Montgomery Update: Smokey Skies Are Reminder of Need for Climate Action

Per Montgomery County:

Dear Friends,
Throughout this past month, we have had to deal with extremely poor air quality caused by the wildfires in Canada. Monday was the hottest day on Earth in recorded history. What the media often misses is that these incidents are a direct result of climate change. If we do not start making real and significant changes, we are going to suffer an increased frequency and intensity of severe, destructive weather, wildfires and poor air quality days.

We know we only control actions in our County, but there is a lot we are doing and we would like to continue to be a model not only for the state, but also nationally. We have one of the most aggressive climate action plans anywhere in this country. Our goal is an 80 percent reduction of greenhouse gasses by 2027 and a 100 percent reduction by 2035.
The chart above shows the various sectors that account for carbon emission and how reductions are needed to meet our goals. One important area to improve is the transportation sector and there are two major areas within transportation.

We need to change the fuel for vehicles. We need to electrify as many vehicles as possible—County vehicles, including buses, and people’s personal vehicles. This also includes using clean hydrogen as a fuel source.
We also need to get more cars off the road by developing a more robust public transit infrastructure and implementing policies that support mass transit, as well as encouraging appropriate telework policies to help reduce overall traffic flow.

Our Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is undertaking a comprehensive review of our County’s bus network called “Ride On Reimagined.” It is looking at the County’s existing and planned transit system and will be recommending system-wide changes to Ride On and Metrobus service. MCDOT will be hosting in-person and virtual public meetings in September. I strongly encourage everyone who uses our bus service, as well as those who are mass transit advocates, to participate in these meetings.

We have a number of projects underway to improve and expand public transit. Projects include the Great Seneca Transit Network that will provide better transit mobility near the Shady Grove Metro Station and support access to jobs in the healthcare, biotech and education. You can read more about it at https://montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-dte/projects/GST/index.html.

We are also implementing bus-only lane pilot on University Boulevard between Amherst Avenue and Dennis Avenue to improve travel times and reliability. You can read more about it here.
Our director of the Department of Transportation, Chris Conklin, joined my weekly press briefing to explain some of the work we are doing on transit around the County. You can listen to him at https://youtu.be/ifVfzm_CZo4?t=596.
If you would like more help navigating our bus system, consider downloading our new Ride On Trip Planner app at the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Rent Stabilization/Rental Protection
The County Council’s Planning, Housing and Parks Committee has been considering rent stabilization legislation and a compromise bill passed the committee and is awaiting action at the full Council. As I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, I support the compromise bill, which would limit rent increases to inflation plus 3 percent, capped at 6 percent. Although I prefer holding increases to inflation only, this compromise is much better than one of the original bills that would have allowed increases of inflation plus 8 percent with no cap at all. That would not provide any meaningful protection for tenants. It is destabilizing for families if they face unaffordable rent increases and are forced to move, and it is not good for our schools and communities if people do not have stable housing.

This bill does allow landlords to increase rent above the guidelines if their actual costs exceed the guidelines, or if they are doing major capital improvements. Basically, if the guidelines do not cover their costs, this bill protects them.
Additionally, all new buildings would not be covered by rent stabilization for the first 15 years, so landlords can set the rental price at any level they want for the first 15 years—hardly a disincentive to investment.

Providing Stability to Tenants: Westchester West Celebration
This week, I attended a celebration with the tenants of the Westchester West apartments in Aspen Hill. Facing serious rent hikes from a potential new buyer, these tenants worked with the group Action in Montgomery to bring the issue to our attention.

We then exercised our Right of First Refusal to purchase this building, and then sold it to Enterprise, an affordable housing developer that has agreed to keep this property affordable so tenants can remain in their homes. Right of First Refusal allows the County or the Housing Opportunities Commission to match a buyer’s offer and purchase the building. The County’s Right of First Refusal (ROFR) law gives the County, the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) or a tenant organization certified by the Department of Housing and Communities Affairs (DHCA) the right to match the terms and price of an existing contract to purchase a rental property of 4 or more units.

Too often, though, when affordable housing apartment buildings are bought, rents are increased and current inhabitants are priced out of their homes.  If we are going to solve our affordable housing problems, we must use everything in our toolbox, including using our Right of First Refusal to intervene whenever possible in similar transactions that will price out current residents.

Any successful affordable housing includes production, preservation and protection. This time we were able to protect tenants and offer long-term affordability. For more information on our affordable housing efforts, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/DHCA.

