housing element

Self-assessments Help with Planning for Housing

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Resources and Tools 

by Joseph Griffiths, AICP, Local Assistance and Training Manager

The Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) believes that addressing affordable housing begins with earnest local dialogue and focused visioning.  Nationally developed data, state resources, and comparable best practices and examples are key inputs to a housing needs assessment and action plan, but planning for the housing needs of existing and future residents also calls for internal reflection involving a wide range of stakeholders. 

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Registration Now Open!

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Attend the Planning Directors’ Roundtable Videoconference, September 24, 2020

Please join the Maryland Department of Planning’s fall Planning Directors Roundtable videoconference on September 24 from 10:00 to noon to learn about some of the initiatives the department is working on and share your experiences of local planning during a pandemic.  Join Secretary McCord, Assistant Secretary Lazdins, and other Planning staff to discuss the following topics: 

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New! Maryland Department of Planning Launches Housing Dashboard

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Resources and Tools 

By Victoria Olivier, AICP, Central Maryland Regional Planner  

‘Dashboard’ has been trending as one of the top five government jargon terms for the past few years. Many have turned to this data visualization tool to make information more accessible, and to directly and spatially communicate the complicated analytics related to a particular topic. As part of its Housing Element Models and Guidelines (M&G), which we highlighted in last month’s Planning Practice Monthly, the Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) jumped on the dashboard wagon with housing planning.  

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Maryland Department of Planning Publishes Housing Element Models and Guidelines

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Resources and Tools 

One bright house surrounded by dark houses
Photo Credit: Public Domain

June is American Housing Month! The Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) believes every Marylander deserves an opportunity for a safe and affordable home to share with family and friends. 

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HB 1045: Comprehensive Planning for Housing

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Planning in Progress

by Sarah Lipkin Sularz

At the Planning Directors Roundtable in Crownsville, Planning introduced its work on House Bill 1045. The bill, adopted in February 2019, adds a housing element requirement for all comprehensive plans written after June 1, 2020. You may already be familiar with other required comprehensive plan elements, such as those for land use, transportation, and water resources. Continue reading →