Purple Line Coalition Plan Seeks To Preserve Affordable Housing
The Purple Line Corridor Coalition released a housing action plan aimed at ensuring the light-rail transit system does not endanger 17,000 affordable homes across Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. The recommendations were developed through a collaborative process, with MHP taking a leadership role. “The time to act is now,” said MHP President Robert Goldman. He told WAMU-FM, ““It will be a big loss if we build the Purple Line and the folks who live there now can’t find a way to stay.” With construction of the transit line already underway, the plan calls for leaders, nonprofits and private sector leaders to start implementing some of its recommendations now. The plan recommends:
- Seeking additional state funding and public/private investment
- Exploring innovative zoning programs and strategic development of surplus land
- Establishing tax and loan programs and incentives geared toward affordable housing development, renovation and preservation
- Developing tenant protections and pathways to ownership and
- Increasing funding for local housing trust funds
More information on the recommendations is here. For more media coverage of the recommendations, see MHP’s In the News page.
