Press Releases

Montgomery County Council Unanimously Passes Councilmember Friedson’s Accelerate MoCo Package to Boost Bio Investments and Expand Affordable Housing

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, March 17, 2026

From the Office of Councilmember Andrew Friedson

The Montgomery County Council today unanimously passed the Accelerate MoCo legislative package, led by Councilmember Andrew Friedson, to streamline approvals for biohealth projects and mixed-income housing—cutting red tape, reducing costs, and accelerating critical projects across the County.

The legislation builds on prior efforts led by Councilmember Friedson to expedite regulatory review timelines, reducing approval times by approximately 75 percent, and expands opportunities for more investment and less red tape.

“Today’s unanimous vote is about momentum— ensuring Montgomery County doesn’t just keep pace, but makes meaningful progress to create high-paying jobs and build mixed-income housing,” Councilmember Friedson noted. “With the Accelerate MoCo package, we are cutting red tape and accelerating the delivery of both lifesaving biohealth innovation and much-needed affordable housing. We can’t accept complacency when our economy isn't growing and housing is getting more and more unaffordable. That's why we’re green-taping strategic investments with the urgency needed to drive our economy and expand opportunity to affordably live and work in our community.”

Expanding Biohealth Innovation

Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 26-03 expands the County’s Biohealth Priority Campus framework by lowering eligibility thresholds and enables projects including adaptive reuse of existing office space to qualify for expedited review.

While biohealth and life sciences remains a top economic priority for Montgomery County, local leaders emphasized that the impact goes beyond economic development. “This is about saving lives,” Friedson said. “The companies we are working to attract and grow are developing cures, advancing treatments, and pushing the boundaries of science. The faster they can get up and running, the faster they can do that critical work.”

Accelerating Mixed-Income Housing

Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 26-04, co-led by Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles, which expands expedited review for mixed-income housing communities, lowers qualification requirements for the expedited process and adds projects using four percent Low Income Housing Tax Credits to the list of eligible applications.

“At a time when our housing crisis demands urgency, we must be serious about production—especially the construction of income-restricted homes,” Friedson said. Longer review times mean fewer housing units and less affordability for those in our community who lack access to it. By reducing the process by 75 percent, badly needed housing can come online faster and help us address our current housing crisis.

A Unified Approach to Economic Growth and Housing

Councilmember Friedson emphasized that economic development and housing are deeply interconnected and must be addressed together.

“We cannot do one without the other,” he said. “Strong economies don’t happen by accident—they require intentional action, collaboration, and a willingness to meet the moment head-on.”

“Today’s passage of ZTAs 26-04 and 26-03 makes clear that Montgomery County is open for business,” said Councilmember Sayles. “I was proud to introduce ZTA 26-04 with Councilmember Friedson, building on our 2023 O.P.E.N. Act to remove barriers, expand opportunity, and incentivize more affordable housing by accelerating the project approval process. I’m grateful for my colleagues’ unanimous support on this measure and for ZTA 26-03, which I co-sponsored to help unlock biohealth innovation through an equally fast, streamlined approval process to grow our global biotech footprint. Together, these SMART solutions pave the way for a thriving economic landscape that benefits everyone."

The legislation reflects broad collaboration among business leaders, the BioHealth industry, housing advocates and affordable housing providers, and community organizations, including the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Bethesda & Greater Silver Spring Chambers of Commerce, Action in Montgomery, Habitat for Humanity, the Coalition for Smarter Growth, BioHealth Initiative, and the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors.

With unanimous Council support, the Accelerate MoCo package signals a clear commitment to innovation, efficiency and opportunity.

“This is about less red tape, more results, and more opportunities,” Friedson said. “Montgomery County is open for business, ready to spur innovation, and tackling our housing affordability crisis directly.”

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Release ID: 26-105
Media Contact: Cindy Gibson 240-620-8571
Categories: Andrew Friedson