On June 29, 2025, Montgomery County and the region took a major step forward in public transportation when the Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s (MCDOT’s) Ride On Reimagined Year 1 implementations and WMATA’s Better Bus Network both officially launched. These coordinated bus route updates were designed to work hand in hand, improving service, simplifying transit and helping you get to where you need to go faster and more reliably across both transit services.
These changes were planned in collaboration to make transfers and navigation more aligned. By aligning our service changes, Ride On and WMATA reduce confusion and give riders a more seamless transit experience across both systems.
One difference in the roll out of changes is that MCDOT Ride On buses also instated zero-fare for all riders at the same time.
Montgomery Parks is asking members of the public what they want to see in Parks. The suggestions could include ideas for new parks, more funding for existing projects or updates or major renovations to older parks. Public input will be considered when the Park and Planning Commission outlines its budget priorities for the 2027-2032 Capital Improvements Program.
Parks leaders emphasize that public input on the capital budget help them prioritize projects and budget requests.
In-person at the Park and Planning Commission Community Forum
Thursday, September 11, 2025, 7 p.m. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) 2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton MD 20902 Sign-up to speak here
Like many of you, I’ve had the victims and families of the torrential flooding in Texas on my mind a lot this week. One of our Montgomery County Fire and Rescue team members was deployed to assist with communications efforts during the search and recovery effort, and our Urban Search and Rescue team is always ready to assist if needed and called upon.
Events like this remind us that extreme weather is becoming more frequent and more dangerous. We’ve seen it here, too, with sudden storms, flash flooding and record heat, underlining how critical it is for us to prepare for extreme weather here at home. I want to share the graphic below, showing emergency room and urgent care visits tied to extreme heat. You can see how suddenly demand for help spiked with the heatwave we experienced in June.
We’ve made major investments in early detection and alert systems to help us better respond to storms and flooding, like our flood sensor program, which is now operating across 35 locations in flood-prone areas. These are low-cost, solar-powered sensors, paid for by FEMA, that monitor rising water levels in real time and instantly alert our emergency managers and first responders. The federal government paid for the system initially, which the County now maintains and supports through County funds. The flood sensors help us act faster, whether that means warning residents, closing roads or dispatching first responders. With heavier rains and flash floods happening more often due to climate change, this kind of real-time monitoring has become essential for many departments responsible for protecting property, saving lives and getting us around town safely. You can read more about the program here.
We are also a partner in the Maryland Mesonet program, which just installed Montgomery County’s first Mesonet weather station last week at the National Capital Trolley Museum. This is part of a larger statewide system, led by the Maryland Department of Emergency Management and the University of Maryland’s Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Department, to build a more accurate, hyper-local weather monitoring network across the state.
We are expecting four more Mesonet stations to be installed in Montgomery County in the months ahead. I want to thank the State, the University of Maryland and our emergency management team for making this partnership work.
One of our Office of Emergency and Homeland Security emergency management specialists, Matt Miziorko, had the idea for the Mesonet system, and it was his initiative that got the ball rolling on this project under the last governor. You can watch the conversation we had during this week’s media briefing here.
We are currently mapping Montgomery County to identify flood-prone areas and, more importantly, understand how the water flows. We are working to understand how much of the increased water is coming from further upstream and how much is due to increased imperviousness and decreased absorption abilities on-site and nearby.
This is a good opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of having an emergency plan, something the whole family can easily follow to help escape danger and reunite quickly. Prepare a kit for different scenarios, including being trapped at home or away from home. The best protection is often knowing what to do when a disaster strikes.
Subscribe to Alert Montgomery to receive emergency alerts from Montgomery County directly to your mobile devices. Through this service, Montgomery County officials can send event updates, warnings and instructions directly to you.
Strengthening Tenant Protections in Montgomery County
Montgomery County has made some important progress when it comes to rental housing.
Effective July 1st, the County can now sue landlords who repeatedly mistreat their tenants. I want to thank Councilmember Kristin Mink for her leadership on this bill and for standing up for renters in our community. This legislation, which I signed in April, closed a loophole that left too many residents without support. I’m glad we now have it in place.
With this change, landlords are covered by the Consumer Protection law, and “consumer goods and services" include rental housing. This means that landlords in Montgomery County are now fully subject to the same consumer protection laws as other merchants. They must not engage in deceptive, unfair or unconscionable trade practices. Landlords taking rent money monthly are expected to deliver goods and perform the expected services.
With this new law, the County will be able to bring cases directly to Circuit Court. This provides the County with new and more robust tools to induce compliance when landlords repeatedly fail to correct housing code violations. Instead of fighting for single citations, the County can now illustrate patterns of deceptive practices. The Office of Consumer Protection can seek damages, restitution and other forms of relief. The County will also have the power to seek preliminary, temporary or permanent injunctions against landlords that show a pattern of property neglect and noncompliance with citations.
Before this law, we could only issue citations for individual violations and wait for them to work their way through the courts, which often takes many months. We had to rely entirely on state agencies or civil action by tenants themselves to address the overall practice by the problematic landlord, even in cases where landlords were ignoring basic health and safety rules. Now, we can step in directly as a government to hold bad actors accountable.
We are protecting people from negligence and unsafe conditions. Over the years, far too many residents have felt powerless when facing unresponsive or abusive landlords. This bill gives the County a legal tool to intervene when landlords refuse to meet their responsibilities.
