The Purple Line Corridor Coalition (PLCC), which includes MHP as an active member, has issued an updated draft Housing Action Plan covering 2023-27. PLCC is seeking community comments on this draft plan until April 30.
The draft plan proposes seven core actions that will guide the Coalition’s housing work over the next several years. The strategies are aimed at ensuring that families and individuals living near the Purple Line can benefit from the new light rail and related investments around it.
Click here for the full draft plan.
Click here for a summary of the plan’s seven (7) core actions: English | Spanish
There are two (2) ways to offer comments on this draft plan:
- By email: Comments can be emailed directly to Laura Searfoss, Senior Program Director, Mid-Atlantic, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.: lsearfoss@enterprisecommunity.org. Email is the best way to share formatted documents, such as letters.
Learn more about PLCC and its strategies and programs HERE.
MHP is proud to launch a new initiative to help our residents pursue more educational opportunities. The MHP Scholarships portal provides detailed information about scholarships and the financial aid process, tailored to the needs of affordable housing residents.
In addition, MHP staff will be available to help guide our community residents through what can be a daunting and complex process so they can seek financial assistance that will open doors to expanded educational options. Staff will connect with residents in both English and Spanish, providing targeted support on a rolling basis.
“We have seen how higher education can be a major challenge that is filled with barriers for our residents, said MHP Policy and Neighborhood Development Director Chris Gillis. “Our team created this resource to simplify the process, and we look forward to helping community members work through the various steps involved in getting a college degree.”
While this portal is geared towards MHP residents, it is a publicly available resource that may benefit others seeking information about educational opportunities.
The portal can be accessed here: https://mhpartners.org/scholarships/
A Feb. 18 fire at the Arrive high-rise apartment complex in downtown Silver Spring resulted in one fatality and injuries to multiple residents, as well as the displacement of hundreds of residents. More details are available here.
At the request of Montgomery County, MHP is managing a dedicated relief fund to assist those affected by the fire. One-hundred percent of donations will go directly to those affected. While this is not an MHP property, we maintain close ties with the community through the many affordable housing properties we have developed in Montgomery County, and are playing a role by managing financial donations to help impacted residents.
Learn more about how you can help here.
Students at five MHP sites started music lessons with the Washington Conservatory of Music. More than 80 students will receive 45 minutes of instruction each week from February through May. The curriculum supports language development. MHP began this partnership in 2019.Washington Conservatory of Music is dedicated to fostering the joy of music and guiding students of all ages and skill levels to reach their personal musical potential. The organization is dedicated to creating a vital, inclusive, expansive musical listening and learning environment, serving the musical needs of people of all ages and diverse ethnic, racial, cultural and economic backgrounds in Montgomery County.
More than $116,000 in funds have been distributed to families affected by the catastrophic November 26 explosion and fire at the Potomac Oaks Condominium in Gaithersburg through a collaborative effort involving governmental agencies and nonprofits, including MHP.
The dedicated relief fund, which totals more than $138,000 thanks to generous donors, is being managed by MHP. One hundred percent of donations are going to affected families to cover costs and damage resulting from the explosion/fire.
MHP anticipates closing the Potomac Oaks relief fund by the end of February. Those interested in contributing to the fund should complete their donations by February 28.
You can donate here.
CELEBRATING LONG BRANCH GATEWAY MURAL
Discover Long Branch Hosts Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for New Mural in Silver Spring
The Long Branch community celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on January 20 adjacent to El Golfo restaurant. The event was attended by community and governmental leaders, including Maryland Del. Lorig Charkoudian, County Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz and Will Jawando, and Bill Tompkins, president/CEO of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, which funded the project.
The new addition to the neighborhood represents a continuation of MHP’s commitment to working with the vibrant Long Branch community to create a strong sense of place centered on the diverse business district and surrounding residential communities.
The mural was designed by artist Peter Krsko and implemented by Schwa Design Group.
The design is as an extension of the beloved toucan mural already on the El Golfo building. The bird is now hanging out in the jungle treetops backed against a blue sky. The mural serves as a gateway declaring that the area is “Long Branch,” further defining and strengthening the community’s visual identity.
