The Neighborhood Monthly eNewsletter – March 2026
Housing People
Staff and Supporters Tour The Chimes at North Bethesda
On our latest Building Dreams tour, the group donned hard hats, vests, and boots and enjoyed a firsthand look at construction in progress at The Chimes at North Bethesda. Rob Goldman, Stephanie Roodman, Nate Robbins, and Jaimee Goodman shared how the property’s design enables MHP to incorporate sustainability, maximize space, and accommodate our signature Community Life programs. We viewed the ground layer of the public nature overlook deck and stream restoration area, a unique feature of this property. The Chimes at North Bethesda will contain 163 affordable apartment homes all within walking distance of the Metro. Thank you to everyone who joined our tour and showed their support for this exciting project.
Looking for an apartment and interested in joining the interest list? Visit the website here.
Unity Place Apartments are Ribbon Ready
Unity Place apartments are almost completed and ready for an upcoming ribbon cutting ceremony on April 29! The snow is melted, the community center furniture is on the way, and finishing touches are making the property sparkle. Tameka Webb and Beth Seward gave us the scoop on how this project fulfills MHP’s mission. RSVP to the event and watch the video here.
Looking for an affordable home in DC? Visit the Unity Place website to learn more about renting an apartment there. There are still a few units available!
Empowering Families
FLOW Takes on Annapolis
Kids are the future and because of this, youth voices have a special power. Our FLOW teen students recently visited Annapolis and spent time at the offices of our State of Maryland elected officials. While their peers enjoyed a day off, our Community Life students were actively engaging with decision makers and learning how government functions. They also provided a perspective on the importance of affordable housing for their families, taking part in advocacy for MHP’s mission. We sincerely thank Delegate Jared Solomon for extending this invitation to our students and to our staff for making this impactful trip a reality.
Intergen Game Day at Franklin Unites Teens and Seniors
As part of our work to strengthen neighborhoods, MHP brought teen volunteers together with our residents for a day of board games, snacks, and discussion. It was a fun and relaxed way to connect and build community. Watch a video featuring some of our residents and volunteers here.
Strengthening Neighborhoods
Magical Storytime Soirée
MHP recently held our first magical story time soirée event at Parkview Towers. Local author Chakayla Absalom visited the property, read her book to families, and gave each child a signed copy! Chakayla’s book entitled, Understanding Archie’s Autism: A Sibling’s Guide, promotes understanding of autism and neurodiversity. Millions of people around the world have autism and there are many within our own community. Knowledge is power and through greater understanding of one another, we can build a more unified world. Thank you to Chakayla for sharing her book with our residents! It meant so much to them.
Pembridge Diaper Bank
Diapers for a single baby can cost $70 or more per month. With costs for other changing supplies added, parents typically spend a minimum of $10k during a baby’s first year. This excludes other costs such as childcare, clothing, bottles, furniture, gear, food, and more. For families making less than the median income, the financial burden is all too real. Fortunately, MHP is distributing diapers, wipes, and feminine hygiene products at our Pembridge pantry in Wheaton, MD. To keep our pantry stocked, we need your support. Please contact Fatima if you would like to donate supplies: fcoreas@mhpartners.org. We will find a drop-off time that works for your schedule! Thank you in advance for your consideration.
In Other News
Governor Moore Visits Long Branch
“Storefront improvements strengthen entire commercial corridors. They signal to residents that investment is happening right now, on their block, in their neighborhood. And the momentum is there in Long Branch – thanks to partnerships with local and federal officials – and along the whole Purple Line corridor.” – Governor Wes Moore
MHP was elated to host Governor Moore on a recent visit to Long Branch. In front of the Flower Theatre, joined onstage by MHP’s Chris Gillis in addition to numerous other elected officials, including Congressman Jamie Raskin, he discussed new funding to support local businesses through façade improvements. Watch the video on Instagram here
Black History Month at MHP HQ
At our recent office Black History Month event, we welcomed guest speaker Tuesday Barnes, an Applied Sociology and Social Justice PhD student at Morgan State University. Tuesday guided our staff through a discussion around the topic, “Reimagining Home and History.” Together, we explored how the Black community has created belonging, preserved legacy, and shaped the future. Team members connected on thought-provoking topics including the importance of making time to dream. Many staff shared artifacts from their personal cultures and histories. And of course, we enjoyed food from around the globe, including African dishes and American soul food. Thank you to our staff committee who put this event together and to Tuesday for the engaging presentation!