Unfortunately, some rental properties are in bad shape, and some landlords refuse to make the necessary repairs. It is frustrating when our County goes through the citation process at the courts only to have the issue fixed the day before a hearing, which, in essence, means landlords get away with delaying basic services.
Our Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) faced significant challenges in enforcing compliance. In Fiscal Year 24 alone, DHCA attempted to recover over $1.5 million in unpaid fines, but collected just over $100,000. These landlords often relied on long delays in District Court. Some of the worst actors even continued pitching their buildings to prospective tenants as safe, healthy or luxury dwellings, despite persistent issues.
I want to be clear, this is a very small minority of the landlords who oversee properties in Montgomery County, but those who engage in this type of behavior need to be held accountable. We have needed this law for a long time, and I hope its existence will prevent bad actors and bad decisions from occurring.
Rent Stabilization Law and Updated Rate of Increases for Fiscal Year 26
Two years ago, the Council passed, and I signed, rent stabilization legislation that ties allowable rent increases to a formula: 3% plus the rate of inflation, capped at 6%. Last year was the first year that rent increases were allowed up to 6% (the inflation rate was 3.3%). The law also allows higher increases if there’s a demonstrated need based on major building repairs.
The inflation rate for this fiscal year (which began July 1) is 2.7%. That means landlords will be allowed to increase rents by 5.7% (more than double the rate of inflation). We put out notice of this rate in March, and it took effect on July 1. It's important for all renters and landlords to be aware of this rate change.
I’ve supported rent stabilization for decades, going back to my time on the Takoma Park City Council. But this bill did not end up where it needed to be. Along with Councilmembers Will Jawando and Kristin Mink, we initially proposed a cap of 3% unless inflation or necessary repairs necessitated a higher rate. That was a number we believed would give tenants some predictability and protection from sharp increases, while still allowing landlords to cover legitimate costs. Where we ended up was a rent cap that would be, in this case, more than twice the inflation rate, and since wages for lower-paid workers rarely rise by the inflation rate, it just continues increasing the affordability gap – the gap between what one can afford and what the market rents are.
The bill that passed also includes carveouts and exemptions that make it even easier for landlords to raise rents beyond what most tenants can afford. In effect, it watered down the very protection that renters were calling for. For example, all apartments less than 23 years old are exempt from the rent stabilization law.
Rent stabilization is an important tool for local governments to stop rent gouging in high-cost areas, and this is not unique to Montgomery County. The District of Columbia has rent stabilization, and the City of Takoma Park has had rent stabilization for over 40 years, where it has been very successful in protecting tenants. This has had a positive impact on student mobility, which improves learning outcomes.
I was a teacher in Takoma Park for many years, and I saw the impact that high rent increases had on kids in school. Families were forced to move more frequently, and kids were forced into new schools abruptly. That impacted learning and how involved parents were with their children’s school. It should be on us to provide as much stability as possible for families that call Montgomery County home to give kids the best chance of success in school. These changes help provide that stability.
Rent stabilization was validated by the U.S. Supreme Court after World War II, when returning veterans faced rent gouging. They had returned home from saving the world from fascism and were rewarded for their efforts by landlords seeking to take advantage of housing shortages to jack up rents as high as possible. In response to that, many jurisdictions implemented rent control, practical policies that address real issues people face every day.
We will enforce the rent stabilization law as passed, and we also have to be honest about where it falls short and continue to push for solutions that reflect the actual needs of our residents, especially our renters.
Update on Impacts of Federal Job Cuts
We are still processing the impacts on our State and County following the federal cuts laid out in the Federal budget bill passed last week.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration can move forward with its plan to significantly downsize the federal workforce. This will hit communities like ours especially hard, where tens of thousands of people either work directly for the federal government or for contractors. We’re already seeing the early impacts of this through buyouts, retirements and people quietly (or not so quietly) pushed out. Most of this upheaval is not even reflected in our unemployment figures yet (shared above and available here).
Various courts put the brakes on many of the mass firings that the DOGE wreckers had begun to implement, but this most recent court ruling lets those mass firings go through. So, unless the President and his sycophants suddenly realize that they’re crippling the government's ability to do its job and decide to pull back those cuts, we are likely to see the feared spike in layoffs materialize.
The County’s unemployment rate for May was 3.2%. That’s up from 2.6% a year ago and well above the record low of 1.3% we hit in April of 2023. Again, the recent numbers don’t fully capture the job losses in the federal workforce. We should expect things to get worse before they get better.
That’s why our investments in workforce support are so critical. In the FY26 budget, we provided additional funding for WorkSource Montgomery to expand its in-person job center in Wheaton and provide more hands-on help for people trying to get back into the workforce. We will continue to grow our Mobilize Montgomery initiative to offer displaced workers access to training, hiring events and resources tailored to what’s happening in the economy.
We can’t control what’s happening in Washington, but we can keep showing up for the people who are affected by it.
SNAP Cuts and Helping Address Hunger
Last week, I focused on my issues with the federal spending law passed and signed by the Trump administration. I mentioned the devastating impact it would have on hunger relief efforts, specifically the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is meant to help residents put food on the table for their families. It puts added pressure on nonprofits, schools and food banks that are already overwhelmed by great demand.
Next Wednesday, July 16, the Montgomery County Food Council will be at Crossroads Farmers Market in Takoma Park starting at 10:30 a.m. to mark a simple but powerful change: SNAP dollars can now be used to buy plants and seeds. That means families can grow their own vegetables at home or in their community, and build lasting food security, one backyard (or balcony) at a time.
