Chairman Ball and Members of the County Council:

County Council Bill 66 - 2007 establishing preferences for certain employees in the selection process for moderate income housing units. In reality it provides a mechanism for County employees, who qualify, to be eligible to become first time homebuyers in Howard County. Clearly all Howard County communities would benefit by having County Government employees and others as fellow homeowners.

The League of Women Voters of Howard County supports CB 66, which establishes priority for eligible purchasers for moderate income housing units. This legislation takes the provisions of eligibility from the Howard County Zoning Regulations and places them in the Howard County Housing and Community Development Code.

The bill proposes amendments to Sec. 13.406 of the Housing and Community Development code and affirms priority for lowest incomes qualified for mortgage financing, first time homebuyers applying to purchase a moderate income unit, who reside and work in Howard County. Additional priorities are an eligible purchaser who works in Howard County, who resides in Howard County, who are employed by Howard County Government, Board of Education, Howard Community College, Library, Economic Development Authority, Health Department or Department of Social Services or are dislocated by Route 1 redevelopment, participate in the Federal Family Self Sufficiency Program and who have been on the waiting list for the longest duration.

The League suggests that another large group of employees who should also be added to the eligibility list are Howard County non-profit employees. These employees work to solve adult, family and children crises on a daily basis. We urge the County Council to amend the legislation to include them.

The League supports CB 66 based on the League's Housing position of support for an adequate housing choice within the economic reach of all citizens of all ages and a portion of new affordable housing to be reserved to Howard County public employees.

The League asks the County Council to vote favorably on County Council Bill 66.

Grace Kubofcik
Co-president