(The following information was provided by the Montgomery County Office of Communications.)
Montgomery County officials have announced the launch of a new advocacy and informational resource website, Homes for All, as part of a strategic plan for affordable housing in Montgomery County.
As the County continues to engage in critical conversations around the affordable housing crisis, the new Homes for All website provides data, resources, and toolkits for community, business, and municipal leaders, housing developers, and professionals to advocate, collaborate, and educate on growing housing availability opportunities for all.
“Housing is necessary to provide the opportunity for the educational, civic, economic, and social empowerment of all Montgomery County residents,” said Jamila H. Winder, chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. “However, affordable homes are increasingly out of reach for county residents of all income levels and backgrounds. Housing costs are rising faster than wages, and the new Homes for All website offers a framework for community members and stakeholders to take action that allows people to live closer to their jobs.”
The Homes For All initiative was launched in 2023 as the result of ongoing collaboration among county government, municipalities, local residents, advocates, and developers. The initiative concluded with a report that identifies, evaluates, and recommends public, private, and social sector strategies to ensure that everyone who lives, works, learns, and invests in Montgomery County has an equal opportunity to live in an affordable home and a thriving community. The report can be found on the www.homesforallmontco.org website.
In April 2024, the County Commissioners hosted a non-partisan Homes For All conference for local elected officials, municipal leaders, developers, and advocacy groups. Over 100 attendees convened to identify current obstacles and potential solutions to creating housing stability in the County.
“In the last five years the median house price in Montgomery County has soared by $140,000, but median household income has risen by less than $1,000,” said Neil Makhija, Montgomery County commissioner. “As the cost of housing continues to increase at a rapid rate and incomes stagnate, people at all stages of life in Montgomery County find it nearly impossible to purchase, maintain, and stay in homes that support their families and their futures. Homes for All promotes the groundwork to increase affordable housing in Montgomery County so that we can provide a better quality of life for all demographics.”
As of April 2024, the median sales price for a house in Montgomery County was $450,000 and average rent for a two-bedroom apartment was $1,886 per month, which is 60% higher than the Pennsylvania average. According to The National Low Income Housing Coalition 2023 Out of Reach Report, the hourly wage necessary to afford a two-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent (which the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development defines for the Montgomery County region as $1,470 per month) was reported as $28.27 per hour.
“By having a common pathway forward to address affordable housing opportunities in the County there will be benefits for all of us,” said Thomas DiBello, Montgomery County commissioner. “When people have stable housing in commutable neighborhoods we see a variety of effects: stronger family units, more involved community members, a robust local economy, and less traffic.”
The new Homes for All website is a joint effort between the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Housing and Community Development, the Montgomery County Commerce Department, and the Montgomery County Planning Commission.
