Press Releases

Montgomery County Council and Committees Hold Meetings on Dec. 6 Starting at 9:30 a.m.

For Immediate Release: Friday, December 3, 2021

Council to review and take positions on local and bi-county bills; Committees will receive updates on crime statistics and affordable housing and review special appropriations to acquire property at 260 East Jefferson Street, complete renovations to the Council Office Building and create a Guaranteed Income Pilot Program

The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee will meet virtually on Monday, Dec. 6 at 9:30 a.m. to review special appropriations to acquire property at 260 East Jefferson Street and to complete renovation to the Council Office Building that will accommodate the transition from nine to 11 Councilmembers.

The members of the GO Committee include Chair Nancy Navarro and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Sidney Katz.

The Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee will meet virtually at 10 a.m. to review a special appropriation for a Guaranteed Income Pilot Program.

The members of the HHS Committee include Chair and Council Vice President Gabe Albornoz and Councilmembers Evan Glass (Lead for Homelessness & Vulnerable Communities) and Craig Rice.

The Council will meet virtually at 12:30 p.m. to review state legislative priorities and determine whether to add to the approved list of capital project priorities. The Council will also review and take positions on local and bi-county bills.

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee will meet virtually at 1:30 p.m. to receive updates on the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) Housing Production Fund, Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund, use of the Housing Initiative Fund (HIF) and approval of projects. The Committee will also review multi-family code enforcement and troubled properties.

The members of the PHED Committee include Chair Hans Riemer and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks) and Will Jawando.

The Public Safety (PS) Committee will meet virtually at 2 p.m. to receive an update on crime statistics and crime trends.

The members of the PS Committee include Chair Sidney Katz, Council Vice President Gabe Albornoz and Council President Tom Hucker.

More detail on each agenda item is provided below.

Special Appropriation to the County Government’s FY22 Capital Budget and Amendment to the FY21-26 CIP, Department of General Services (DGS) - $3,600,000 for Acquisition of 260 East Jefferson Street

Review: The GO Committee will review a $3.6 million special appropriation to the FY22 Capital Budget and Amendment to the FY21-26 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) to acquire approximately half an acre of land located at 260 East Jefferson Street in Rockville, Maryland.

The County intends to use the building for the Department of Transportation’s lost and found, taxi services, commuter services, Ride On pass, customer service and other outward-facing transit operations, eliminating the need for visitors to pay for parking and to navigate services currently housed in multiple facilities and locations.

Those expected to attend and provide information include David Dise, director, Department of General Services (DGS); Greg Ossont, deputy director, DGS: and Mary Beck, capital budget manager, Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Special Appropriation to the County Government’s FY22 Capital Budget and Amendment to the FY21-26 CIP- DGS - $3,600,000 for Council Office Building Renovations

Review: The GO Committee will review a $3.6 million special appropriation to the FY22 Capital Budget and Amendment to the FY21-26 Capital Improvements Program for the Council Office Building (COB) renovations project.

This special appropriation is needed to provide funding for the remaining construction cost associated with the addition of two new Councilmember offices and the relocated Legislative Information Services office as well as associated furniture, equipment and technology infrastructure needs. In addition, this appropriation funds several key subprojects related to the transition from nine to 11 Councilmembers.

Those expected to attend and provide information include David Dise, director, Department of General Services (DGS); Greg Ossont, deputy director, DGS: Mary Beck, capital budget manager, Office of Management and Budget (OMB); and Aryeetey, fiscal and policy analyst, OMB.

Special Appropriation to the County Government’s FY22 Operating Budget, Guaranteed Income Non-Departmental Account (NDA) - Guaranteed Income Pilot Program - $1,993,832

Review: The HHS Committee will review a nearly $2 million Special Appropriation to the FY22 Operating Budget for a Guaranteed Income Pilot Program which was introduced by lead sponsors Councilmember Jawando and Vice President Albornoz. Councilmember Glass, Council President Hucker and Councilmembers Rice, Riemer and Navarro are cosponsors.

The purpose of this special appropriation is to provide the initial funding to implement a Montgomery County Guaranteed Income Pilot Program. The pilot program would enroll 300 households and provide a payment of $800 per month for 24 months. The pilot will be a public-private partnership with a $1 million grant from the Meyer Foundation to support this effort.

Guaranteed income is a direct, recurring cash payment to a specific, targeted group of people without strings attached. The purpose of guaranteed income is to alleviate poverty, provide a form of financial stability and give people the ability to make their own choices to improve their economic position. Other guaranteed pilot programs have shown positive outcomes, including the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration pilot.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Dr. Raymond Crowel, director, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS); Dr. Oscar Mensah, acting chief of children, youth, and family services, DHHS; Amanda Harris, chief, Services to End and Prevent Homelessness; Julian Haynes, director, Maryland Partnerships and Strategy, Meyer Foundation; Elijah Wheeler, executive director, Collaboration Council for Children, Youth, and Families; and Meredith Bowers, director of administration, Collaboration Council.

State Legislative Program

Review and vote expected: The Council will meet to determine whether to add to the approved list of capital project priorities an additional $865,000 for the Noyes Library for Young Children Rehabilitation and Renovation project. The Council will also review a letter to Governor Hogan advocating for enhanced funding for the Office of Immigration Affairs.

In addition, the Council will continue its review, and take positions on, local and bi-county bills for the upcoming 2022 General Assembly session.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Melanie Wenger, director, Office of Intergovernmental Relations (OIR); Kathleen Boucher, special assistant to director, OIR; Leslie Frey, legislative analyst, OIR; and Sara Morningstar, federal relations coordinator and legislative analyst, OIR.

Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) Housing Production Fund

Briefing: The PHED Committee will receive an update on the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) Housing Production Fund (HPF). The Council adopted a special appropriation to provide the initial funding and authorization for the creation of the HPF in March 2021. The HPF is an innovative way to provide HOC with a source of short-term construction funding that would allow HOC to accelerate projects in their pipeline and in turn help the County in meeting its goals for both increasing housing and affordable housing.

At least 20 percent of units in a development financed using the HPF must be affordable to households earning 50 percent or less of area median income with at least another 10 percent of units affordable to households earning incomes eligible for the Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit (MPDU) program.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Roy Priest, chair, HOC Board of Commissioners; Kayrine Brown, acting executive director, HOC; Zachary Marks, director of development, Real Estate, HOC; and Tim Goetzinger, chief development funds officer, HOC.

Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund

Briefing: The PHED Committee will receive an update on the Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund and progress being made to operationalize the fund.  The $14 million fund was created to address the urgent challenge of preservation and development of affordable housing in areas at risk of rent escalation to higher market rents, including the Purple Line Corridor and other County transit corridors. The funds will be used to provide seed money to establish a public-private preservation commitment of funds which will proactively leverage public and private capital to support affordable housing developers in preserving and producing targeted affordable housing.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Aseem Nigam, director, Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) and Frank Demarais, deputy director, DHCA.

Use of HIF funding/approval of projects in FY22 and Right of First Refusal

Briefing: The PHED Committee will receive an update on DHCA exercising options under the Right of First Refusal. In addition, DHCA will update the Committee on its upgraded MPDU portal, the Rental Market Place and the Housing and Building Code Enforcement Guide.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Aseem Nigam, director, Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) and Frank Demarais, deputy director, DHCA.

Multifamily Code Enforcement and Troubled Properties

Review: The PHED Committee will discuss the resumption of the full program for inspections for multifamily rental properties and monitoring of those found to be troubled properties.  DHCA resumed all inspection of interior multifamily rental units on July 1, 2021 after stopping them to protect residents and employees from community spread of COVID-19.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Aseem Nigam, director, DHCA and Frank Demarais, deputy director, DHCA; Christopher Anderson, chief, DHCA; and Dan McHugh, Manager, Housing Code Enforcement, DHCA.

Crime Statistics and Violent Crime Trends

Briefing: The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) will update the PS Committee on crime statistics including violent crime trends. The briefing will include information on the increase in violent crime, crimes with firearms including homicides, contact shootings, firearm discharges and firearm recoveries, carjacking, domestic violence, drug arrests and overdoses, traffic-related injuries including pedestrian injuries, calls for service to schools and non-violent crime trends. MCPD will also provide updates on the various efforts the department has undertaken to address violent crime.

Those expected to attend and provide information include Marcus Jones, chief, MCPD; Darren Francke, assistant chief, Management Services Bureau, MCPD; Dinesh Patil, assistant Chief, Investigative Services Bureau, MCPD; and Taman Morris, Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.

The Council and committees are meeting via Zoom because of ongoing construction and technology upgrades in the Council's Hearing Room and the inability to conduct meetings in a socially distant way in other areas of the Council Office Building with television broadcast capacity. Councilmembers continue to hold meetings in their offices by appointment.

The virtual Council and committee meetings will be streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube and on Facebook Live and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on Xfinity/RCN 6 HD 996/1056, Fios 30, and on the CCM live stream.  Release ID: 21-491
Media Contact: Sonya Healy 240-777-7926, Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884