Montgomery County is updating its growth policy, and the Planning Board recommends ending the county's ban on new housing. Use the form below to tell the County Council to say YES to this recommendation!
Over the past year, 12 percent of Montgomery County was under a housing moratorium, including large swaths of Silver Spring, North Bethesda, and Wheaton — some of the most desirable areas of the county, with premier access to major transit and job hubs. These areas are under a one-year automatic moratorium because certain schools are overcrowded.
But, stopping new housing does not actually solve school overcrowding. Less than 30 percent of the county's school enrollment growth can be attributed to new development. Most new students come from young families moving into existing single-family home neighborhoods — not from new apartment buildings.
Instead, the moratorium hurts housing affordability, hampers progress on our climate goals, and hinders economic development. Rather than locating in a transit-oriented neighborhood, households and businesses alike are pushed into less desirable areas for growth. The county should encourage new housing in major transit and job hubs, not ban it.
In addition to ending the housing moratorium, we're asking the Council to support other policies that encourage sustainable growth patterns, such as lowering the cost of new development in Opportunity Zones and increasing the recordation tax to better fund school construction and rental assistance.
Make your voice heard by using the form below! Learn more about the recommended changes to the county's growth policy here.