Save the Date for the Golf Classic
Our annual Norman Christeller Golf Classic is happening on June 15. Help us put the FUN in fundraiser – sign up for your foursome or become a sponsor today! Learn more on our website.
Seeking Pembridge Food Pantry Donations
Did you know that our resident outreach team runs a food pantry attached to our Pembridge Community Center? This small but mighty storage location can hold many nonperishable food items for residents in need. We’re seeking donations of canned goods on an ongoing basis. Please contact Fatima (fcoreas@mhpartners.org) to schedule a drop-off at the Pembridge Community Center. Thanks for helping us provide food for the community!
Combatting Food Insecurity with Fatima
Discover Fatima’s perspective on her work helping residents with SNAP benefits and combatting food insecurity in the latest MHP on Mic.
Building Dreams Tour
MHP’s Building Dreams tours provide a one-hour opportunity to see our work first-hand. Join Rob Goldman, Jaimee Goodman and other staff members for a deeper drive into our holistic approach and mission to expand and preserve affordable housing. RSVP and learn more by emailing Jaimee: jgoodman@mhpartners.org.
The Neighborhood Monthly eNewsletter – February 2026
Housing People
Safety Tips for Seniors at The Bonifant
Fire safety is essential for everyone. Emergencies such as fires pose a greater risk for seniors, especially those with mobility challenges, oxygen support, hearing impairments , and more. Residents of The Bonifant at Silver Spring recently participated in a fire safety training with James Resnick. James develops and provides fire safety and injury prevention education and outreach programs and support for senior citizens in Montgomery County, Maryland, in partnership with Fire and Rescue Services.
What’s New at The Chimes at North Bethesda
What’s new at The Chimes at North Bethesda? Short answer: a lot! This ground-up construction property is making excellent progress and if things keep moving along as expected, MHP will hold a ribbon cutting in fall of 2026. Wondering about the name? The Chimes has a subtle musical theme with interactive playground and community elements that make sounds. It is walking distance from the North Bethesda Metro station, offering residents easy access to public transportation, which in turn supports access to jobs, groceries, shops, education, medical care, and more.
Empowering Families
Week of Love
Love is in the air! Community Life students celebrated Valentine’s Day with crafts, snacks, games, music and more! It’s important to promote respect, empathy, and consideration of others in the classroom. When children work on these social skills at a young age, it sets them up for successful relationships in the future. Valentine’s Day is an opportunity for students to spread love.
Centering Student Choice
Sharp, our independent evaluator, recently observed MHP’s Great Achievers Towards Outstanding Results (GATOR) Club at Pembridge Community Center.
According to the Weikart Center, “giving youth opportunities to make decisions encourages them to explore their interests, participate as group members and leaders, and ultimately become stronger decision makers in life.”
We’re proud to share that MHP Community Life staff were observed to be particularly adept at providing numerous opportunities for all students to make both content and process choices. Students appeared familiar with pre-established guidelines to suggest content choices to staff (e.g., “let’s make slime” or “let’s make glow stick jewelry”), and were observed selecting new activities supplied around the room at the beginning the session (e.g., “I wanna try these new foam animals!”). Students were also observed making numerous process choices (e.g., how to design their artwork, how to build Legos), and were encouraged by staff to try new processes (e.g., “I calculate area like this, show me how you would do it”).
Student choice makes learning more fun and effective!
Strengthening Neighborhoods
Adventist Healthcare Partnership
New year, new partnership! MHP runs a unique Community Health Worker (CHW) program that serves more than 250 of our residents in Wheaton, MD. Nearly a quarter of households lack health insurance, many live with chronic conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and asthma, and almost half experience food insecurity. CHWs are trusted, culturally sensitive members of the community who provide health education, connect residents to resources, and serve as liaisons with healthcare systems. Through place-based outreach, navigation support, and coordination with providers, the program seeks to reduce disparities for low-income families. We’re excited to announce a new partnership with the Adventist HealthCare Community Partnership Fund that will help our CHWs improve health access, reduce preventable illness, and eliminate barriers for underserved populations, while establishing a replicable model for other high-need communities.
