Developers Avoid Building Required Affordable Housing in Maryland

8 February 2008 - 11:00am

While Montgomery County, Maryland had one of the first affordable housing programs in the country, recently, the community has not seen the required units constructed by developers.

"Montgomery County has seen a slow down in construction of affordable units that were supposed to be built as a requirement of larger scale developments. Several reasons are cited, including the option to buy out of the requirement by donating to an affordable housing fund. The donation rate was much lower than the construction cost. Enforcement has been spotty in recent years as well."

"The County Council recently increased the buy out option, which has significantly increased the construction of affordable units."

Source: The Washington Post, February 7, 2008
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The challenges of urban sprawl in outlying areas--like dangerous neighborhoods in the center city, and severe declines in jobs within reach of working people or inner city public schools--are rarely shared and never undertaken on a truly regional basis.