American Dream

County seeks more affordable housing, tighter limits in west
At same time, it seeks to tighten growth limits in the rural west

By Larry Carson
Sun Staff

July 1, 2005

Quotes:

The Robey administration is moving to boost affordable housing in eastern Howard County by up to 100 units a year while simultaneously tightening growth restrictions in the rural west -- part of a deal with state officials to preserve
eligibility for state farmland preservation aid.

The complicated transaction will not begin for at least another year under provisions of a bill scheduled for a County Council vote Tuesday.

Although the two goals are linked in the bill, they are prompted by separate concerns, according to Marsha L. McLaughlin, the county planning director. Spiraling home prices have closed middle-income buyers out of Howard's housing market, pushing government to help, while expensive new homes are rising too fast in the rural west, prompting state planning officials to threaten decertification of the county's agricultural preservation funding if something is not done.

Meanwhile, the county's Housing Commission has been prevented from developing moderate-income housing on land it owns in North Laurel by the county's complex growth controls, which limit how many permits can be issued for new homes in each of five geographic planning areas each year.

Western County Republican Charles C. Feaga is worried that removing allocations from his section might deprive some longtime landowners of the chance to sell to finance their retirements.

"I have some problems with this," he said, adding that he does not object, however, to providing more affordable housing.

But County Council Chairman Guy Guzzone, a North Laurel-Savage Democrat, said he favors reducing allocations in the west regardless of other moves.

John Taylor, a western county resident and a slow-growth advocate who sat on the county's APFO citizens committee, said he is opposed to the changes.