Winter Coats Bring Warmth in Wheaton
Temps in Montgomery County dropped into single digits this month. Fortunately, MHP was able to provide winter coats for 100 residents in Wheaton thanks to the support of a donor and the organizing efforts of our Neighborhoods team and Community Health Workers. When we work together as a community, we can look out for vulnerable neighbors, especially during inclement weather.
Seeking Pembridge Food Pantry Donations
Did you know that our resident outreach team runs a food pantry attached to our Pembridge Community Center? This small but mighty storage location can hold many nonperishable food items for residents in need. We’re seeking donations of canned goods on an ongoing basis. Please contact Fatima (fcoreas@mhpartners.org) to schedule a drop-off at the Pembridge Community Center. Thanks for helping us provide food for the community!
Combatting Food Insecurity with Fatima
Discover Fatima’s perspective on her work helping residents with SNAP benefits and combatting food insecurity in the latest MHP on Mic.
Building Dreams Tour
MHP’s Building Dreams tours provide a one-hour opportunity to see our work first-hand. Join Rob Goldman, Jaimee Goodman and other staff members for a deeper drive into our holistic approach and mission to expand and preserve affordable housing. RSVP and learn more by emailing Jaimee: jgoodman@mhpartners.org.
The Neighborhood Monthly eNewsletter – January 2026
Toy Drive Recap
27th annual Angels for Children Toy Drive
- 1,400+ gifts distributed to our Wheaton residents
- 280 people volunteered to wrap gifts and deliver them to residents
- 5 Santas traveled door-to-door, delighting children, teens, adults, and even pets!
- 30 local businesses throughout Montgomery County hosted toy collection drop boxes
- NBC4 joined us – watch the video here!
Community Life Toy Drive
- 600 gifts delivered to our Community Life educational enrichment program students plus a selection of children living at other MHP properties
- 11 community centers held classroom parties for students
- With both toy drives combined, we served 1,000+ children and teens and delivered 2,000+ gifts.
We could not accomplish this epic undertaking without our event partners, donors, and volunteers. Together we made things brighter for low-income residents in our community. Here are a few photos from classroom holiday parties where children received their gifts.
Combatting Food Insecurity with Fatima
Discover Fatima’s perspective on her work helping residents with SNAP benefits and combatting food insecurity in the latest MHP on Mic.
Building Dreams Tour
MHP’s Building Dreams tours provide a one-hour opportunity to see our work first-hand. Join Rob Goldman, Jaimee Goodman and other staff members for a deeper drive into our holistic approach and mission to expand and preserve affordable housing. RSVP and learn more by emailing Jaimee: jgoodman@mhpartners.org.
Seeking Nonperishable Donations
Did you know that our resident outreach team runs a food pantry attached to our Pembridge Community Center? This small but mighty storage location can hold many nonperishable food items for residents in need. We’re seeking donations of canned goods on an ongoing basis. Please contact Fatima (fcoreas@mhpartners.org) to schedule a drop-off at the Pembridge Community Center. Thanks for helping us provide food for the community!
MHP advocated for additional business grants for businesses along the Purple Line corridor. In The Baltimore Banner feature, MHP’s Director of Policy & Neighborhood Development, Chris Gillis, whose department works closely with businesses in multiple areas along the Purple Line, urged the state to act with greater urgency. He recommended that officials disburse the remaining $2 million in funding before 2027.
“A lot of the construction is going to wrap up this year,” he said. “Let’s get this money to the businesses now, as opposed to a year from now, when all the construction crews [will] have disappeared.”
Read more here. Please note: Access to this article may require a paid subscription.
Several local media outlets covered MHP’s 27th Annual Angels for Children Toy Drive, which distributed nearly 1500 toys to hundreds of resident children across the nonprofit developer’s properties in Wheaton, Montgomery County. Among the outlets that covered the two-hour drive was NBC4 Washington. Ahead of the toy drive, The Baltimore Banner and Montgomery Community Media covered our press release announcing this year’s drive.
Each year, nonprofit affordable housing developer Montgomery Housing Partnership (MHP) seeks new, unwrapped toy donations for low-income children and teens living in our Wheaton properties. Volunteers help wrap the toys and distribute them directly to our residents on Christmas Eve.
