Proposed bill in Howard County aims to create more affordable housing

A proposed bill in Howard County would amend a code so the county gets first dibs if a mobile home park or motel goes up for sale. 

Howard County Council Chair Liz Walsh hopes this can help increase the stock of affordable housing, as well as keep some people in their homes. 

How it works

If passed, the bill would make any sale of a motel or mobile home park first go to the Howard County Housing Commission or the county's Department of Housing and Community Development. 

These agencies would have a week to decide if the county goes for the sale or not. If the county does try to buy the property, it would have 180 days to complete the sale. 

Walsh said the main goal is to increase the availability of affordable housing units. 

"We realize, as we're trying to figure out how to help some of our constituents, that there really is almost nothing available for our residents at the lowest income levels," she said. 

In her office's analysis of the bill, Walsh said there are over 21 motels or mobile home parks in Howard County that would be eligible for this, totaling about 1,800 units. 

She hasn't heard any opposition to the bill yet, which she describes as a no-brainer. 

"Just to have that opportunity to preserve that existing housing stock is too valuable. It's too big a benefit," Walsh said. 

Saving existing homes 

Walsh said the other goal of the bill is to save residents' homes. She said this could have potentially saved Brown's Motel, where dozens of people were forced to move out because of a sale. 

WJZ was there when residents were packing up in December 2024, ahead of the property being demolished. Virginia Garber lived at the motel for a little more than a year. 

At the time, she said she didn't know where she'd end up. 

"It's the worst that's ever happened to me and I never expected to be in this circumstance," Garber said. "My sister's offered to help me financially. She lives in Arizona." 

By Friday, the motel was completely gone, save for some signage saying "Brown's Motel." 

Walsh expressed regret about the motel's fate. 

"I'll always regret that something like this wasn't in place to keep that Brown's Motel, the people who lived there, and the community they built there intact," Walsh said. 

The bill will be up for discussion at a Howard County Council's legislative public hearing on Monday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m.