About Affordable Housing

What is affordable housing?

To those with moderate to low incomes, affordable housing is usually defined as housing that requires one-third or less of their income. This includes rentals and owned homes. For these folks, there is not enough affordable housing to go around in Frederick County and most parts of the U.S.

The story of affordable housing (how did we get in this mess?)
Gary Bennett, Hugh Gordon

Media

2025 Affordable Housing Priorities
Originally published in the Emmitsburg News-Journal, April 2025 edition, page 46

Sticker Shocker - Facing the High Price of Housing in Frederick County
Frederick Magazine, April 1, 2025

Regional Housing Infrastructure Gap Act
Originally published in the Woodsboro-Walkersville News-Journal, March 2025 edition, page 5

A new way to finance affordable housing in Frederick County
Originally published in the Emmitsburg News-Journal, February 2025 edition, page 46

Gap financing: a barrier to affordable housing
Originally published in the Woodsboro-Walkersville News-Journal, January 2025 edition, page 34

NIMBYism is self-defeating
Originally published in the Woodsboro-Walkersville News Journal, December 2024, page 5

The role of tax credits in affordable housing
The Frederick News-Post, August 3, 2024

A primer on the basics of affordable housing
The Frederick News-Post, June 22, 2024

County's new housing director wants to gauge shortage
The Frederick News-Post, June 8, 2024

Interview with Hugh Gordon and Malcolm Furgol on Affordable Housing In Frederick County
Your Frederick Real Estate Update podcast with Darren Ahearn, May 18, 2024

Interview with Hugh Gordon, Chair, Affordable Housing Council
Good Morning Frederick podcast with Dani Gurrie, April 18, 2024

Can Frederick County ever be 'Montgomery County North?'
The Frederick News-Post, March 16, 2024

County Council, Board of Aldermen discuss affordable housing ideas
The Frederick News-Post, March 15, 2024

Affordable housing bills well represented in new session
The Frederick News-Post, February 10, 2024

How housing or lack thereof affects our economy.
The Frederick News-Post, January 13, 2024

Working to ensure everyone has a decent place to live
Emmitsburg News Journal, January 2024, page 25

How did we get in this affordable housing mess, Part 2?
The Frederick News-Post, December 9, 2023

How did we get in this affordable housing mess?
The Frederick News-Post, October 21, 2023

Affordable Housing: Frederick seniors on the front lines?
Prime Time Magazine, June 2023, page 8

What is the Purpose of the Affordable Housing Council?

The Affordable Housing Council serves as Frederick County’s main forum to discuss affordable housing issues, is the main advocate for affordable, safe and decent housing, supports affordable housing providers and their programs, and advises county and city governments on promising new and existing affordable housing laws and regulations.

Position Statement on Affordable Housing

At the Affordable Housing Council, we believe that:

All Frederick County residents deserve to live in safe, decent and affordable housing that does not require more than one-third of their total monthly income to own or rent.
County, state and municipal governments should look for every opportunity to incentivize affordable housing options in land use and development laws and regulations.
All stakeholders – government entities, developers, builders, real estate firms, civic and business groups and consumers of affordable housing – need to recognize that a lack of affordable housing is a real problem and should work together to find real solutions

Videos