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Council interviews HOC nominees Merkowitz and Salomon on housing finance, vouchers and equity
Summary
Jeffrey Merkowitz and Robin Salomon, nominees for reappointment to the Housing Opportunities Commission, told the county council they would prioritize expanding affordable housing supply, improving voucher program responsiveness, and coordinating more closely with county executive staff as federal funding tightens.
The Montgomery County Council interviewed two nominees for reappointment to the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC), focusing on scarce federal resources, strategies to preserve and expand affordability, and improving communication between HOC, the county executive's office and the council.
Jeffrey Merkowitz said he seeks reappointment because of a career-long focus on housing and poverty, including work at the U.S. Department of the Treasury's State Small Business Credit Initiative and the CDFI Fund. "My reasons for wanting to continue as a commissioner have to do with my lifelong interest in issues of housing and poverty, especially homelessness," he said, noting work during his tenure helping HOC navigate the COVID pandemic and the development of a five-year strategic plan.
Robin Salomon said his decades of affordable-housing development experience, including transactional work and structuring private partnerships, make him well-suited to continue serving. He described no conflicts of interest that would preclude reappointment.
Both nominees warned that federal support for housing is constrained. Salomon said, "CDBG home funding has been flat in actual dollars the last 3 fiscal years," and described high demand for Low Income Housing Tax Credits and multifamily housing bonds, arguing that commissioners should re-examine HOC's priorities to ensure scarce capital is used where it will have the greatest effect.
Recommendations included buying existing multifamily properties and adding affordability restrictions, addressing scattered-site portfolios through rehabilitation, and considering longer-term, lower-interest financing to support permanent affordability. Merkowitz highlighted the county's housing production fund as an important tool and suggested exploring similar financing for later-stage permanent capital needs.
Council members pressed nominees on operational issues. Kate Stewart raised concerns about older voucher holders losing eligibility because of missed recertification; Merkowitz described outreach and follow-up work that improved renewal rates, and Salomon suggested stronger responsiveness from HOC staff and exploring social-service requirements attached to tax-relief programs to support vulnerable tenants. Kristin Mink asked whether nominees would support executive branch staff participating in early briefings on major development deals and biannual voucher reviews and whether nominees would notify the council and commission promptly if the federal government took action against HOC; both nominees answered yes.
The interviews covered a range of governance and program questions; nominees said they would commit time to service and reported no conflicts of interest. The council will continue its evaluation and may act on the reappointments at a later meeting.
