My Platform:  Some 34% of Montgomery County residents, and some 57% of Silver Spring residents are renters (US Census Bureau, 2010) who increasingly find the rents charged in our community to be unaffordable.  Therefore, I would significantly expand Maryland’s existing Rental Assistance Program, which provides funds to local governments to cover emergency and homeless local rental housing needs, to cover the longer term ongoing rent subsidization needs of low and moderate income Marylanders.

 

Further, I would be receptive to a targeted rent stabilization program that would assure that our most economically and physically vulnerable neighbors are not forced due to rent increases to leave their apartments, and to protect them against unjust evictions.  And I would support the proposed Housing Opportunities Made Equal Act to end discrimination against prospective renters.

 

My Experience:  As Deputy HUD Assistant Secretary, I worked with renters, local officials, developers, housing advocates, and others to create the federal HOPE and HOME housing programs which have benefited low and moderate income Marylanders for decades.

 

I can therefore be a leader of legislative efforts in Annapolis to provide new approaches to allowing renters to remain in our community.