Affordable Housing

Housing Needs Assessment and 10-Year Strategic Plan – Part II

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By Kristen E. Humphrey, MLA, Local Assistance and Training Planner

In last month’s edition of Planning Practice Monthly, we introduced the Maryland Housing Needs Assessment & 10-Year Strategic Plan (Needs Assessment) and why it is needed. Commissioned by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the National Center for Smart Growth (NCSG) at the University of Maryland, and Enterprise Community Partners, Inc., the Needs Assessment sheds light on the importance of providing affordable housing in our communities and to “chart a course for Maryland to become a more affordable place to live by 2030.”

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Housing Needs in Maryland: An Introduction to the Maryland Housing Needs Assessment and 10-Year Strategic Plan

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by Kristen E. Humphrey, MLA, Local Assistance and Training Planner

There is a common misconception of what affordable housing is and who needs it, which adds to the challenge of providing affordable housing while need increases and supply continues to decrease in many locations across the country. To address this issue for Marylanders, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) commissioned the Maryland Housing Needs Assessment & 10-Year Strategic Plan (Housing Needs Assessment) to “chart a course for Maryland to become a more affordable place to live by 2030.”

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Planning Launches New Features on Housing Element Models and Guidelines

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by Kristen E. Humphrey, MLA, Local Assistance and Training Planner

It’s that time of year again…June is American Housing Month! 

At the Maryland Department of Planning (Planning), we believe every Marylander deserves an opportunity for a  safe, affordable home,  to enjoy and share with their family.  

Last year at this time, both to celebrate and to do our part, Planning announced our new Housing Models and Guidelines (M&G) in our June 2020 edition of Planning Practice Monthly.  The Housing M&G is designed to help communities and planners develop Housing Elements as part of their comprehensive planning processes. Specifically, the Housing M&G helps local planners and other agency staff customize their processes and housing elements based on the unique characteristics and needs of their communities. 

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Maryland’s Affordable Housing Resource Database: A Brief Users’ Guide

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by Sarah Lipkin Sularz, Regional Planner and Kristen E. Humphrey, MLA, Local Assistance and Training Planner

On June 16, 2020, the Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) published a webpage for our new Housing Element Models and Guidelines (M&G), developed in response to House Bill 1045 (HB 1045 [2019]) to support local governments in planning affordable housing with their jurisdictions. 

In every region of Maryland there is a great need for additional affordable housing and communities from across the state have sought out funding sources and assistance for new and proposed housing of all kinds and for every type of household.

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Housing Planning is Both a Process and a Practice

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By Joe Griffiths, AICP, Local Assistance and Training Manager

While the requirement to include a housing element in all new and updated comprehensive plans in Maryland may have only become effective on June 1, 2020, many planning methods and practices for implementing affordable housing are well established.

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