Montgomery County Council approves 'Missing Middle' legislation to address housing concerns

Montgomery County Council approves 'Missing Middle' legislation

The Montgomery County Council approved the "Missing Middle" legislation in an attempt to further solve the county?s housing crisis.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - The Montgomery County Council approved the "Missing Middle" legislation in an attempt to further solve the county’s housing crisis.

A Controversial Plan

What we know:

After months of heated debate, the Montgomery County Council has officially passed the legislation—a zoning proposal that has stirred passionate responses on both sides of the housing debate.

The vote came during a tense council meeting filled with residents, many of whom showed up in person to speak their minds. 

Supporters pointed to a worsening housing crisis, with workers moving into the county but unable to find affordable places to live. Opponents, however, packed a busload of concerned residents who voiced fears about how the changes could reshape their neighborhoods.

Ultimately, the Council voted in favor of the bill. Two of its leading sponsors, councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Natalie Fani-González, spoke directly to the bill’s intent.

What they're saying:

"We are losing middle-class residents, our kids and grandkids are not living in the community they grew up. Collectively all of this conversation is about making Montgomery County more affordable. It’s not a silver bullet, we are trying all of these things because we have to," councilmember Evan Glass said. "Kids and grandkids are counting on us."

"We have tons of people, people that I have met that wholeheartedly support this zoning text amendment to create more choices for property owners to build on their property if they're located in specific places in Montgomery County. I am proud that we are evolving as a society, and that we are taking action based on data and not out of fear," said councilmember Natalie Fani-González.

To address some resident concerns, a number of amendments were adopted alongside the legislation. One key amendment requires the county to publish a bi-annual impact report, starting in 2027, to monitor the effect of the zoning changes.

What the Missing Middle Plan Does

Dig deeper:

The bill is a part of the agenda put forth by Thrive Montgomery 2050, a mission created by the Montgomery County Planning Department. The Department believes Missing Middle Housing would help achieve their three goals:

• Encourage the production of more housing to better match supply with demand.
• Plan for a wide range of housing types and sizes to meet diverse needs.
• Promote racial and economic diversity and equity in housing in every neighborhood.

The legislation allows for townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, and small apartment buildings to be built on lots that are currently zoned exclusively for single-family homes. At least 15% of the new units will be required to be affordable for households earning up to 120% of Montgomery County’s median income.

The changes apply to roughly 2,500 lots throughout the county but not in quiet, residential cul-de-sacs. The focus is on major thoroughfares like Georgia Avenue, Connecticut Avenue, and Wisconsin Avenue—areas that are closer to jobs, services, and transit hubs.

Any property owner wishing to build something new, like a duplex or townhome, will still be required to go through a review process. This won’t happen automatically.

Still, many residents remain uneasy. They worry about how the new density could impact parking, school capacity and stormwater infrastructure. Some said the uncertainty alone is reason enough to hit pause.

"I’ve listened intently to residents, I’ve heard loud and clear, and today’s room is representative of that. Most have serious concerns, questions if not outright opposition. Not at the notion that we don’t want affordable housing—we all want that—but this won’t deliver that… and has serious negative consequences that are not being paid attention to," councilman Will Jawando said.

Leaders Split on Legislation

What's next:

Plans to build new developments have to go through a review process, a key factor in the legislation that is supposed to help address the concerns.

Implementation of the new zoning rules is expected to begin in November.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, a vocal opponent of the legislation, has criticized the plan sharply and expressed disappointment with the council’s decision.

"I mean, they're saying this is about affordability. It has nothing to do with affordability. It serves people up to $177,000 in income. Not only does that exclude many people in the county, but Black and Hispanic incomes are about half that. And so, you know, these are not going to be the people, apparently, they plan on serving. And the greatest need in the county is for affordable housing. This is not affordable housing."

Elrich also argued that the county already has tens of thousands of approved housing units in its master plans that are not being built. He believes those should have been the focus if the goal is to address Montgomery County’s housing needs.