Stop by the Food Council’s new “MoCo Made” tent, talk with CHEER’s Long Branch Gardeners and catch Parks’ Michelle Nelson and Emma Morel to learn how Montgomery Park's Community Garden Program can help you grow your own produce. You’ll find the tent on Anne Street at University Boulevard East, right next to Mega Mart.
Crossroads was the first farmers market in Maryland to accept nutrition benefits and the first in the nation to double them. This is another step at the local level toward making healthy food affordable and empowering residents to feed themselves.
Let’s keep cultivating a County where everyone can grow, eat and thrive.
Local Music in Montgomery County
A few weeks ago in this newsletter, I shared a video recap of a conversation I had with legendary Nighthawks founder Mark Wenner. Here is a link to that video. It brought up a lot of good memories of growing up in the DC area and seeing live music across Montgomery County. I asked you to tell me some of your favorite hangouts and got a few responses. I'm glad Strathmore got some love from you. I also heard from some of you that consider Rams Head one of our local live music venues that we didn't mention.
We have been lucky to have such talented musicians representing all genres of music play our local stages. I love music and am always excited to take the stage briefly during community concerts to welcome the crowd, thank the band/organizers and encourage everyone to celebrate responsibly. I didn't have that opportunity when Sly and the Family Stone or Muddy Waters were headlining years ago, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to do it now at venues like the Silver Spring Jazz Festival or TGIF Concerts in Wheaton. There are many ways to enjoy live music in our area (including many free concerts), so I hope you get to enjoy a show before the summer ends.
Montgomery County is offering a variety of free events and resources to help youth stay active, connected and supported throughout the summer months. Please consider sharing with your networks and community partners.
Montgomery County Recreation – Teen Guide (Summer 2025)
The newly released Teen Guide Vol. 3 features a wide range of programs and opportunities for middle and high school students. From sports and creative arts to leadership development and job readiness, there's something for every teen to enjoy and grow from this summer. View the guide here.
Third Annual Back-To-School STEM Festival
Join the East County Community Recreation Center and the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) for a free, family-friendly Back-To-School STEM Festival from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 16. The East County Community Recreation Center is located at 3310 Gateshead Manor Way in Silver Spring. This event is free and open to all ages and will feature backpack giveaways, free food, games, activities and interactive STEM experiences. Registration is required. Find more information here.
The Montgomery County Food Council will be hosting a table at the Crossroads Farmers Market on Wednesday, July 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., to celebrate gardening and spread the word that SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) dollars can be used to purchase plants and seeds. Community Health & Empowerment Through Education and Research (CHEER) will also have a table where you can meet and greet the CHEER gardens’ Long Branch Gardeners, ask them your garden question and learn about their programs.
Crossroads Farmers Market was the first farmers market in Maryland to accept nutrition benefits as forms of payment and the first farmers market in the county to launch a “double dollar” incentive program to match them.
Crossroads Farmers Market is located on Anne St. at University Blvd. In Takoma Park, one block west of New Hampshire Ave. (next to Mega Mart).
Happy 4th of July. I hope everyone has a festive holiday weekend and safe travels. This week in lieu of my weekly video, I wanted to share a video from last week’s opening of Allium Place – a new housing complex just off of Viers Mill and Randolph Road near Wheaton that is affordable to families at different income levels.
Allium Place is an exciting project for multiple reasons, especially because it is the first of the completed projects that I initiated to use public land in the public interest to create more affordable housing, especially for families, and including ownership opportunities. Allium Place is made up of 195 homes: apartments, condominiums, and single-family houses with a full range of sizes, including 64 three-bedroom and nine four-bedroom units, which are rarely produced but desperately needed by families. It includes 3 single-family homes for purchase and 24 homeownership condo units. These homes are affordable to people across a range of incomes, with 25 units priced for households earning less than 30% of the area median income – that is $46,400 for a family of four.
We are about to open more affordable housing complexes and plan to open others soon. To read more about our progress in creating more affordable housing, please read our most recent Affordable Housing Pipeline report.
“Big Beautiful Bill” is Bad for Our County and Nation
President Trump’s "Big Beautiful Bill" that was passed by Congress this week will have devastating effects on our residents. As someone who’s worked on many budgets, I believe I can say I’ve rarely seen a proposal so short-sighted and damaging. It is a moral and fiscal disaster.
This bill proposes more than a trillion dollars in cuts nationwide to Medicaid. Here in Montgomery County, tens of thousands of residents are on Medicaid. They are low-income families, seniors and people with disabilities who would lose access to basic healthcare. Their coverage pays for doctor visits, mental health care and long-term services that allow them to live with dignity. If this bill passes, many of them won’t get the care they need.
SNAP – the nation’s most important anti-hunger program – would be slashed in this bill and would directly increase food insecurity in Montgomery County. Children would go to school hungry. Older adults would be forced to choose between meals and medicine, something that too many people already struggle with. Our nonprofits, schools and food banks would be overwhelmed.
Further cuts to the National Institutes of Health and other federal research programs would jeopardize thousands of jobs and destabilize the life sciences and biotech sectors we’ve spent years building. They are a core part of our local economy, a source of high-quality jobs for our residents and an invaluable pipeline for research for future discoveries and cures.
