Chairman Ball and Members of the County Council:

The League of Women Voters of Howard County supports Council Bill 67. The bill requires notice of intention to sell a current or future rental housing complex of 5 or more units located in Howard County. The bill provides a mechanism for the Department of Housing or the Housing Commission to maintain a base of moderate-income housing units. The legislation does not create new affordable housing units but could provide the opportunity to preserve affordable housing units. The requirements for rental housing owners to give notice of their intention to sell is to the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Housing Commission, and tenant organizations for multi-family dwelling units.

Council Bill 67 provides the opportunity for the Department of Housing, the Housing Commission or the tenant organization to negotiate with an owner to purchase a rental housing complex. The legislation requires the owner, no later than three days after listing the rental units for sale, to provide written notice of the intent to sell to each tenant and tenant organization by first class mail and posting notices in public areas of the rental housing. The owner must also provide first class mail notice of the intent to sell to the Department of Housing and the Housing Commission.

County Council Bill 67 does not establish a fund for the purchase of a rental complex if one was offered for sale.

The League supports Council Bill 67 based on the League's Housing position of support for maintaining and increasing diverse housing types as well as increasing the number and percentage of affordable units in the County.

Grace Kubofcik
Co-president