Montgomery County, a suburban county outside Washington, DC, boasts strong schools, major employment centers and a range of amenities that have contributed to high housing demand and increasing rental unit prices.  As a byproduct of its inclusionary zoning policy, the County has a large housing stock at rents that are within reach for most middle and low-income households. A gap exists, however, in the supply of housing for "very low income" households - those that earn less than 30% of the area's median income. Acknowledging that rental housing affordability continues to be an issue within the County, the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) commissioned a Rental Housing Study to analyze the condition of rental housing, evaluate existing policies, and present recommendations and strategies for providing affordable rental units either through development or preservation.

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RKG Associates completed an analysis of existing socioeconomic conditions within the County, an evaluation of rental housing supply and demand, and an analysis of housing affordability at all income levels. The study included the production of an interactive financial feasibility model, which evaluates how adjustments in municipal policies might impact multi-family development, and the County's options for positively influencing affordability. Efforts by sub-consultants including APD Urban Planning + Management and Lisa Sturtevant & Associates added neighborhood affordability analysis and policy recommendations, which were incorporated into RKG's final recommendations and strategies.

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Photo Source:

Conference and Visitors Bureau of Montgomery County, MD