Dear Friends,
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.
I'm grateful for the work of our Congressional Delegation - Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, as well as Representatives Jamie Raskin, April McClain-Delaney, and Glenn Ivey - for standing up and speaking out against these efforts.
Importance of Independence Day
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.
Maryland’s Budget Reconciliation and Finance Act of 2025 will raise $2 billion through new taxes to address the State’s budget deficit.
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
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
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.
As always, my appreciation for all of you,
Marc Elrich
County Executive
