February 4, 2025

Chair Ben Barnes
and Members, Appropriations Committee
120 Taylor House Office Building
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

HB 38, “School Construction and Housing – School Zones and Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances” — Support
Carrie Kisicki, Montgomery County Advocacy Manager

Dear Chair Barnes and Committee Members,

Thank you for the opportunity to testify on HB 38. My name is Carrie Kisicki, and I am the Montgomery County Advocacy Manager for the Coalition for Smarter Growth. We advocate for walkable, bikeable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities as the most sustainable and equitable way for the metro D.C. region to grow and provide opportunities for all. 

Maryland faces an urgent housing shortage and rising housing costs—an issue noted in the Comptroller’s 2024 State of the Economy report as a key factor holding back Maryland’s prosperity and economic growth. 

Providing sufficient housing that people can afford is essential to ensure that Maryland is providing opportunities for all to live and thrive in our communities. For this reason, we ask you to support HB 38.

HB 38 will provide information that will help Maryland better understand where education investments are most needed, and will prevent school capacity from becoming an indefinite barrier to needed housing production. 

For these reasons, we strongly urge you to support HB 38. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Carrie Kisicki
Montgomery County Advocacy Manager