TOWSON, Md. — Before leaving office for Congress, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski issued an executive order addressing "equitable and attainable housing opportunities."
The subject of housing availability has long been a focus of Olszewski's administration.
This latest order requires all housing developers receiving county funding to reserve a certain number of units for lower income residents.
More specifically the order mandates 20 percent of units be deemed affordable; 10 percent for residents earning 60 percent or below the Area Median Income and 10 percent making below 80 percent.
The order covers all developments receiving county loans, grants, tax credits, and/or bonds.
“Access to high quality, affordable housing should be a fundamental right. Leaders have an obligation to do whatever they can to create attainable housing opportunities that allow residents to put down roots and join vibrant neighborhoods,” said Olszewski. “This executive order builds on our successful market-based, mixed-income approach to housing, and ensures that publicly funded developments assist in addressing our moral and legal obligation to provide housing that meet the needs of families at all income levels.”
The County says its close to meeting their end of a 2016 agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to create 1,000 affordable rental housing units prior to March 2028. So far that number stands at 908.
Over the last year Olszewski took additional steps tackling housing.
In February the county awarded a developer $6 million to reserve 460 affordable apartment units at three complexes in Parkville, White Marsh and Sparrows Point for at least 40 years.
Then in June Olszewski vetoed a bill intended to curb school overcrowding, claiming it would've negatively impacted housing opportunities.
During his tenure, Olszewski created a Housing Opportunities Fund which aims to support the development, rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable and attainable housing. Some money allocated comes from fines issued to vacant home owners.
Citing the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Community Development Network of Maryland, the County says more than 50,000 households pay more than 30% of their income on rent.
Click here to read the full order.