Rolling back support for clean energy, electric vehicles and climate innovation harms the planet and undercuts our efforts to fulfill our Climate Action Plan and reduce carbon emissions by 100% by 2035. It tells companies that their investments should be made elsewhere, eliminating jobs for generations to come.
Amazingly, this bill also increases the federal deficit by nearly $5 trillion. Why? To pay for even more tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans.
We can’t move forward as a community unless we understand where we’ve been. Here in Montgomery County, our history comes from the people who built this place, who fought for justice and who made progress possible. And if we’re serious about building a better, more inclusive future, we have to honor those stories and learn from them.
On this Independence Day holiday, as many of us come together to celebrate as a community, I hope you take a moment to reflect on the struggles that our nation has overcome, not just in its inception but in our lifetime.
You don’t have to look far to see it. Whether it’s the legacy of the Quince Orchard community, the resilience of Scotland, or the stories of our civil rights leaders who walked the same streets we do—their experiences shaped the County we live in today.
Our history includes painful chapters. Segregation. Displacement. Inequity. But we can’t ignore that. We have to face it, learn from it and commit to doing better. Our history also includes resilience and building community. History isn’t just behind us, it’s with us. It shows up in our schools, our neighborhoods and the choices we make as a government.
That’s why I’ve pushed for policies that focus on equity and inclusion. Whether it’s preserving historically Black communities, expanding affordable housing or making sure every child sees themselves in our classrooms, it’s all rooted in a simple idea: everyone deserves to belong here, and everyone deserves to be remembered.
So, when we talk about history, we’re not just looking back. We’re honoring those who came before us by carrying their work forward. Thanks for being a part of that.
Fireworks Safety Means No Fireworks
There is a simple rule to remember about fireworks in Montgomery County: even if you can buy them from a stand or a store near Montgomery County, you cannot set them off here. The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service lays out the law and what we typically see every year on its website.
Every year, it is important to remind everyone that personal fireworks are illegal in Montgomery County. They are outlawed for many reasons: they are dangerous and cause mild to severe injuries every year. Fireworks can also be a danger to our environment, carrying with them the risk of brush fires. Fireworks set off inside a home or garage could also put lives and property at risk.
You may hear fireworks going on somewhere nearby and think that it gives you permission to set them off too. That is not the case. Several neighborhood associations, private clubs and community groups get permits from the County to set up shows for their own audiences. The whole point of getting a permit is to ensure the right precautions are being taken to help keep everyone safe. Here is a list of this year’s permitted shows. If you want to report the use of fireworks in your neighborhood, don’t call 911. Instead, call the non-emergency police line at 301-279-8000 and someone will investigate the complaint.
Leave the fireworks show to the pros. Celebrate the 4th, ollow the law and don’t buy or set off fireworks within Montgomery County.
Start of the Fiscal Year Changes
The beginning of July is also the beginning of a new fiscal year which means the enaction of several new laws.
There’s good news for our young adults. Thanks to new state legislation now in effect as of July 1, the young adult health insurance subsidy program for monthly premiums (available for ages 18 to 37) is now permanent. That’s about $40 a month back in your pocket, and it’s helping more young people get covered, which keeps costs down for all of us.
And this month, Maryland is launching a new Office of Disability Employment Advancement and Policy. This office will focus on making sure people with disabilities have better access to jobs, training, and career growth. It’s part of the broader effort to make Maryland a model employer, something I know we in Montgomery County strongly support.
The State also created the Public Health Abortion Grant Program to help cover the cost of abortion for uninsured Marylanders or Marylanders who have been denied services through their health insurance coverage. The money comes from a $1-a-month fee that insurers pay. That pot has been growing by about $3 million per year.
Also starting this month, landlords must attach a copy of the current Maryland Tenants’ Bill of Rights to every lease, which is available in 18 different languages. The State’s Department of Housing and Community Development will update and release a new Tenants’ Bill of Rights by September 1 of each year moving forward, with an effective date of October 1. This annual release will include major changes to federal or state renter laws in addition to updates based on feedback from tenants and housing partners. For any local questions about tenant rights visit montgomerycountymd.gov/dhca.
This week on my weekly media briefing the County’s Chief Administrative Officer Rich Madaleno was joined by Del. Bonnie Cullison to discuss some of these topics and more. You can watch that discussion here.
These steps move us closer to a healthier, fairer and more inclusive Maryland community. Also, on that note, you can now use Ride On extra, Flex and Flash buses for free. We started waving all fares this past weekend, and it will be that way moving forward. Spread the word and get familiar with how our route system has changed as part of the Ride On Reimagined plan. I hope these changes help make it easier to take the bus.
Animal Services and Adoption Center Thankful for Emergency Foster Help
What an amazing community we have! In the last couple of weeks, you showed up for animals in need of a home and then relief from the heatwave.
As I mentioned briefly in last week's newsletter, the air conditioning system at the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center failed, putting the health and safety of shelter animals at risk. In response, the Center quickly took steps to protect the animals by setting up fans, reducing outdoor time, and putting out an emergency call for foster homes.
The response from residents was overwhelming. So many of you agreed to temporarily care for dogs and cats that the Center had to fast-track the foster process just to keep up. These volunteers opened their homes and their hearts. Some even decided to make their foster pets permanent family members.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered, fostered, donated or shared the call for help. You showed how Montgomery County is a place where compassion leads the way.
The need for foster families and forever families for our animals is still high, even with the AC working again. If you are considering expanding your family by adding a pet, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/animalservices.
