Council Wants Affordable Housing Near Libraries, Rec Centers

While no large projects on public lands currently are in the early stages, Montgomery County Council wants to ensure that when a new or renovated library, recreation center or fire and police station are added to the capital budget, planners immediately think of affordable housing.

The council introduced a bill to ensure that the executive branch assess the viability of colocating affordable housing on land already owned by the county when a public building will be added or renovated. Affordable housing could be added above a library or fire station, councilmembers noted.

While this could occur now, it needs to be considered every time and early in the planning process, explained Council Vice President Andrew Friedson during a Thursday press conference. He pointed to the Chevy Chase Library project as an example of discussing affordable housing after much of the planning was complete.

Developers now will know they can build affordable homes in a community that includes public amenities, and at a less expensive rate since the land already is owned by the county.

“We need to view new residents not as a burden, but as a blessing,” Friedson said.

The county needs more housing. Metropolitan Washington Council of Government wants the county to build 47,500 more houses during the next decade. There currently are 37,000 people on the waiting list for housing vouchers, which Friedson said equals a six-and-a-half year wait.