Sessions to focus on innovations, trends, and lessons learned from the region and nationally for increasing housing production
WHEATON, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Board, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is sponsoring a three-part Speaker Series, “Housing Conversation: From Research to Reality,” to be held in July, September, and October 2024. The conversations with national and local experts and thought leaders will focus on the latest innovations, trends, and what’s working to increase housing options and affordability in neighborhoods across the country.
“With the Planning Board’s approval of Attainable Housing Strategies, we wanted to take a look at what is happening regionally and nationally to tackle the housing crisis,” said Planning Board Chair Artie Harris. “We hope these conversations can highlight best practices and inspire new ideas so that Montgomery County can truly have housing for all.”
All sessions are open to the public and will be held in the M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. They will also be livestreamed on the Planning Board website and made available on-demand. The sessions will include a presentation and discussion as well as a time for questions and answers.
Sessions
July 18
Intersection: Land Use and Housing Supply, a National and Local Perspective
Local land use regulations, such as zoning, are the most direct way that jurisdictions can regulate housing supply, but what else should planners be focusing on? What can planners do to increase housing supply? Join the Planning Board to hear about tools being used nationally to increase housing supply, followed by an analysis of the local housing market.
Panel:
Yonah Freemark, Principal Research Associate, Urban Institute
Lisa Sturtevant, Chief Economist, Bright MLS
Moderator: Artie Harris, Chair, Montgomery Planning Board
September 19
A Tale from our Partners: Lessons learned from the trenches
As a follow up to the July session, the panel discussed various ways localities are addressing housing supply shortages. But how have they worked in practice? As jurisdictions across the country embark on plans to increase housing supply, this session will examine lessons learned from agencies that have already implemented attainable housing strategies. Hear from representatives from Oregon and St. Paul, MN on their initiatives over the past five years to encourage more housing development. They’ll talk about what worked, what didn’t work, what they would do differently, and what advice they have to offer.
Panel:
Emma Brown, Senior City Planner, St. Paul, Minnesota Department of Planning and Economic Development
Mari Valencia Aguilar, Senior Housing Planner, Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development
October 17
Practitioner’s Panel: Implementation Successes and Areas of Focus
Join the Planning Board to hear from developers and industry experts that have leveraged relaxed zoning and other creative tools to develop attainable housing. Discover what worked, where were the challenges, and what Montgomery County can do to actualize attainable housing.
Panel:
Bob Young, Principal, Young Group
Rosie Hepner, Vice President, ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing
Representative from Opticos Design, Inc
About the Montgomery Planning Board
The Montgomery County Planning Board plans for livable communities by developing large- and small-scale plans, providing guidelines for the pattern and pace of future development, and preserving historic resources throughout the 323,000-acre county. The Planning Board implements plans through its review of development applications and its subdivision decisions. The Planning Board is also responsible for the development and management of Montgomery County’s nationally recognized 36,512-acre park system. No more than three Planning Board members may be from the same political party and all members must be residents and registered voters in Montgomery County when appointed. Current members of the Planning Board include: Chair, Artie Harris, Vice Chair Mitra Pedoeem, and Planning Board members Shawn Bartley, James Hedrick and Josh Linden.