Montgomery County Council proclaims April Affordable Housing Month, highlights county programs

The Montgomery County Council and the Planning, Housing and Parks Committee on April 22 read a proclamation commemorating Affordable Housing Month and celebrated county efforts to expand and preserve affordable housing.

Council members and housing partners noted the county’s history with inclusionary zoning through the MPDU (Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit) program and recent initiatives including a $100 million housing production fund and a $50 million nonprofit preservation fund intended to preserve naturally occurring affordable housing across the county. Chelsea Andrews, president of the Housing Opportunities Commission, thanked the council for ongoing partnership and emphasized that affordable housing includes services such as resident support and permanent supportive housing as well as new construction: "Affordable housing is much more than the bricks and the sticks that we build. It's about the families and the lives that we're able to touch." (Chelsea Andrews).

Leila Finucane of Victory Housing described the county’s support for senior housing and noted a county Department of Environmental Protection award and grant to electrify Victory Tower, a senior community in Tacoma, as an example of county partnership on resilience and decarbonization goals.

The proclamation reaffirmed Montgomery County’s commitment to equity and access in housing and recognized local nonprofit, public and faith partners for their roles in housing production and preservation. Council members present said the proclamation reflected a multi‑decade county approach to inclusionary zoning and innovation in housing policy.

The proclamation was presented on April 22, Earth Day, 2025 by the chair of the Planning, Housing and Parks Committee on behalf of the full council.