The DC Zoning Commission will hear the proposal for Expanded Inclusionary Zoning on Nov. 16, 2020 at 6:30pm.
Read our testimony in support of Expanded IZ:
You can read our preliminary support in July 2020 for this proposal: CSG’s testimony here, and our joint support with Housing Priorities Coalition testimony. View Expanded IZ Case No. 20-02 Zoning Commission hearing notice and case documents here.
Sign up to testify at the 11/16/20 hearing, 6:30pm, Case Number 20-02 here.
DC Housing Priorities Coalition provided a testimony workshop for the DC Comp Plan on October 27 in preparation of the DC Council hearing on the Comp Plan scheduled for Nov. 12 and 13, 2020.
YouTube Recording of 10/27/20 Testimony Workshop
What is the Comp Plan? Housing Priorities Coalition Presentation
CSG Model Letter to DC Council in Support of the Comp Plan
Greater Greater Washington Petition
Housing Priorities Coalition letter to DC Council in support of the Comp Plan, Sept. 30, 2020
Blog post by Greater Greater Washington: Here’s how you can weigh in to make sure the Comp Plan will help, not hurt, housing production in DC
HAND’s webpage on the Comp Plan
DC Comprehensive Plan webpage: https://plandc.dc.gov/
Expanded Inclusionary Zoning – learn about it and sign up to testify for the Nov. 16, 2020 hearing. Housing Priorities Coalition Testimony on Expanded IZ proposal by OP. View Expanded IZ case no. 20-02 Zoning Commission notice and case documents here. Sign up for 11/16/20 hearing, 6:30pm, case number 20-02 here.
The Housing Priorities Coalition is: Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED) 🞄 Coalition for Smarter Growth 🞄 DC Fiscal Policy Institute 🞄 Enterprise Community Partners 🞄 Greater Greater Washington 🞄 Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND) 🞄 Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) 🞄 Somerset Development 🞄 United Planning Organization (UPO)
About the DC Housing Priorities Coalition
The Housing Priorities Coalition formed in 2016 to help update the DC Comprehensive Plan, the land use policy that guides development decisions in the District. (Learn more from DC Office of Planning on the DC Comprehensive Plan amendment process at: plandc.dc.gov). See the full Housing Priorities Coalition amendment package here. The Housing Priorities Coalition’s guiding principles for amending the DC Comprehensive Plan are:
Testimony & factsheets
Housing Priorities Coalition Testimony Workshop Materials
Housing Priorities Coalition urges Chairman Mendelson & DC Council to pass Comp Plan this year (Sept. 30, 2020)
Housing Priorities Coalition Support for Expanded Inclusionary Zoning
View more here
Yesterday, the Planning Board voted to update the county’s draft growth policy (aka the Subdivision Staging Policy), which seeks to time public infrastructure like schools and transportation with population growth. Among other changes, the Planning Board draft would eliminate the counterproductive housing moratorium throughout most of the county, while adjusting fees and taxes to ensure adequate funding to meet increases in school demand.
This decision is thanks, in large part, to you! CSG’s supporters sent over 50 letters to the Planning Board, and our supporters and allies showed up strong at the Planning Board’s public hearing. Check out CSG’s public testimony for more background.
This isn’t the end though — the County Council has the last say. They will review the Planning Board’s recommendations and vote on a new growth policy by November. We’ll keep you updated on actions you can take!
Until then, please consider making a donation to sustain our work advocating for more housing in Montgomery County!
Other changes proposed by the Planning Board:
Again, thank you to all those who sent in letters or testified! In September, we’ll update you on the Council’s review and hearing schedule so you can join us again in supporting this progressive update to the county’s growth policy.
Want to build an accessory dwelling unit in DC, but unsure of the zoning review process?
Watch our July 29, 2020 webinar on the zoning code with Mamadou Ndaw, Supervisory Engineering Technician, DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA).
View Mamadou Ndaw’s, DCRA, powerpoint presentation here.
View Cheryl Cort’s, Coalition for Smarter Growth, powerpoint introduction to DC zoning for ADUs and second dwellings here.
July 27, 2020
The Honorable Sidney Katz
Montgomery County Council
100 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
Re: Property Taxes
Dear Council President Katz and Councilmembers:
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the proposals to alter the rules for property tax increases. Please accept these comments on behalf of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, the leading organization in the DC region advocating for walkable, inclusive, transit-oriented communities.
We support a fix to the artificial constraints imposed by the current property tax cap, and want to ensure that the Council and County Executive have the authority to budget in a way that meets the community’s needs, particularly for social services, affordable housing, and public transportation. The county requires improved flexibility to meet unexpected challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and all of the increased need it has created.
At the same time as needs rise, Montgomery County has not been able to benefit from growth in the tax base, growth which is supported by a history of successful public investments in infrastructure, schools, and transportation. Continuous public investment and services are vital in order to maintain a high quality of life, spur further economic development, and battle external threats, including public health and climate crises.
Therefore, we support proposals to remove the property tax cap and to require a supermajority of at least two-thirds of the council to raise the general property tax rate, not a unanimous vote as is now the case. We also support setting equal limits on rate increases for owner-occupied residential properties and for residential rental properties, since landlords pass property tax increases onto tenants in the form of higher rents. Homeowners and renters should be treated equally – renters should not face a higher pass-through cost of tax increases than homeowners.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jane Lyons
Maryland Advocacy Manager
Coalition for Smarter Growth
CC: Montgomery County Councilmembers County Executive Marc Elrich
Homeowner’s ADU Zoning Webinar
Wednesday, July 29, 2020 @ 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Via Zoom
Attention DC homeowners! Want to understand what DC zoning regulations permit on your lot so you can build an accessory apartment or second unit? Join us to learn from Mamadou Ndaw with the Office of the Zoning Administrator at Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). Mr. Ndaw will provide a presentation of DC’s zoning rules followed by Q & A.
Photo credit: Erin Kelleher, see: www.ileanaschinder.com
View event materials here.