The Neighborhood Monthly eNewsletter – December 2025
Housing People
Touring Unity Place Progress
The new community center and playground at Unity Place are taking shape! We were honored to host DHCD Director Colleen Green for a recent site visit. We toured the interior and exterior of these exciting new property features and discussed other construction aspects of our largest affordable property. MHP President Robert A. Goldman and other MHP staff members were joined by project partners Bozzuto, Residential One, and JDC. This spring, we’ll officially unveil major renovations at Unity Place!
The Residences at Forest Glen Sparkles in Silver Spring
The Residences at Forest Glen recently came out for a meet-and-greet breakfast. They enjoyed custom omelets in the club room and had the opportunity to share feedback with property management staff. It was a wonderful way to unwind and connect!
Did you know there are still a few apartments available at The Residences at Forest Glen? These rental homes are reserved for families and individuals earning approximately 60% of the Area Median Income. If you are interested and would like to determine if you qualify, please contact the property management office directly by visiting their website or calling their office at (301) 264-5827.
Empowering Families
Angels for Children Toy Drive Wrapping Up Dec. 20
Now in its 27th year, the Angels for Children Holiday Toy Drive is up and running in Montgomery County, and we’re seeking new, unwrapped gifts! Our team of elves is already collecting and organizing items for the big day. Santa is getting ready to pack his sleigh with toys, books, games, and teen items. With your support, the sleigh will be filled to the brim!
Each year, MHP seeks new, unwrapped toy donations for low-income children and teens living in our Wheaton properties. Volunteers will wrap over 1k toys and distribute them directly to our residents on Christmas Eve.
This year, we’ve placed 30 toy collection drop boxes throughout Montgomery County, adding 6 new locations to our list. It’s easier than ever to discover a box near you! Please drop off donations by our deadline of December 20th.
We could not accomplish this epic undertaking without our event partners Wheaton & Kensington Chamber of Commerce and Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad. Special thanks to Acorn Storage, all our box hosts, and our amazing volunteers.
Visit the drive website to learn more.
Community Life Toy Drive
MHP also runs a Community Life toy drive, which provides about 600 gifts for our educational enrichment program students plus a selection of children living at other MHP properties throughout Montgomery County. With both toy drives combined, we serve 1,000+ children and teens and deliver 2,000+ gifts. We greatly appreciate the support of all our donors and partners this holiday season. Together, we are making things brighter for low-income residents in our community. Here are a few photos from classroom holiday parties where children received their gifts.
Strengthening Neighborhoods
Food Distributions Offer Lifeline to Seniors
Residents at Franklin Apartments in Takoma Park enjoyed a special rotisserie chicken delivery for Thanksgiving courtesy of generous members of Bethany Church in Gaithersburg. About 20 volunteers dropped off bags and joined property management staff in giving out food to the seniors. These donations bolstered regular monthly food donations which are generously provided by Small Things Matter and Educare. Throughout the year, both nonprofits donated thousands of food items and thousands of volunteer hours serving our seniors.
The bounty of food was appreciated by the community. The line of people wrapped around the entire lobby as they eagerly awaited meat, bread, beans, pasta, eggs, veggies, and more. Special thanks to all our food distribution partners including Small Things Matter, Educare, Manna, Capitol Area Food Bank, Charisma Charities, Bethany Church, City of Takoma Park, and others. Together, we are combatting food insecurity.
Seeking Pembridge Food Pantry Donations
Did you know that our resident outreach team runs a food pantry attached to our Pembridge Community Center? This small but mighty storage location can hold many nonperishable food items for residents in need. We’re seeking donations of canned goods on an ongoing basis. Please contact Fatima (fcoreas@mhpartners.org) to schedule a drop-off at the Pembridge Community Center. Thanks for helping us provide food for the community!
Combatting Food Insecurity with Fatima
Discover Fatima’s perspective on her work helping residents with SNAP benefits and combatting food insecurity in the latest MHP on Mic.
Building Dreams Tour
MHP’s Building Dreams tours provide a one-hour opportunity to see our work first-hand. Join Rob Goldman, Jaimee Goodman and other staff members for a deeper drive into our holistic approach and mission to expand and preserve affordable housing. RSVP and learn more by emailing Jaimee: jgoodman@mhpartners.org.
