CHANGE MY LOCATION
Local
California News
Multimedia News
Residents want affordable housing in Howard
SEE THE LATEST ON THIS STORY
Related Topics: Columbia, Md
Columbia, Md (Map, News) - Several Columbia residents want more affordable housing so people can live and work in Howard — not more development. But experts confess no one solution exists.
“I would like to see limited growth for the county, but sprawl has got to be addressed,” said Jim Adams, of Ellicott City, at the Columbia Democratic Club’s meeting Wednesday at Jeffers Hill Neighborhood Center in Columbia.
About 20 residents joined a panel of experts to discuss the shortage of affordable housing in Howard.
Panelist Tim Sosinski, an architect from ARIUMae and member of the Columbia Housing Corp. Board, said Columbia could become an “ivory tower” of wealthy residents rather than have the diverse population its founder Jim Rouse intended.
Howard should rezone and allow the under-utilized space to be turned into areas for affordable homes, he said.
The county’s affordable housing task force, created by former County Executive James Robey in 2006, recommended “redevelopment at higher densities.”
But residents said they are nervous about increasing housing density and would rather improve the less-kept housing and sell the units at affordable prices.
An example of that idea is Guilford Gardens, said Panelist Stacy Spann, head of Howard County’s Department of Housing and Community Development.
In April, the county took over management of the 100 units in Columbia after health and safety violations were found.
“We are working very hard to modify existing moderate income houses,” Spann said.
But growth is inevitable and the county needs a plan to handle it, said Panelist Bob Buchmeier, a member of the Interfaith Committee for Affordable Housing.
“We have gotten to the point that we’re studied out,” said Panelist the Rev. Robert Turner, president of the African- American Coalition and affordable housing task force member. “Now we are at a place to make some commitment.”
“The [affordable housing] report is sitting out there and [no one] is doing anything about it,” said Panelist Bill Ross, member of the Howard County Housing Commission and affordable housing task force.
FAST FACTS
» Howard County median household income for a family of four is $91,184. Of the 97,000 households in Howard, half fall below that income.
» Families making up to $70,880 annually qualify for affordable housing.
» Seventy percent of Howard County’s workers do not earn enough to rent or buy in the county. That percentage could grow by another 24,300 positions in the next 10 years with the influx of jobs coming to Fort Meade. Their salaries are less than $50,000.
» Zoning regulations require developers to dedicate between 5 percent and 20 percent of the units toward affordable housing.
» This averages to about 100 units of the 1,500 new units each year.
Source: Howard County’s Task Force on Affordable House Report in 2006 and county officials
kseith@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
10:43 AM MST on Sat., Sep. 6, 2008 re: "Waiting-list for low-income housing open in Montgomery"
Report as inappropriate
12:11 PM MST on Wed., Aug. 20, 2008
re: "Tenants-rights group planning forum"
Report as inappropriate
1:10 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 14, 2008
re: "The City's housing boom"
Report as inappropriate
12:54 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 14, 2008
re: "The City's housing boom"
Report as inappropriate
9:53 PM MST on Wed., Aug. 6, 2008
re: "Housing funds for MontCo employees go unused"
Report as inappropriate
1:50 PM MST on Wed., Aug. 6, 2008
re: "Housing funds for MontCo employees go unused"
Report as inappropriate
5:04 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 9, 2008
re: "Residents want independent investigation of Howard Housing Commission"
Report as inappropriate
8:13 AM MST on Tue., Jul. 8, 2008
re: "Waiting-list for low-income housing open in Montgomery"
Report as inappropriate
11:31 AM MST on Fri., Apr. 11, 2008
re: "Residents displaced decades ago may receive reprieve"
Report as inappropriate
9:47 AM MST on Fri., Mar. 21, 2008
re: "Model house for state becomes a headache for homeowners"
Report as inappropriate
8:55 AM MST on Fri., Mar. 21, 2008
re: "Model house for state becomes a headache for homeowners"
Report as inappropriate
7:28 AM MST on Fri., Jul. 13, 2007
re: "Tenants-rights group planning forum"
Report as inappropriate
1:06 PM MST on Fri., Jun. 15, 2007
re: "Residents want affordable housing in Howard"
Report as inappropriate
9:34 AM MST on Wed., Jun. 6, 2007
re: "Fairfax supervisors close home ‘additions’ loophole"
Report as inappropriate
3:25 AM MST on Sun., May. 27, 2007
re: "Economist: Foreclosure 'bloodbath' on horizon"
Report as inappropriate
Telisa said:
I am 17 years old. me and my 4month old daughter need a place to stay...we need help....how do i go about moving in a HUD property ASAP??