Montgomery County's Office of Emergency Management, Fire Rescue Service Offer Advice on Summer Heat Safety
It is easy to get used to your routines and not realize the danger you could be putting your children and pets in by leaving them in a hot car, even just for a few minutes.
The Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security is reminding parents to check the back before getting out of car. They suggest placing a bag or something valuable in the backseat so that your first step upon getting out of the car is opening the door to the backseat. Placing a child's toy, like a stuffed animal, may also help remind you to check for backseat passengers.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service are sharing other tips to help keep you and your family safe. They encourage you to drink 3-4 cups of water every hour that you are outside. Preventing dehydration begins before you go outside by drinking before you are thirsty and avoiding drinks with caffeine, like energy drinks. Recognize signs of illness like confusion, nausea and headaches. Take breaks in the shade that last 5 minutes or more. Be aware of factors that can make the heat more intense like humidity and plan accordingly.
Heat may impact older adults, kids, outside workers and people with disabilities more than anyone else. During these hot stretches, remember to wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothes that are light colored. Not every home has air conditioning, so check on your neighbors and take advantage of community buildings and public spaces nearby that can help cool you down, like libraries, malls and movie theaters.
Earlier today, the Supreme Court made rulings on several key cases both of which are extremely troubling. You can read my statements on them here: Mahmoud v. Taylorand Trump v. CASA, INC.
Celebrating 195 New Affordable Housing Units at Allium Place
This week, we marked a major milestone in our efforts to tackle the affordable housing crisis with the opening of Allium Place which is located just off Viers Mill and Randolph Roads near Wheaton.
When I became County Executive, I set out to put unused and underused public land to better use—and housing was at the top of the list. This six-acre County-owned site has now been transformed into one of the most impactful affordable housing communities Montgomery County has ever built. Here are photos from the ceremony and video of my comments.
Allium Place includes 195 homes: apartments, condominiums, and single-family houses with a full range of sizes—including 64 three-bedroom and nine four-bedroom units, which are rarely produced but deeply needed by families. These homes are affordable to people across a range of incomes, with 25 units priced for households earning less than 30% of the area median income. This is what housing looks like when it’s shaped by community needs.
By partnering with AHC and Habitat for Humanity the County invested $25 million from our Housing Initiative Fund, along with the public land. The project includes on-site childcare, a public park, and free high-speed internet for low-income residents. This project embodies the kind of housing work we need more of—deeply affordable, family-friendly, and rooted in community.
Allium Place is part of a growing pipeline of impactful projects in the County that we have been working on: The Chimes in North Bethesda, Hillandale Gateway in East County, and preservation projects in Bethesda and Wheaton. This project demonstrates how local government can lead with purpose and produce the kind of housing that markets alone are not delivering.
This kind of work doesn’t happen by accident. It requires vision, leadership, and persistence. We’ve committed over $180 million in this year’s budget to support housing production, preservation, and homeownership. These policies and projects represent years of effort and a commitment to treat housing as a human right.
Allium Place is not just a building—it is a reflection of our values, our vision, and our commitment to the families who make Montgomery County strong.
We will keep building on this progress. Together.
Zoning Text Amendment that Changes Single-Family Communities Being Considered by County Council
While the opening of Allium Place is great news, I want to draw attention to something that is very concerning Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 25-02, part of what’s been called the “More Housing NOW” package.
The stated goal of the “More Housing NOW” package is to create more homes that are affordable to middle-income workers, teachers, police officers, healthcare workers and others. That would be a great thing, but there is no guarantee that this ZTA does that. ZTA 25-02 would allow multi-family buildings—duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, even small apartment buildings—in more than 25 corridors currently zoned for single-family homes. That’s a major change to neighborhoods across the County.
These plans contradict what the council promised when it passed Thrive 2050, the General Plan. Thrive was supposed to be a guide, not a way to implement widescale zoning changes through ZTAs. Residents were told that Thrive was an overview, not a prescription, for what and where changes should be made.
The Council and the Planning Board told residents that actual changes would still follow the master plan process that has existed for decades. It requires community involvement and analysis of impacts on schools, traffic and the environment. In the master plan process, residents, businesses and staff all sit on master plan committees, discuss these complex issues and vote on recommendations that would go to the Council.
Now, major changes are being proposed via ZTA, where the only input residents are allowed are a few minutes of public comment. Our residents have basically been cut out of the decision making that directly impacts the communities they live in. This rezoning process offers no meaningful input about the direction of our community; we are left with decisions based on Planning Board analysis that single-family homes are bad, and our County should become more urbanized.
Of all the master plans completed over many years, neither the Planning Board nor the Council ever undid the nature of County neighborhoods. Homeowners give a lot of thought to where they choose to live. They rely on master plans for certainty. It is as if your input in shaping your community is no longer welcome.
These proposed changes are unprecedented. Between this proposal and the two other pending zoning measures, the ability to rely on the integrity of master plans is gone, and residents are not assured a place at the table when Planning and Council decide that your neighborhood should change.
So, if the zoning is already in place and there are so many approved but unbuilt units, why are they not being built? There is a direct correlation between the lack of employment growth and stalled housing. Jobs drive housing demand. People need work before they buy or rent, and that work typically shapes where people choose to live.
Review of the existing, unused zoned capacity should happen first so we can determine whether and what type of changes are needed. This review should be done master plan by master plan, beginning with the master plans that have the most unused capacity.
