Keeping Up With Kate - July 30, 2025 (English)

Dear friends,

Montgomery County, and the entire Washington metropolitan region, is facing a serious housing crisis. To address this crisis, and make sure our residents are healthy and housed, we must embrace a multipronged approach.

That’s why the Council recently approved a zoning measure to allow more residential building types, including duplexes, triplexes, townhouses and modest low-rise apartment buildings along select transportation corridors.

I was proud to cosponsor this measure, led by Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Natali Fani-González, which will support middle income families and our local workforce by requiring at least 15% of new units to be affordable to households earning up to 120% of the Area Median Income.

This is one of many steps the Council is taking to increase the supply of housing at all affordability levels, reduce costs, and increase pathways to homeownership for working families and residents in Montgomery County. Affordable housing is especially important for the emerging generation of our teachers, public safety officers and healthcare workers, struggling to afford to live in the County where they are employed.

I will continue working with my colleagues, community members and stakeholders, to put forward policies that help address our housing crisis and ensure everyone in our community has an opportunity to live, work and play in Montgomery County. 

Sincerely,

Kate Stewart

Council President

Applications Open for Fall Internships

Throughout my professional life, I have advocated for providing young people opportunities to gain valuable experience in real world local government and public policy work. As a Councilmember, providing internships benefits our team and enables students to gain practical experience, while opening doors to future opportunities and broadening their professional networks.

My office offers paid internships year-round and I encourage interested individuals to apply for the fall semester internship opportunity, which begins in September and goes through the end of the year.

Meet the Summer 2025 Interns:

Meron Aga is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland, where she earned a double degree in Public Policy and Government & Politics with a concentration in International Relations. A proud Montgomery County resident, Meron is dedicated to serving both the community and her office in a variety of capacities. Her responsibilities include constituency services, social media management, office correspondence, and community outreach. Her policy interests include immigration, diplomacy, education, and more. 

Manone Djeukam is a senior in high school and a Summer RISE intern for our office, where she supports community outreach, constituent services, and administrative tasks. She is deeply involved in both advocacy and computer science, using her skills to lead and uplift underrepresented voices. Passionate about equity and youth empowerment, Manone strives to create a more just and inclusive future.

I’m grateful to have these two impressive young women on our team exploring the ins and outs of public service and local government work.

Learn more about internship details, eligibility requirements, and apply today.

Montgomery County to Provide Hiring Preference for Displaced Federal Workers

The Council recently passed legislation that will provide a County hiring preference for federal workers who have lost their jobs due to actions taken by the Trump administration. This bill applies to former federal employees who reside in Montgomery County and who were notified that their positions were no longer needed or subject to a federal reduction in force on or after Jan. 1. This legislation is just one step we are taking to help support residents impacted by the ongoing mass layoffs within the federal government. This legislation gives displaced federal workers an opportunity to continue a career in public service. Vice President Will Jawando was the lead sponsor on this bill, and I am a proud cosponsor.

Montgomery County Fair Runs Aug. 8-16

The best nine days of summer are almost here! The annual Montgomery County Agricultural Fair will be held Friday, Aug. 8-Saturday, Aug. 16. Enjoy carnival rides, animal exhibits, food and fun for the whole family. Children 11 and younger are free every day! Plus, take advantage of free parking at the Montgomery College - Rockville and Germantown campuses with free shuttle bus service to the fairgrounds. See the schedule of events and information and buy tickets here.

National Night Out

Communities across Montgomery County will host National Night Out celebrations on Tuesday, Aug. 5. These free, family-friendly events bring neighbors and police, fire and rescue, and first responders together for the opportunity to meet and have some fun. Please stop by your local community celebration for food, activities, music and the chance to get to know our great first responders.

Maryland Health Coverage Assistance Team

The Maryland Insurance Administration’s (MIA) Health Coverage Assistance Team (H-CAT, for short) helps Marylanders navigate health coverage questions and challenges that may impact access to care. Any individual, their loved ones, or their advocates in Maryland can contact H-CAT with questions or to get help addressing issues associated with using health insurance, health plan, or health coverage of any type to get access to services or treatments for any health need, including substance use disorders and/or mental health. Learn more and contact the Health Coverage Assistance Team.

Kate in the Community

Grand Opening for Domain Fitness+Performance

It was great to celebrate the grand opening of Domain Fitness + Performance in Burtonsville! I so appreciate the incredible investments and partnership CEO and founder Jason Miskiri brings to our County and hope everyone has a chance to check out this stunning new facility.

Montgomery County Muslim Foundation Senior Picnic

It was great to celebrate the Montgomery County Muslim Foundation (MCMF) Seniors Program with families, friends and neighbors at the MCMF Senior Picnic! The event highlighted the importance of intergenerational connections by bringing older adults, their grandchildren and family members together for a day of food, fun and community bonding. We were joined by state and county partners: Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr, Delegate Greg Wims, Delegate Sarah Wolek, County Executive Marc Elrich, Councilmember Marilyn Balcombe, and others.

Mental Health Corner

Cornerstone Montgomery

As one of the largest and most comprehensive behavioral health providers in Montgomery County, Cornerstone has spent more than 50 years empowering people living with serious mental health and substance use disorders to thrive in their communities. Each year, Cornerstone serves more than 3,000 Marylanders—including youth, adults, and transition-aged individuals—through an array of community-based treatment, rehabilitation, housing, and vocational programs. We are resolute in our mission to empower people living with mental health and substance use disorders to thrive in their community through collaboration, treatment, education and advocacy. Learn more about current offerings and watch a short video overview here.

Create Calm

Rooted in evidence-based yoga therapy and social-emotional learning (SEL), Create Calm offers trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate movement and mindfulness programs for children, teens, and young adults who often face limited access to behavioral health support. Create Calm’s longstanding collaboration with Montgomery County’s Excel Beyond the Bell (EBB) initiative brings behavioral and physical health support directly to Title I school communities. Through afterschool programming, children receive consistent, compassionate guidance in emotional regulation, body awareness, and resilience-building practices that enhance academic and personal success. Learn more.