Extending Care to More Pregnant Women Makes Sense
This month the Healthy Babies Equity Act became law. Now, pregnant women in Maryland are asssured medical coverage regardless of their immigration status if they are eligible for Medicaid or the Maryland Children’s Health Program.
Under the Healthy Babies initiative, applicants will be eligible for the same Medicaid benefits package available to other pregnant individuals, including physical and behavioral health services, and dental and prescription drug coverage with no copays. Applicants will receive four months of postpartum coverage. Maryland Medicaid may also assist in covering health care expenses incurred during pregnancy or the four-month postpartum period in the three months prior to application. Maryland is now the 17th state that allows this sort of coverage to the estimated 6,000 noncitizen pregnant people who would qualify in our State. I supported this commonsense initiative in Annapolis and believe it is long overdue.

Substandard maternal and newborn healthcare has long term consequences and drives inequities in health outcomes. The National Bureau of Economic Research study noted, “Expanding prenatal Medicaid eligibility to undocumented immigrants may have a significant impact on the health and economic outcomes of the next generation of Americans.”

This is an important benefit change. Now we are working to get our qualified applicants to apply for this benefit. There are two upcoming Healthy Babies Equity Act Sign-up Days to assist pregnant women to enroll in Maryland Medicaid. The first one is this Saturday, July 8, from 8:30 a.m.- 3 p.m. at 1818 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. The next will be Saturday, July 15, from 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. at 12900 Middlebrook Road in Germantown.

Our GrapeCrush Facility (and More!) Officially Opens in Poolesville
“The Crossvines” will open this weekend. Located in Poolesville, The Crossvines is a dining and golf destination, event space, custom grape crushing facility, research farm and learning hub all-in-one. The facility is an educational space for farmers and students learning about agriculture. I am excited that The Crossvines is working with Montgomery College to help develop a new generation of winemakers.

A couple of weeks ago, I attended the ribbon cutting at The Crossvines. It was exciting to see the realization of an effort that began about 10 years ago when I proposed an operational structure that would avoid problems that had arisen elsewhere with similar facilities. You can listen to the video at the ribbon cutting at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nqt1ZVCbbw.

The increase in potential income of farmers from the opening of this facility will help ensure the viability of agriculture in Montgomery County, reinforcing the importance of creating the Agricultural Reserve in the first place. This facility will reduce the costs of entering the wine making business, allowing farmers to begin growing and then using Crossvines to process the grapes, until they grow to the point that they can buy their own equipment. There is already a financial incentive to provide grapes for winemakers in Maryland because they are required to use grapes grown here in our State before buying them from elsewhere.

This weekend’s opening is great news for the Town of Poolesville, the County’s farm industry, and our tourism economy. Please consider checking out this facility as soon as possible. For more information, visit crossvines.com.

Aiming for NetZero with the Future 6th District Police Station
I attended the groundbreaking last week on a new 6th District County Police Station in Gaithersburg. Continuing my commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, this will be the County’s first renewable energy-designed building when it opens in 2025. It is designed to be as energy efficient as possible with improved insulation and an air sourced heat pump and it also has its own solar-powered microgrid that should provide all the energy for the building.

This facility will also have a community room for local residents and organizations, which will both provide a resource for the community and help the police be more engaged and connected with the people they serve in the 6th District.

Recognizing Heroic Actions by our Public Safety Officers and a Good Samaritan
Finally, I want to recognize our first responders and a Good Samaritan who went above and beyond the call of duty to try and save someone from a possible suicide. Last week, we honored Montgomery County Police Officer Michael Chindbloom and others for their heroic efforts.

Last month, Officer Chindbloom risked his life by jumping into Cabin John Creek to save a woman who had reportedly jumped off a bridge near the Beltway in Bethesda. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue personnel arrived on the scene as officers began to search the area for Officer Chindblom and the victim. Officer Chindblom called out to Fire and Rescue members for help, but rescue crews could not get to the victim since they were on the opposite side of the creek.

A Good Samaritan from Virginia named Tyrone Robinson also jumped in to try and save the woman. Both he and Officer Chindbloom were able to carry the victim to Fire and Rescue personnel on the other side of the shore. Despite their heroism to try to save someone in dire need, the woman later died.

I want to thank Officer Chindbloom, Tyrone Robinson, Sergeant David Hall, Officer John Chabala and Fire Inspector Rich Cavey for their efforts to save a life and serve their community. Their willingness to sacrifice their own safety to save a life defines heroism.

As always, my appreciation for all of you,

Marc Elrich
County Executive