More than a decade after the Brookings Institution released the seminal Region Divided report, the Washington region is still divided, with parts of D.C. and the east side of the region not sharing in the prosperity of our economy.
Despite some progress in the last decade, many eastern communities continue to fall on the wrong side of the regional divide with slow job growth, poorly performing schools, high crime, and a devastating home foreclosure crisis. Meanwhile, even in wealthier communities throughout the region many families struggle to keep up with rising housing costs, a situation made even worse by the a lack of diversity in housing types and transit-oriented development.
Addressing this challenge is the most important mission of CSG. With our focus integrating the interconnected issues of land use, housing, and transportation, we are uniquely situated to address this divide through changes in infrastructure policies and our work in local communities across the region. Providing more housing options close to jobs in job-rich areas, creating incentives for jobs to be focused at underdeveloped Metro stations on the east side of the region, focusing businesses in transit-accessible locations, and linking affordable housing and transit, are among the key solutions.
Latest Happenings
We are glad to see record levels of funding for affordable housing production and preservation in this year’s capital and operating budgets, and thank the Council and County Executive for consistently increasing funding for affordable housing year over year.
These zoning changes fulfill the guidance of the Comprehensive Plan, Chevy Chase Small Area Plan, and the Housing Equity Report which call for increased affordable housing opportunities in Chevy Chase. Currently, Ward 3 has less than 1% of D.C.’s dedicated affordable housing. The zoning changes are also intended to support moderate density mixed use development that creates an active, pedestrian-oriented commercial corridor with a convenient mix of neighborhood serving shops and services.
The Montgomery County Council is considering a zoning text amendment, ZTA 24-01, that would make it easier for faith and private education institutions to build affordable housing on their land. This would open up new opportunities to build much-needed affordable homes, and offer faith institutions greater flexibility to use their land in ways that align with their missions and support thriving congregations and communities.
We urge the Council to vote against CR 22. We ask you to not delay implementation of the modern Zoning Ordinance by extending the overlapping use of the old zoning code for another two years, as CR 22 proposes. Further delay of the implementation of the modern zoning ordinance for another two years will harm the county’s ability to attract new investment and guide quality development to appropriate locations.
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.
