Montgomery County officials announced last week the first-ever Housing Blueprint, intended to make affordable housing a reality for more residents.
The program outlines plans to create a land bank, use bonds to fund affordable housing and advocate for transit-oriented development to boost housing.
According to the announcement, the blueprint “details strategies and goals for building up and maintaining housing supply in the County while inspiring collaboration with local, state, and federal partners.”
The announcement notes that between 2019 and 2024, Montgomery County’s median home sale price increased 47% while the total supply of housing units dropped 41% over the last five years, from 3,006 in 2019 to 1,728 in 2024, according to county data. At the same time, the county has seen a jump in population, adding 21,251 residents from 2020 to 2025.
The county wants to get back to adding 2,000 units per year. The blueprint presents five initiatives as essential to long-term success:
- Cut homelessness using data-driven solutions led by Your Way Home and its partners
- Fix and preserve existing homes instead of letting them decay
- Create new rentals for different budgets
- Help more people become homeowners
- Upgrade public spaces and infrastructure to make communities more livable and attractive
The Housing Blueprint is available here.
“Montgomery County’s first-ever Housing Blueprint builds on our existing programs aimed at making affordable housing a reality in communities across the County, while establishing new collaborative opportunities between the County, municipalities, and partners,” said Jamila H. Winder, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. “Housing has been a top priority for this board, and while the challenges we face in our housing market are not unique to Montgomery County, our solutions can be. This Housing Blueprint will bring together local stakeholders to foster communities where residents can stay, belong, and build a future.”
“This is a time in our County when the cost of housing has vastly outpaced wage growth for the average working resident, and it’s our responsibility to respond with creative, collaborative ways to cultivate affordable, accessible communities that reverse that trend,” said Neil K. Makhija, Montgomery County Commissioner. “We’ve already begun working with municipal partners to pursue transit-oriented development around our rail and bus stations. Montgomery County’s first Housing Blueprint provides an actionable plan to advance that strategy, and others, that are proven to work.”
“As a Board, we’ve worked together to get residents off the streets and into housing facilities where they can find stability and resources to get back on their feet,” said Tom DiBello, Montgomery County Commissioner. “We need all levels of government, as well as partnerships with private and nonprofit organizations, to ensure Montgomery County can be home for anyone.”
For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.
Photo: Montgomery County