We don’t need more zoning changes to create more housing; we need more affordable housing rather than focusing on high-end housing that serves a smaller portion of the population.
This ZTA doesn’t guarantee affordability. In fact, it could make things worse by encouraging the demolition of more modestly priced homes and replacing them with expensive new units. Even Planning’s own study shows that replacement units will cost more than the ones they replace. And developers can evade any requirement to build affordable units by simply building two houses on an existing single-family lot, rather than three units.
As I mentioned earlier, this ZTA sidesteps the master planning process. It throws out the idea of community engagement and planning for infrastructure like schools, roads, stormwater and sewer capacity.
I’m also concerned about the Workforce Housing Program this ZTA relies on. It hasn’t worked well. Since it began years ago, only 110 for-sale units have been created, and almost half of them are no longer affordable. On the rental side, most Workforce Housing units end up renting at close to market rate.
Before we expand this program, it must be fixed. Our Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) is studying how to revamp Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDU) program to address affordability limitations. I have asked the Council to delay any final consideration of ZTA 25-02 tied to Workforce Housing until after these changes have been reviewed.
The ZTA passed the Planning, Housing and Parks Committee earlier this week and is now before the full Council. Let your Councilmember know how you feel, and you can ask them to return to the master planning process rather than passing the ZTA. I know there’s frustration about housing costs. But that’s exactly why we need real solutions, not zoning changes that offer the mirage of progress. This is simply another giveaway to developers, particularly townhouse developers who see these neighborhoods as ideal locations to build townhouses by clearing out single-family homes. And Park and Planning explained in their market study that new “missing middle” units are more expensive than the single-family housing they replace.
This ZTA and the way it was done break our master plans and turn them into a charade while facing very little public scrutiny. Remember, we’re not just planning buildings—we’re planning for people, and that should always come first.
New Laws Take Effect July 1
July 1 marks the start of the new fiscal year and the implementation of several new County and State laws.
Beginning next Tuesday, gas-powered leaf blowers will not be legal in Montgomery County. We banned their sale last year, and now this is the next step of the law.
This ban is a step toward cleaner air and quieter neighborhoods. I do not support the amendment being considered by the Council to carve out an exemption for landscaping companies. Battery-powered alternatives are now reliable and affordable.
We have several reasons for enacting this ban. Gas-powered leaf blowers are noisy and create pollutants that contribute to the carbon emissions that heat our atmosphere and make it more difficult to breathe. By adopting electric leaf blowers, we are all playing an active role in reducing harmful air emissions, lessening our dependence on fossil fuels and getting away from a device that contributes to hearing loss, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
On my media briefing this week, I was joined by Mary Travaglini, a program manager overseeing landscape programs for the Department of Environmental Protection. She is currently conducting outreach training to landscapers by request.
In her update to the media, Mary said emissions created by one hour of gas-powered leaf blower use are equivalent to a car trip from Washington, D.C. to Miami. That’s harmful to everyone, including the more than 6,000 landscape workers in the County.
In Montgomery County, the minimum wage will rise to:
$17.65/hour for businesses with 51+ employees
$16.00/hour for businesses with 11–50 employees
$15.50/hour for businesses with 10 or fewer employees
This increase is part of a law I sponsored when I was a Councilmember. It ensures wages keep up with inflation—a basic need that the federal government continues to ignore, with the national minimum wage stuck at $7.25/hour.
Also starting next week across Maryland:
Increase penalties for dangerous driving, including the Sgt. Patrick Kepp Act to address the reckless speeding that we’re seeing
Increase certain sales taxes, including on vending snacks, IT services and tobacco/cannabis products
These changes are important, and I encourage everyone to stay informed about how they may be impacted. Find a full list of State laws in effect July 1 here.
Impacts of Dangerous Weather
This week’s heat was intense and there is more on the way this weekend. Even the overnight temperatures did not bring much relief, so I hope you and all your friends and loved ones are doing well. I want to remind you that County buildings like libraries and senior centers are open during regular hours if you need to cool off.
I want to thank our Department of Recreation for supporting both our summer camps and residents needing air conditioning. Our pools have been busy, and staff have done a great job under tough conditions. I also want to thank our Department of Transportation for handing out free water to bus riders.
Even as we get a break from the extreme heat, please watch for signs of heat illness—cramps, dizziness, or headaches mean it’s time to take a break. If someone faints, breathes rapidly, or has a weak pulse, get medical help immediately. If you are worried about someone living outside in this heat, you can call (240) 907-2688 to get them some help.
Last year, 27 Marylanders died from heat-related illnesses, including a Baltimore City sanitation worker who died on the job. Last fall, the Maryland Department of Labor issued new workplace safety regulations requiring employers to act when the heat index exceeds 90 or 100 degrees. That includes providing water, shade and breaks.
We’re monitoring the health of our outdoor workers, and I want to thank all the County employees out there doing critical work, rain or shine. Just last Thursday, after wicked storms passed through, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation received more than 170 reports of downed trees and debris, and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service responded to trees falling on homes and cars. Thankfully, no serious injuries were reported.
As we move deeper into summer, I encourage you to sign up for Alert Montgomery to stay informed about severe weather and traffic impacts. It provides immediate emergency notifications about bad weather directly to your cell phone via text, email or voicemail. The service can even keep you updated on when inclement weather cancels swim lessons, closes a pool or impacts fields across the County. You can check on athletic fields maintained by Montgomery Parks through its rainout page.
