https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v1OAGVN_oySwSplCh-lGI4XuBSKZNY6c/view?usp=drive_link
Lana Aridi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lanaaridi1/
Selma Iglili : https://www.linkedin.com/in/selma-iglili/
Alexandra Björkman: http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-bj%C3%B6rkman-489488343
Dom: http://www.linkedin.com/in/dominic-deering-b2a537211
Salvador Estrada: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salvador-estrada/
Gaithersburg is experiencing a growing affordable housing crisis that is threatening the financial stability of residents with median rent 20.7% higher than state average compared to a 8.5% higher median salary. Housing is cited as the biggest issue for cost of living.
One cause of this issue is limited affordable housing supply affecting low-income renters and increasing rent price. Due to this approximately 32% of renter households are considered house-burdened (over 30% of income allocated to housing costs) and this demographic is who we aim to prioritize. While there are multiple causes for growing rent prices, our scope specifically focuses on the supply side aspect of this issue.
Key stakeholders in this issue include low-income renters who are affected by rent increases the most; the local government who can enact policies and incentives for housing supply and real estate investors who will provide the new housing supply.
To address Gaithersburg’s affordable housing shortage, our solution is to implement a catalog of permit-ready building designs created by the city. The catalogs would include multiple pre-approved architectural designs for ADUs and multi-family units specifically targeting already existing neighborhoods, and the Lakeforest Mall redevelopment.
This catalog is financially viable since it would reduce costs by removing constant architectural fees and simplifying permitting, improving affordability for housing-burdened residents without straining city budgets. It is technically feasible since it integrates well with the “Build Gaithersburg 2040” plan, meaning that the solution can leverage existing city resources and private investment from partners like WRS Inc.
Socially, this solution utilizes “gentle density” designs that maintain neighborhood character while ensuring environmental sustainability by redeveloping existing land and infrastructure, focusing on efficient infill instead of urban sprawl. Overall, this solution provides a scalable, realistic framework that uses existing resources to build housing in existing space.
Our solution assumes that regulatory delays and high design costs are one of the major contributors to the limited housing supply issue in Gaithersburg. Additionally, it is uncertain how many developers would opt into the use of predeveloped catalog designs over custom designs in which the developer implements his own architectural plans, and whether these designs would align with the market demand within the low-income bracket as opposed to broader market demand across high-income groups.
To address these uncertainties, implementing this solution will include a pilot rollout of the catalog program in targeted development zones. This will allow the city to monitor how many developers use the catalog, how long approvals take, and how many housing units are delivered before expanding the program. During this phased rollout, feedback from both the developers and the permitting authorities will be collected to ensure the catalog helps reduce barriers to new housing development and thus increase housing supply.