Montgomery County Councilmember At-Large Laurie-Anne Sayles joined state and county housing leaders at the 2026 National Economic Mobility and Opportunity Conference in Washington, D.C., to discuss efforts to expand housing supply, affordability and economic opportunity.
The panel included Maryland State Housing Ombudsman Steven A. Palmer, Housing Opportunities Commission President and Executive Director Chelsea Andrews and Montgomery County Planning Board member James Hedrick. The discussion focused on how public financing, zoning changes and coordination between state and local governments can help increase housing production.
Sayles highlighted several Montgomery County initiatives, including the O.P.E.N. Zoning Text Amendment, the More Housing N.O.W. package and HOC’s $100 million Housing Production Fund. According to HOC, the fund’s current pipeline includes seven projects expected to produce approximately 6,000 homes, including 1,800 permanently affordable units.
“A strong economy depends on people being able to afford to live in the communities they serve,” Sayles said. “Success is not measured by the number of units approved, but by whether residents can afford those homes, remain connected to opportunity, and build a stable future.”
