August 12, 2019
Media Contact:
Scott L. Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
COLUMBIA, MD – On Tuesday, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball will hold a press conference and MOU signing to announce the new Downtown Columbia “Live Where You Work” Program, with the Columbia Downtown Housing Corporation. The public-private partnership will provide rental subsidies for low- and moderate-income families to live near their workplace in Downtown Columbia. The flagship employer in the program will be Howard County General Hospital, which will allow selected hospital employees to qualify for rental subsidies and take part in County-sponsored home ownership seminars to prepare them for permanent housing options. The program will expand to enlist other Downtown Columbia employers in the future.
“Howard County’s most recent rental housing survey indicated a gap of over 5,000 units in affordable rental housing. We are launching the first ever public-private partnership for a rental subsidy program in Howard County history to address that gap and support our workforce,” said Ball. “We know that a community functions best when its residents live in the jurisdiction where they work. Our ‘Live Where You Work’ program will help us create the full spectrum of affordable housing, so hospital staff spend less time in traffic and more time with their families. I believe if you go to work every day to help the people of our community, you too deserve to call Howard County your home.”
WHAT:
MOU signing and press conference to announce the Downtown Columbia “Live Where You Work” Program
WHEN:
Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 12:30 PM
WHERE:
Ten M – Lobby, 10100 Twin Rivers Road, Columbia
WHO:
Calvin Ball, Howard County Executive
Clarence Lam, Maryland State Senator
Terri Hill, Maryland State Delegate
Jessica Feldmark, Maryland State Delegate
Greg Fox, Former Howard County Councilmember
Steve Snelgrove, Howard County General Hospital President
Pat Sylvester, Columbia Downtown Housing Corporation President
Greg Fitchett, Howard Hughes Corporation, Columbia President