Seeking Nonperishable Donations
Did you know that our resident outreach team runs a food pantry attached to our Pembridge Community Center? This small but mighty storage location can hold many nonperishable food items for residents in need. We’re seeking donations of canned goods on an ongoing basis. Please contact Fatima (fcoreas@mhpartners.org) to schedule a drop-off at the Pembridge Community Center. Thanks for helping us provide food for the community!
The Neighborhood Monthly eNewsletter – November 2025
Housing People
Parkview Block Party
It was a festive night at our recent resident appreciation event at Parkview Towers! Families came out to enjoy refreshments, face painting, a moon bounce, music and more. Residents connected with MHP staff, Takoma police and fire department representatives, Mobile Med providers, property management staff, and neighbors. The kids especially enjoyed going inside a real fire truck and playing ball with officers and firefighters. Many longtime residents socialized and greeted new tenants. Parkview Towers is currently under construction, with a focus on the exterior façade and minor interior improvements. These upgrades are made possible thanks to funding from Montgomery County and the State of Maryland.
Connecting with MBIA
MHP was honored to partner with the Maryland Building Industry Association (MBIA) for a tour of The Residences at Forest Glen. Event attendees enjoyed refreshments, remarks by project partners and an in-depth tour of common areas and apartment homes at this 189-unit property in Silver Spring. The Residences at Forest Glen recently won the MBIA Best Affordable Project award. Thank you to MBIA, Bozzuto Construction Company, Grimm + Partner, and Habitat America for helping to facilitate this tour!
Empowering Families
Water Balloon Fun with GATOR
After a long day of working hard at school, sometimes kids need to let off steam and have fun! Our dedicated staff organized a spectacular water balloon fight for GATOR program students. Although they prepared two giant buckets of balloons, the battle was quick because the kids were very enthusiastic and motivated. Our Community Life programs are off to a great start for 2025!
Student-Produced Video Showcases Life at Greenwood
When you allow kids to be creative, their ideas take flight! Over the summer, our Community Life enrichment program students had the opportunity to conceptualize and create their own music videos. They enjoyed working together and bringing their ideas to life. This video also highlights Greenwood Terrace, one of our affordable properties in Silver Spring, MD. Check out our students’ work HERE
Strengthening Neighborhoods
Wheaton Community Cleanup
Each year, MHP engages in a special project for NeighborWorks week to enhance the community. After the first attempt was cancelled due to rain, our team recently rescheduled this year’s Amherst/Pembridge community cleanup in Wheaton. We’re thankful to the many volunteers who generously gave their time and energy to help keep our property and surrounding neighborhood sparkling! We value our partnership with NeighborWorks America, an organization that creates opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives, and strengthen their communities.
An Impactful Summer for Maya
Discover Maya’s perspective on community development, data collection and more in our latest MHP on Mic.
Building Dreams Tour
Join our next tour on December 3rd from 10:30 – 11:30 am at The Residences at Forest Glen!
MHP’s Building Dreams tours provide a one-hour opportunity to see our work first-hand. Join Rob Goldman, Jaimee Goodman and other staff members for a deeper drive into our holistic approach and mission to expand and preserve affordable housing. RSVP and learn more by emailing Jaimee: jgoodman@mhpartners.org.
Angels for Children Toy Drive
The annual Angels for Children Toy Drive is kicking off this month! We’re seeking new, unwrapped gifts for children and teens living in our Wheaton properties. We also have volunteer opportunities! Visit our website to learn more about how to get involved.
Seeking Nonperishable Donations
Did you know that our resident outreach team runs a food pantry attached to our Pembridge Community Center? This small but mighty storage location can hold many nonperishable food items for residents in need. We’re seeking donations of canned goods on an ongoing basis. Please contact Fatima (fcoreas@mhpartners.org) to schedule a drop-off at the Pembridge Community Center. Thanks for helping us provide food for the community!
We’re Hiring
MHP is seeking qualified candidates to join our dynamic team in Silver Spring. With a mission that matters, MHP employees make a difference and enjoy a range of professional benefits.
You might be a fit for our featured job openings. Learn more here.
With competitive pay and benefits, a positive and inclusive workplace culture, and a mission to help people in the community, MHP is a great place to grow your career!