4 agree | 1 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader/Nadia said:
I have NO idea if you can help But Im going to take a shot at it - Last FRI there was Gun fire exchanged at my apartmnt complex right infront of my door. I have a month to month lease and have put in my 30 day notice to move out since i feel extremely unsafe. How can I move before the 30 days are up without being charged?
4 agree | 2 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Wai Yip Tung said:
By adding 60,000 units over 20 years, this housing 'boom' represent an annual growth rate of 0.77%.
6 agree | 7 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
No matter Mr. Metcalf's take on the real estate market, i have lived in SF since 1979 and, to the best of my knowledge, not a single-building boom has significantly effected the price of housing one way or the other, however, clearly (and arguably, unfortunately) real estate "bubbles" have. Even today's Chronicle states the Assessor's office in SF is overhwelmed with homeowners seeking a re-assessemnent of property values because of falling prices. My guess is that has more to do with the real estate "bubble" bursting than available housing on the market.
7 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Robin Ficker Broker Robin Realty said:
The county this year increased property tax revenues 14% with another huge increase expected next year. Reduce spending, and hence the next for more tax increases, by $500,000.
10 agree | 7 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner reader said:
Knapp might run against Leggett for County Executive? If that happened, Knapp would surely win. Given the choice of a fiscally irresponsible, clueless, pandering politition or a tool for the developers, the voters will probably choose the tool for the developers.
10 agree | 8 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Wow! It is unbelievable the amount of selfishness that I see in people who do live in these establishments. I suppose they have the mentality of give back to the community...but not on my block. Let me tell you...I ended up in this type of housing for a year. Thank GOD it was there! I relocated from LA to MD for a $120k/yr. job which I ended up being wrongfully terminated from when I caught pneumonia. As a single mother, an educated professional, worked in my field for 17 years...I was humbled. Don't let your fill yourself with so much gusto, God has a way of humbling those on their high horse.
6 agree | 5 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
hello my name is korena i live in jhonson homes which is pha/lowincome i am looking to get a transfer out of philly how can i do that
5 agree | 6 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Yeah, that's exactly what we need, project thugs in nice new developments. I don't think so!
8 agree | 9 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Reader said:
Get a fix it man and stop whining!
9 agree | 13 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
"Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation" Run by Thomas Perez, ex chairman of the board of Casa de Md. I wonder if he allowed illegal aliens to fix or certify the roof.
9 agree | 11 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Norwood Apts Reader said:
As a tenant at the Norwood I take issue with your characterization of tenants as welfare seekers. These tenants are working class low income people who work service jobs in DC. Some tenants work in the mail room at the White House, waiters at Old Ebbitt Grill, or cleaning offices. These people are the ones who help our city run and we deserve to have a decent place to live. By decent I mean demanding a proper working elevator that does not take 31 days to repair.
375 agree | 261 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Columbia doesn't need anymore housing.....Most of the individuals at the meeting, are those seeking welfare and goverment funded housing........
299 agree | 280 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
When will this new policy take place?
643 agree | 289 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Silver Springer said:
This is a remarkably important story and the Examiner deserves a lot of credit for digging it out. while bigger papers in Baltimore and Washington failed to do so. Mortgage regulators should have stopped the current binge of looney loans years ago. They failed to do so and now large numbers of homeowners are facing foreclosure -- and more will in the future. That's a terrible price to pay to sell more loans and to inflate short-term lender profits.
301 agree | 275 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree