For Immediate Release: Monday, April 21, 2025
The joint Health and Human Services (HHS) and Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee will meet on Tuesday, April 22 at 10 a.m. to review the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Operating Budget for rental assistance programs.
The members of the HHS Committee include Chair Gabe Albornoz and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Laurie-Anne Sayles.
The members of the PHP Committee include Chair Andrew Friedson and Councilmember Natali Fani-González and Vice President Will Jawando.
The Montgomery County Council will meet at 1:15 p.m., and the meeting will begin with a proclamation presentation by Councilmember Friedson recognizing Affordable Housing Month.
The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee will meet at 3 p.m. to review the FY26 Operating Budget for Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions (TEBS), the Device Client Management Non-Departmental Account (NDA), the Telecommunications NDA, the Cable TV and Communications Plan, and the Interagency Technology Policy Coordinating Committee (ITPCC) NDA.
The members of the GO Committee include Chair and Council President Kate Stewart and Councilmembers Friedson and Sidney Katz.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Unless otherwise noted, the Council will hold the following hybrid public hearings at 1:30 p.m. Residents can visit the Council website to learn about the multiple ways to provide testimony.
Public hearing and vote expected: The Council will hold a public hearing and is expected to vote on a more than $1.4 million supplemental appropriation for a Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Emergency Rental Assistance Grant, which is supported by the state. The funding would provide financial support to County residents facing hardship by providing rental and utility assistance to low-income County residents.
Public hearing and vote expected: The Council will hold a public hearing and is expected to vote on a more than $1.4 million supplemental appropriation for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) through the School Safety Grant Program. The state program provides grants to local school systems for school security improvements to enhance school safety, security and emergency preparedness. The funding will be used to purchase and install security systems to mitigate emergency situations.
Public hearing and vote expected: The Council will hold a public hearing and is expected to vote on a more than $1.2 million supplemental appropriation for MCPS and the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant provided by the Maryland State Department of Education. The funds will be used to support the Blended Learning Program, which provides long-term medically impacted students who cannot be served in a regular school setting with access to comprehensive educational services in a blended virtual environment.
Public hearing and vote expected: The Council will hold a public hearing and is expected to vote on a on a $4.7 million supplemental appropriation for MCPS and the Clean School Bus Grant. The program offers rebates to eligible entities to replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission models. The funds will be used to replace 50 buses with zero-emission buses and install 20 direct current fast chargers.
Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, April 22, which is available on the Council website.
Resolution to Establish an Advisory Workgroup on a Strategic Plan for County Grants
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a resolution to establish an Advisory Workgroup on a Strategic Plan for County Grants. The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee is sponsoring this resolution to create a workgroup shared with making recommendations to the Council about policies, criteria and plan to address the traditional grants programs administered through the Office of Grants Management.
Capital Improvements Program Status Update
Briefing: The Council will receive a status update on the FY25-30 Capital Improvements Program (CIP). The Council’s committees held meetings to review all departmental and agency recommendations for projects in the amended FY25-30 CIP. The Council has reviewed these committee recommendations for the majority of CIP amendments. The Council will reconcile revenues and expenditures in the CIP together with the FY26 Operating Budget in mid-May and adopt resolutions in late May.
Review: The joint HHS and PHP Committee will review the FY26 Operating Budget for rental assistance programs funded through the Housing Initiative Fund (HIF). The County Executive recommends a total funding level of $25.4 million for rental assistance programs funded through HIF, an increase of $2.4 million or 10.1 percent from the FY25 approved operating budget. Rental assistance programs funded through the HIF are operated by the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC), DHHS and the Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA). These programs are funded through recordation taxes.
The GO Committee will meet to review the FY26 Operating Budget for the following items:
The Council meeting schedule may change from time to time. View the current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review on the Council website.
Council and committee meetings are 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: 25-135