Fall Advocacy Update – Affordable Housing Support
State
Have your voice heard on Housing on November 17
On November 17 at 7 pm, the Montgomery County Delegation of the Maryland General Assembly will hold its annual legislative priorities hearing for the public via ZOOM. This is your chance to have your voice heard on housing affordability and the need to do more at the state level.
We need continued action at both the local and state level to address high housing costs. And when it comes to affordable housing, we need the state to continue to invest in Rental Housing Works, which is the primary tool for creating affordable housing across the state. Last year, Rental Housing Works was funded at $85 million, a reduction of $25 million from the prior year.
Please consider signing up to testify and lending your voice in support of actions to increase the preservation and production of affordable housing.
To sign up for the hearing, click here: Priorities Hearing Sign Up Form
Local
MoCo Planning Dept. Releases Recommendations to Boost Housing Production
The Montgomery County Planning Department released preliminary findings in its efforts to better understand why certain residential projects have stalled and to identify strategies to advance residential projects and housing production in general. This comes on the heels of a concerning trend of three straight quarters of zero building permits for new multifamily rental buildings.
The Planning Department’s analysis looked at projects that have received Planning Board approval but have not yet been built. In addition, staff conducted in-depth interviews with housing developers to uncover barriers to increasing housing production in Montgomery County. Developers reported compounding barriers to delivering housing such as high interest rates, rising construction costs, county policies, and lengthy regulatory and permitting processes.
Other key findings included:
- Strategically helping to close the financing gap for large scale projects that would deliver housing from the Pipeline where it is most needed in the county.
- Recalibrating the rent stabilization regulations to help advance projects out of the Pipeline. While many Pipeline projects predate the rent stabilization law, and the rent stabilization law is fairly new, its impacts seem to be having a chilling effect on the multifamily market.
- Comprehensively streamlining all steps of the regulatory process
Changes to Eviction Notice Requirements
During the 2025 Maryland General Assembly session, the General Assembly amended landlord-tenant law to require a landlord to provide a tenant with at least six days advanced notice of the date that an eviction is scheduled to take place. The new state law also enables local jurisdictions to increase the requirement of the 6-day advance notice to a 14-day advance notice. Earlier this month, in accordance with the enabling authority, Montgomery County Councilmember Kristin Mink introduced Expedited Bill 31-25 to increase the local notice requirement in Montgomery County to 14 days.
The Council’s Planning, Housing and Parks committee is set to discuss the bill on December 1.
Housing Assistance Included in County’s Federal Shutdown Package
In response to the ongoing shutdown of the federal government and the impacts being felt by community members, the Montgomery County Council announced a special appropriation to provide assistance to residents and nonprofit organizations.
Last Tuesday, Montgomery County Council President Kate Stewart and Councilmembers announced a $7.75 million Public Service Support Resolution. This special appropriations package was introduced on November 4 with a public hearing and Council vote expected on November 18.
Notably, the package includes $1 million for Montgomery County’s Short-term Housing and Resolution Program (SHaRP) to support residents who are impacted due to the Federal Government shutdown that are at risk of experiencing homelessness. SHaRP provides up to 12 months of rental assistance and navigation services to those experiencing homelessness. SHaRP intervention costs 49.6 percent less per year than providing a motel room to a family for a year.
New Rental Assistance Program Launches in Montgomery County.
In October, a first-of-its-kind rental assistance program launched in Montgomery County.
The Community School Rental Assistance Program (CSRAP) is unique in that it is aimed at households with children attending “Community Schools,” which are schools that receive concentration of poverty grants.
CSRAP will provide emergency financial assistance to help families and students enrolled in designated Community Schools in Montgomery County who are at risk of eviction or utility shutoff, facing homelessness, or struggling to secure or maintain stable housing. Through this program, eligible families may receive assistance for past-due rent or utility bills and moving costs and security deposits for new rental housing.
A list of all of Montgomery County’s Community Schools can be found here – MoCo.CommSchools.List_.2025.pdf
The nonprofit organization, Housing Initiative Partnership (HIP), is administering the program, in close collaboration with eligible Community Schools across Montgomery County.
To learn more about eligibility guidelines and the application process, please visit HIP’s CSRAP Information Page.
We encourage you to share this important resource widely and refer eligible households who may benefit.