To the editor:
The Montgomery County Council seeks to transform the county by permitting the development of middle housing: duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes and small apartments in single-family-zoned neighborhoods that are within a mile of public transit.
Council Member Will Jawando proposed a zoning text amendment that prioritizes affordable housing by incorporating development of high-density dwellings, thereby reducing the medium income required for a county residence.
The high-priced housing market has long forced many workers to live outside the county and commute to jobs in Bethesda, Silver Spring, Rockville and Gaithersburg. Even though our county is an economic stronghold and offers many employment opportunities, housing is unaffordable for those who work in restaurants, retail and often health care.
We need to foster walkable and transit-oriented communities in the face of climate change.
Takoma Park incorporates middle housing and boarding houses in accord with single-family homes. We need to follow the lead of a successful and politically active community by incorporating more diverse housing that supports various income groups.
No longer can we deem the car as the major source of transit, constituting a pattern of suburban sprawl in once rural areas
Gail Landy
Gaithersburg area
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