$15M From American Rescue Plan Act To Help Save Affordable Housing In Prince George's

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — County officials will be using $15 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to fill the Right of First Refusal Preservation Fund that would support the preservation of existing, naturally occurring affordable housing in the county. It also will be used to strengthen the implementation of the existing ROFR program and will assist in preserving the affordability in properties located in qualified census tracts, particularly in transit-oriented areas, as well as targeted areas of economic development growth. The fund will help to ensure that low and moderate county renters can maintain residency as the county grows and prospers.

“Prince George’s County is committed to preserving housing affordability and we are working hard to diversify the county’s housing stock. We cannot have quality economic development without affordable housing. Our key economic development goals for growing jobs and the commercial tax base must be anchored by infrastructure that serves a range of household incomes, especially around transit-oriented development opportunities,” Prince George’s County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks said. “Our community is growing and it is up to us to make the right choices now. This year, our administration has exercised our Right of First Refusal program for the first time. The ROFR Preservation Fund is helping us to preserve, protect and expand quality, safe homes that residents of all incomes can afford.”

In December 2020, the county relaunched the ROFR program, then exercised it on two multi-family properties in the county. According to Resolution CR-51-2015, the county can exercise its right of first refusal where the owner of a multi-family rental property of 20 units or more intends to sell the apartment building.

The Prince George’s County Department of Housing and Community Development has the authority to purchase the property or assign its rights to a third party developer in an effort to stabilize, preserve and expand housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income households and increase the availability of quality affordable rental housing in designated areas of the county.

In addition to launching the ROFR Preservation Fund, Alsobrooks also launched the Home Ownership Preservation Program with a $1 million investment. HOPP can provide up to $30,000 to homeowners for health, safety, energy efficiency and accessibility repairs in qualified, owner-occupied homes. Households under 50 percent of the area median income can receive up to $50,000 in services. There are income, location and eligibility requirements. DHCD has partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Metro Maryland to implement this program in the county’s qualified census tract areas with special emphasis on homes within one mile of a future Purple Line transit stop.

Home preservation services may include the following: roofing and gutters, electrical repair, plumbing repair, tree removal, stairlift and accessibility equipment, HVAC replacement and repair, water heater replacement/repair and more.