Pride in the Plaza This Weekend
Before we end June, we will come together as a community to close out Pride Month with Pride in the Plaza. It is happening this Sunday, June 29, from noon to 8 p.m. in Downtown Silver Spring.
At a time when the federal government is undermining LGBTQ+ rights and trying to erase history, we’re doing the opposite. We’re standing up, protecting our LGBTQ+ residents, and celebrating their role in our community.
I hope you can join the festivities and be an ally to the LGBTQ+ community.
Fourth of July Festivities
Many of us will have the opportunity to take a day or more off next weekend to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday, which marks our nation’s independence.
I want to remind everyone of the two County-sponsored shows that are free to the public. Germantown Glory will be on Friday, July 4, at the South Germantown Recreational Park, and Mid-County Sparkles will be Saturday, July 5, at Albert Einstein High School. Both events will feature live music ahead of fireworks at 9:15 p.m.
Our community will also have other opportunities to enjoy fireworks starting this Saturday, June 28. The Department of Permitting provides a full list of permitted displays.
The Montgomery County Government and programs that impact County residents will follow a holiday schedule with changes for the observance of Independence Day on Friday, July 4.
Schedule changes for the holiday include:
County offices—Closed.
MC 311—Closed.
State offices and courts—Closed.
State Motor Vehicle Administration offices and Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program stations—Closed.
Libraries— Closed.
Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS)—All stores open 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Department of Permitting Services—Closed.
Ride On Bus Service—Will operate on a Saturday schedule. View route schedules here.
Ride On Flash Bus Service—The Orange Route will operate on a Weekend/Holiday schedule. The Blue Route (typically, weekday only) will not be in service.
MARC Train—Will operate on Saturday schedule on the Penn Line only. No service on Brunswick or Camden lines.
TRiPS Silver Spring commuter store—Closed.
TRiPS mobile commuter store—Closed.
Metrorail—Will operate on a Sunday Holiday schedule with trains running from 7 a.m.-midnight.
Metrobus—Will operate on a Sunday schedule.
Public parking garages, lots, curbside meters—Free.
County-provided trash and recycling collections—No collections on Friday, July 4. Collections for the remainder of the week will slide one day, with the final collections on Saturday, July 5.
Shady Grove Transfer Station and Recycling Center—Entire facility is closed.
Outdoor Pools— Open from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. & 3-6 p.m.
Recreation, Senior and Indoor Aquatic Centers—Closed.
Additional information for Montgomery Parks facilities:
Montgomery Parks headquarters and permits offices—Closed.
Montgomery Parks customer service office—Closed.
BMX Pump Track at South Germantown Recreational Park—Closed.
Cabin John Ice Rink and Wheaton Ice Arena—Closed.
Wheaton Indoor Tennis and Pauline Betz Addie Tennis Center—Closed.
Indoor nature facilities—Closed. (Trails and nature play areas for all nature centers remain open from sunrise to sunset).
Open Parkways will operate on a normal schedule for the July Fourth holiday weekend, except on the portion affected by the Purple Line construction. During this time, parkways are open to pedestrians and bicyclists and closed to motor vehicles.
Sligo Creek Parkway between Old Carroll Avenue and Piney Branch Road will be on an amended schedule due to Purple Line construction. Click here to learn more about this change.
Beach Drive between Knowles Avenue and Cedar Lane (2.2 miles) and Sligo Creek Parkway between Forest Glen Road and University Boulevard West Friday, July 4 at 9 a.m. until Sunday, July 6 at 6 p.m.
Sligo Creek Parkway between Old Carroll Avenue and Piney Branch Road Saturday, July 5 at 7 a.m. until Sunday, July 6 at 6 p.m.
Join Montgomery Parks for their Shakespeare Beyond performances, featuring Chesapeake Shakespeare Company. They’ll be bringing a fresh twist to a timeless Shakespearean classic, The Comedy of Errors, Hon!
The Comedy of Errors is a lively and entertaining Shakespearean comedy, filled with mistaken identities and humorous misunderstandings. With its fast-paced action and playful chaos, the performance promises to be fun, engaging, and full of laughter for audiences.
These family-friendly events are free and open to all ages. Performances will take place throughout the summer at various park locations, so be sure to check the calendar below for the full lineup.
Concessions will be available for purchase on-site, and rain dates can be found below.
Tuesday, July 8 Lake Needwood Mansion. 6700 Needwood Rd, Rockville, MD.6:30-8:30 p.m. Rain date is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 9.
Tuesday, July 15 Black Hill Regional Park. 20930 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Rain date is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 16.
During the County’s annual Juneteenth celebration last weekend, six people were honored with the “Living Legend Awards” at the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown.
The 2025 award recipients were honored for their lifelong dedication in the areas of justice and advocacy, the arts, education, sports, entertainment, public service and other selfless acts of kindness. They are:
James Baker. A lifelong resident of Montgomery County and pillar of the Rockville community, James Baker has devoted nearly a century to service, mentorship and civic engagement. Born and raised in the historic African American neighborhood of Lincoln Park, he graduated from Lincoln High School in 1945 and soon after earned a World War II Victory Medal for his service in the U.S. Army. A dedicated NIH lab technician for over 40 years, Mr. Baker contributed to groundbreaking research, including the development of the polio vaccine. In the postwar years, he was a cab driver for the Black-owned Hitman’s Cab Company and a baseball player with the Legionnaires, a local Negro League team. Alongside his beloved wife Lillian, he became a surrogate parent to many, warmly known as “Uncle Son” and “Aunt Lillian.” Mr. Baker co-founded the Black Angels Boys Club, volunteered with numerous homeless shelters and social service organizations and served on the Montgomery County Community Development Citizens Advisory Committee. A faithful church member and longtime trustee of Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church, he remained committed to youth and education, even working as a bus companion for students with disabilities well into his 90s. Now 98, James Baker’s life of quiet leadership and unwavering generosity embodies the spirit of a true Living Legend.
