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.
Tag: attainable housing
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.
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!
Fact Sheet: Attainable Housing – living up to our country’s housing values (Montgomery County)
On June 13, the Montgomery County Planning Board unanimously approved the Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative report. The report recommends allowing more types of housing—like duplexes, triplexes, and townhouses—in neighborhoods that for decades have only allowed single-family detached homes.
Event Materials: Affordable Housing Financing 101 (May 2024)
Hear from experts Patrick McAnaney of Somerset Development Company and Chris Gillis of Montgomery Housing Partnership about how affordable housing providers meet financing needs, and how local, state, and federal government can help—as well as a briefing on the County Councils’ work on affordable housing from Council President Andrew Friedson.
Testimony: Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative
Legalizing attainable housing types adds another tool to our housing toolbox—helping to relieve pressure on our existing lower-cost housing options, alleviate our housing shortage, and give more people access to the opportunities that our county has to offer.
Event: Attainable Housing in Montgomery County (Feb 2024)
At Montgomery for All‘s February meeting, we heard from Montgomery County Council President Andrew Friedson and housing planner Lisa Govoni about upcoming action on Montgomery County housing targets and the Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative.
We also heard from YIMBYs of NoVA co-founder Luca Gattoni-Celli about how advocates worked together and took a positive approach to win major missing middle housing legislation in Arlington and Alexandria. Montgomery for All is a grassroots, community-led group advocating for sustainable and inclusive land use, housing, and transit policies in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Event recording: Montgomery for All: Attainable Housing Briefing (February 2024)
Slides — Lisa Govoni, Montgomery Planning: Local Housing Targets & Attainable Housing Strategies Overview
Attainable Housing:
On March 21, the Planning Board will hold two public listening sessions in the afternoon and evening on the Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative. This initiative is the next step in implementing the Thrive 2050 General Plan and expanding the range of housing types available in Montgomery County.
- Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative
- Sign up to testify in-person or virtually for March 21 attainable housing listening sessions
- Instructions on submitting written testimony to the Planning Board (scroll to “Submit testimony to the Planning Board”)
Faith Housing ZTA:
- Sign up to testify for ZTA 24-01 on February 27
- Text: ZTA 24-01
- Submit written testimony to the County Council (note: it is most effective to also send any testimony you submit to each Councilmember’s office individually; find Councilmembers’ emails here)
Montgomery for All Resources:
- Become a member of Montgomery for All
- Data for Progress polling data on Thrive 2050
- Montgomery for All guide: How to Testify
YIMBYs of NoVA:
Housing Targets:
Montgomery Planning will brief the Council’s Planning, Housing, and Parks committee on housing targets on March 18. See select slides below and view the full slide presentation here.
Take Action: Sign up to testify for attainable housing!
On March 21, the Planning Board will hold a public listening session on the Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative. This is the next step in implementing the Thrive 2050 General Plan and expanding the range of housing types available in Montgomery County. The initiative makes recommendations for zoning changes to allow “missing middle” housing types like duplexes and triplexes in more parts of the county.
CSG Testimony: Attainable Housing Strategies
We strongly support the direction of the Planning Department’s recommendations for more diverse housing typologies in Montgomery County, especially in places near transit, amenities, and jobs. Inequitable, unsustainable land use patterns are a systemic problem at the root of some of our most difficult social issues. Montgomery County should not be a place where your zip code can predict your future income, health, or other life outcomes.
Middle housing zoning reform will not change neighborhoods overnight or solve all our housing challenges. Rather, smart land use decisions will lay the foundation for a better, more just society where people can find a place to live that fits their needs, their income, and provides access to opportunities. It will help Montgomery County become a place where more people can choose to live car-lite or car-free and drive less; a place where more people can start a family or age-in-place.