’s housing crisis and lack of sufficient housing options, and do not address the full range and potential of the AHSI recommendations.
Action Alert: We have power in numbers! Join us to say no to M-83 (MoCo)
We need your help at a hearing this Thursday to finally stop an outdated, destructive highway and to protect sensitive forests and wetlands. If built, the Mid-County Highway Extended (M-83) would cut through farmland, forests and wetlands in its path through the Seneca Creek watershed.
Better Buses Coalition Letter in Support of Georgia Ave. Dedicated Bus Lanes (Montgomery)
Dear Secretary Wiedefeld, GM Clarke, County Executive Elrich, Council President Stewart, and Director Conklin:
The undersigned organizations representing the Montgomery County Better Buses Coalition are writing regarding the MD-97 (Georgia Ave.) dedicated bus lane proposal. We are encouraged by the success of the pilot project and ask you to make the dedicated lanes permanent.
Testimony: Remove M-83 from Montgomery County Plans
Mid-County Highway Extended (M-83) is an outdated plan out of step with what we know today about the vital connections between environmental and human health, and best practices to address transportation needs. Take action to remove M-83 from county plans.
Action Alert: Montgomery County needs transit and connected communities, not more highways
Dear friend,
Since the 1950s, traffic engineers have told us new highways would solve traffic. We now know that’s not true. We also know that highways divide neighborhoods and pollute our air. We know that more walkable communities linked to transit provide a better, more sustainable approach.
If built, the outdated Mid-County Highway Extended (M-83) would destroy farmland, forests and wetlands in its path through the Seneca Creek watershed. It is time to remove this destructive and unnecessary proposed highway from the county’s official master plans.
Contact the Planning Board today to ask them to remove M-83 from the Master Plan of Highways and Transit (MPOHT).
Take action: Don’t build this harmful highway
For years, CSG and partners have put forward a transit-based combination of solutions, including bus rapid transit, better street connectivity, and improved bike and pedestrian connections upcounty as an alternative to building M-83.
Analysis by CSG and the TAME Coalition, and later, by the county’s own Department of Transportation—has found that forthcoming transit investments, including bus rapid transit (BRT) on MD-355, will provide significant transportation improvements without the environmental harms of M-83.
Strong support for removing M-83 from county plans
County leadership and community and environmental organizations alike join CSG in supporting M-83’s removal from the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways, including:
- County Executive Marc Elrich
- Montgomery County Department of Transportation
- Transit Alternatives to Mid-County Highway Extended (TAME)
- Sierra Club of Montgomery County
- Action Committee for Transit
- Montgomery Village Foundation
- Muddy Branch Alliance
- Seneca Creek Watershed Partners
- Climate Coalition Montgomery County (including CCAN, Montgomery Countryside Alliance, and MCFACS)
Read our 2015 report and visit TAME’s website to learn more.
What’s next, and how you can help
In addition to using our alert to contact the board, please also consider attending these upcoming community meetings and hearings about M-83 and the Master Plan of Highways and Transit:
October 21, 2024: Virtual Public Meeting, 6PM (RSVP)
October 23, 2024: In-Person Public Meeting at Neelsville Middle School, 6PM (RSVP)
November 14, 2024: Planning Board Hearing on MPOHT (sign up to testify)
Contact the Planning Board: Remove M-83 from the MPOHT
Let’s take a step forward for better, more sustainable transportation upcounty, and away from an outdated and environmentally harmful project.
Testimony: Removing M-83 from Master Plan of Highways and Transitways (Montgomery County, Support)
We are grateful to Planning staff for their attention to the public feedback they have received concerning M-83. Organizations including CSG and Transit Alternatives to Mid-County Highway Extended (TAME) and other community members have been raising serious concerns about the community and environmental impact of M-83 for years. We have documented how M-83 is unnecessary and that local street connections combined with bus rapid transit and walkable, transit-accessible communities would meet future needs.
Get ready for attainable housing listening sessions!
The County Council and Montgomery Planning have announced dates for six upcoming attainable housing listening sessions. Make your voice heard in support of more housing options for Montgomery County—register today to attend an attainable housing listening session!
Testimony: Silver Spring mixed-use development at Georgia and Cameron (Support, Montgomery County)
We wish to express our support for the proposed mixed-use development at 8676 Georgia Avenue and 8601 Cameron Street. This development will provide up to 525 additional transit-accessible homes in downtown Silver Spring; improve pedestrian and bike infrastructure in the surrounding area; and offer additional retail and commercial space to serve this neighborhood and its many residents and visitors just blocks from the Silver Spring Metro.