Judi Moore Latta. A trailblazer in communications, academia and public media, Dr. Judi Moore Latta has dedicated her life to education, advocacy and storytelling. An award-winning journalist, Dr. Latta helped shape national conversations through her work with WETA-TV/FM, WUSA-TV and WRC-TV. At NPR, she pioneered coverage as its first education reporter, created the network’s first Hispanic daily news program Latin File and produced the Peabody Award-winning series Wade in the Water: African American Sacred Music Traditions. A longtime faculty member at Howard University, she served as professor, department chair and executive director of communications, becoming the first woman to lead WHUT-TV as interim general manager. A resident of Silver Spring, Dr. Latta volunteers locally and nationally in partnership with private and public organizations focused on marginalized communities. She is a co-founder of the two-decades old Girls Rites of Passage Program, a program of the Potomac Valley Section of the National Council of Negro Women based in Silver Spring. She continues as a member of the Council of Elders. A member of the Olive Branch Community Church in Olney Sandy Spring, Dr. Latta serves on several ministries and co-chairs the African American History and Culture ministry.
Catherine Matthews. A lifelong Montgomery County resident and devoted public servant, Catherine “Cathy” Matthews has spent nearly 50 years shaping local government and building stronger, more inclusive communities. Beginning her career in 1973 with the Department of Recreation, she rose through the ranks to become director of the Upper County Regional Office, where for two decades she championed community-centered service and regional development. Her leadership helped shape the growth of Germantown and Clarksburg through initiatives like the Germantown town center development, the Destination Germantown Initiative and the Germantown Youth Collaboratory. Beyond government, Cathy served on the board of the BlackRock Center for the Arts for 20 years and held leadership roles in the private sector, co-founding a firm supporting minority-owned businesses. Even in retirement, she continues to serve with organizations like the Boys & Girls Club, Leadership Montgomery and the Montgomery Parks Foundation.
Jo Ann Owens. A lifelong Montgomery County resident and multigenerational community leader, Jo Ann Owens has spent her life uplifting others through faith, education and compassionate service. Raised in the historic Quince Orchard and KenGar neighborhoods, she devoted over 27 years to Montgomery County Public Schools, earning multiple commendations—including the Superintendent’s Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award—for her exceptional leadership and commitment. In 2013, the City of Gaithersburg honored her legacy with a proclamation of “Jo Ann Owens Day.” Deeply rooted in her faith, she has served the First Baptist Church of KenGar for decades through roles on the Ushers Board, Hospitality Committee and as lead decorator for major services. Her tireless volunteerism includes mentoring students through the Everybody Wins! literacy program, delivering food with Germantown HELP, and supporting at-risk youth through Lead4Life, Inc. Her joyful presence has graced local cultural events like BlackRock’s performances and Gaithersburg’s Jubilation Day Gospel Concert.
Betty Holston Smith. A fierce advocate for natural living and lifelong fitness, Dr. Betty Smith has redefined what it means to age with strength, grace and vitality. At 84, she continues to run 60 to 100 miles per week, powered by a plant-based, junk food–free lifestyle and a deep connection to nature. A longtime Montgomery County resident, Dr. Smith is an organic vegan, marathoner, ultra-marathoner, deep-water running instructor and Tai Chi martial artist with more than four decades of practice. She has completed more than 93 marathons across all seven continents and over 30 ultra-marathons since 2007. A coach with the Montgomery County Road Runners Club and an advocate for youth fitness, she volunteers at children’s runs and continues to inspire runners of all ages. From breaking U.S. Track & Field age group records to celebrating her 81st birthday by running 81 miles through the night, Dr. Smith is a living testament to the power of discipline, nature and movement. Her book “Lifestyle by Nature” captures her philosophy and the transformative impact of her six-step lifestyle formula.
Delegate W. Gregory Wims. A sixth-generation Montgomery County native, Delegate Greg Wims has spent more than five decades advancing civil rights, public service and community empowerment. Raised in the historic Stewart Town community, his early experiences shaped a life dedicated to lifting others. He broke barriers as the first male Head Start teacher in Montgomery County and the county's first African American legislative assistant to serve in Congress. A lifelong advocate, he founded the Victims’ Rights Foundation, which has raised over $1 million for survivors of violent crime, including families affected by the 2002 sniper attacks. Delegate Wims has served on more than 40 nonprofit boards and held leadership roles in the NAACP at the county and state levels. His government work has focused on youth development, minority business advancement and civic engagement. Now representing District 39 in the Maryland House of Delegates, he continues to be a powerful voice for justice, equity and opportunity. His legacy is one of unwavering service and an enduring commitment to the people of Montgomery County.
James Stowe, director of the County’s Office of Human Rights, hosted the awards ceremony, which you can watch here. You can find pictures from the ceremony on the County's Flickr page.
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