On Friday, May 2, I joined a group of fellow housing advocates for a tour of a complex that is introducing the concept of social housing to the Montgomery County area. The Laureate is a beautiful building, and its amenities and concept are seeking to help many Maryland residents find affordable housing through the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC).
The Laureate boasts a social housing concept, through which the county funds future projects with a revolving fund, according to Ken Silverman, Esq from the HOC. The county initiated a leasing developer fee, and the project manager faces stipulations to ensure residents are able to occupy the space affordably, Silverman said. The Laureate offers a 90% and 10% cash flow with resident services, and the community owns the building. The Laureate keeps the units interchangeable and does not differentiate between market rate and subsidized units.
Social housing is a housing concept aiming to create subsidized or affordable housing, often publicly owned and managed. It aims to address housing affordability issues for low-income individuals and families.
I took part in the D.C. grassroots planning coalition that explored the concept of social housing as part of the effort to influence the District of Columbia’s comprehensive plan. The grassroots planning coalition sought to make sure the District of Columbia took a serious look at this housing concept. Many in the community have expressed concern with the city’s inclusionary zoning program.
“The Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) Program requires that most new (and some renovated) residential developments include some affordable homes,” according to D.C.’s Department of Housing and Community Development website.
IZ homes are apartments for rent or condos/townhomes for sale. Households that make 50%, 60%, or 80% of the Median Family Income (MFI) may be eligible for IZ units. Those who are eligible for affordable housing through this program are selected through a lottery process as opposed to housing voucher services. Some of the D.C. grassroots planning coalition priorities included concepts like commitments to public housing, ending housing instability and supporting the unhoused, and community- led equitable development, and the social housing concept is a concept that keeps assets public.
