Oct 19, 2026 - PHP Committee Worksession

The Montgomery County Council PHP Committee worksession, titled Oct. 19, 2026 (meeting metadata dated Oct. 20), unanimously approved Bill 38-26 as amended and forwarded it to the full Council for consideration. The bill would add citizenship and immigration status to the county’s fair-housing protections and expand tenants’ ability to end a lease early when detained or deported in immigration proceedings. Amendments would generally bar housing providers from requesting status information or supporting documents, with exceptions when verification is required by federal, state, or local law or program. The committee removed the 30-day detention language and asked DHCA to provide written guidance on documentation tenants may use. Staff reported no fiscal or administrative operating costs. No contracts, purchases, or other procurement activity were identified.

Planning staff also presented proposed county housing targets by planning area. The discussion focused on using the work to guide 2040 and 2050 targets, with 2030 serving as context rather than a detailed target-setting horizon. The presentation described roughly 27,000 additional units by 2040 and 17,000 by 2050, and a proposed affordable-housing goal totaling about 9,000 units across the periods shown. Committee members discussed how to define and periodically update affordability goals; no vote was taken on the targets. Staff will return with a draft resolution for a future committee meeting and recommendation to the full Council.