Learn more about Long Branch neighborhood development and events here.
Silver Spring, MD (January 19, 2023) – MHP today announced it has acquired Rollingwood Apartments, preserving 283 units of critically needed affordable housing that was at risk of being lost, along the future Purple Line in Montgomery County. The Amazon Housing Equity Fund’s (Amazon) $28 million below market loan and financial support from Montgomery County played an instrumental role in this transaction.
Located near a Purple Line stop, Rollingwood is home to existing quality, affordable multi-family housing in a central location with extensive transit access. This acquisition furthers MHP’s mission to preserve and expand affordable housing along the Purple Line and other transit lines, which is also a top priority for Montgomery County and Amazon. Rollingwood represents an important milestone in MHP’s Purple Line strategy, protecting residents from anticipated rising rents that could cause widespread displacement. MHP has now preserved or created more than 1,100 apartment units along this path.
“We are thrilled to collaborate across sectors to protect existing residents and businesses from the potential displacement associated with the development of the Purple Line, ensuring that every person has access to the economic opportunity that this development brings” said MHP President Robert A. Goldman. “Rollingwood provides a new opportunity for MHP to preserve existing affordable housing and support all residents, furthering equity in our region.”
MHP plans to restrict 100% of units for residents earning at or below 70% of area median income (AMI), with 5% of units restricted to those earning at or below 30% AMI, 20% of units restricted at or below 50% AMI, and 50% of units restricted at or below 60% AMI.
Built in 1963, Rollingwood spans 13.96 acres in the Lyttonsville neighborhood of Silver Spring, an area with a unique history as one of the first Black communities in Montgomery County. Located at the convergence of Downtown Silver Spring and Downtown Bethesda, MD, Lyttonsville has easy access to the District of Columbia via connections with the Metro’s Red, Green, and Orange Lines, and is within walking distance of the future Purple Line Lyttonsville Metro Station, anticipated to open in 2027.
Rollingwood is a continuation of MHP’s work in Lyttonsville, which has recently included managing funds for the Friendly Garden Apartments fire relief effort and a variety of small business and community development initiatives.
This acquisition was made possible through the investment of many funding partners including Montgomery County, National Housing Trust, Amazon, Merchants Bank, MRK partners, and SKS Real Estate Partners.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to support MHP as they keep the Rollingwood Apartments affordable for the Silver Spring community,” said Catherine Buell, director of the Amazon Housing Equity Fund. “Preservation is one of the most effective ways to ensure access to affordable housing, and through this effort, residents will be able to remain in their communities as their transit resources grow.”
This is MHP’s third partnership with Amazon. MHP’s Residences at Forest Glen project was selected by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) to receive $75,000 in grant funds from the Housing Affordability Planning Program, which is administered by COG and backed by Amazon to advance initiatives to build affordable housing in transit-oriented communities. MHP also received a $2.2 million grant from Amazon to support the ground-up development of its Nebel Street property in North Bethesda, MD.
ABOUT MHP
At MHP, we are dedicated to making home possible. Since 1989, MHP has been preserving and expanding access to quality affordable housing. MHP is a private nonprofit that provides more than 2,800 homes in Montgomery County, MD, and surrounding communities. We accomplish our mission by housing people, empowering families, and strengthening neighborhoods. Learn more at mhpartners.org
ABOUT AMAZON HOUSING EQUITY FUND
The Amazon Housing Equity Fund has committed to create or preserve more than 10,000 affordable homes across the company’s hometown communities so far. Amazon’s commitment focuses on low-to-moderate income individuals and families, representing first responders, teachers, and service industry employees whose wages haven’t kept pace with escalating rents. To learn more about the Amazon Housing Equity Fund, click here.
Thanks to the support of the community, 2022 was a year of growth and high impact for all of MHP’s programs. We served more students and families, expanded our portfolio of quality, affordable housing, completed major renovations at properties, and helped address many pressing community needs like food insecurity.
