Officials Speak on Affordable Senior Citizen Housing Throughout the County
The Montgomery County Planning Department did a recent study, and the results showed what the County’s Division of Housing already knew:
“…. That senior housing is an important issue in Montgomery County,” said Stephanie Killian, chief of the Montgomery County Division of Housing.
To meet the needs of the growing senior population here, Killian said more affordable housing is necessary.
“Our belief is that affordable housing should be everywhere. Montgomery County has always had a policy on what we call scattered site affordable housing we have developments … in Germantown, Gaithersburg, Bethesda, Silver Spring … Damascus … we have a development about to be built right now in the Fairland area,” Killian said.
Although new things are brewing, lots of things are already available, she said.
“One project we opened recently is the Bonifant Apartments. It’s just next to the Silver Spring Library … right in the middle of Silver Spring. … It’s a great location it has lots of facilities… we’re very proud of that development…that one we built on county land,” Killian said.
Walter Ebmeyer has lived at the Bonifant Apartments for about three years.
“I like this building very much. They’re very nice people, both the staff and the management, and also the people in the building,” Ebmeyer said.
The Bonifant Apartments are independent living, and the majority of the units fall in the affordable housing category; but there are others.
“… Another project we developed on county land is called Victory Crossing. … It’s right next to the Silver Spring Police Station in the White Oak area. … It just opened within the past year providing affordable senior housing,” Killian said.
There are also programs that support seniors who want to live here.
“We have a number of programs in addition to housing developments, where we build them and people can rent them. … There are a number of other programs that provide services to seniors in rental housing and for-sale housing. … We have an energy-efficiency program that’s opened up within the past year that provides grants to home owners to provide energy efficiency improvements in their homes,” Killian said.
Information on the Senior Rental Housing Study can be found at the website for the Montgomery County Planning Department: http://montgomeryplanning.org/montgomery-county-exploring-options-to-meet-rising-demand-for-senior-housing-as-study-finds-needs-and-number-of-older-population-will-spike/
Information on the HHS Rental Assistance Program can be found on the HHS website:
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/hhs-program/snhs/snhsrental-p743.html
Information on Housing Choice Vouchers can be found on HOC’s website: http://www.hocmc.org/extra/11-housing-choice-voucher-holders.html
Information on the MPDU program can be found on the DHCD website: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DHCA/housing/singlefamily/mpdu/index.html
For more information on affordable senior housing, please call 240-777-0311, or dial 311.
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