The Montgomery County Council is considering proposed zoning changes that would eliminate the totality of only permitting single-family homes in neighborhoods, with the proposed zoning revisions igniting the county. Called inclusionary zoning, it assumes that affordable and appropriate housing for middle- and low-income households should be in all neighborhoods, including those exclusively wealthy.
Young single professionals who have just begun their careers in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area cannot afford or may not even need a single-family home but they should be able to find suitable housing in the county. No reason exists for duplexes, triplexes or apartment buildings with limited floors not fitting into existing single-family neighborhoods if built in accordance with the aligned architecture.
Montgomery County sought to overcome its residential housing shortage by establishing the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) with long-time activist Joyce Siegel at the helm. Her goal, dating back to the 1970s, was to overcome racial segregation by passing a regulation for 2,000 moderate-income units to be constructed or reprieved in the county and the newly liberal County Council agreed.
No longer is public housing delegated to only the extremely impoverished. The Housing Opportunities Fund creates or refurbishes housing units at below market-level rates for those earning 65% to 70% of median income and sometimes only 50%. Since HOC projects are exempt from property taxes, developers are willing to proceed with less profit margins and charge less for housing units. It is a win for county officials and developers because taxes remain static and properties are available at lower than market level rental rates.
By changing zoning and land-use laws it is easier to build more dense housing near transit and thereby reduce required parking spaces. It is a win for politicians, homeowners, perspective residents, climate activists, and the county that always leads the nation — but may not entirely solve the essential problem of a formidable housing shortage.
Gail Landy lives in Gaithersburg.
