Without affordable housing, Columbia?s downtown redevelopment veers away from the vision of Columbia founder Jim Rouse who saw a community where the janitor and executive could live together, activists said.
“There?s nothing for low-income housing” in the county?s plan for redeveloping downtown Columbia, said Alan Klein, head of the newly formed Coalition for Columbia?s Downtown.
Affordable housing is a tough sell among some residents who say it brings down property values and introduces crime, said Sherman Howell, a member of the county?s affordable housing task force.
But for the community to be inclusive as its founder intended, low- and moderate-income housing should be included, Klein said.
The Department of Planning and Zoning proposed setting aside 10 percent of units for moderate-income housing and 5 percent for middle-income units, according to the draft plan. Klein said that accounts for those making $50,000 to $100,000 a year and overlooks those who make less.
The group proposed setting aside at least 20 percent of all units for moderate- and low-income housing.
“We simply will not accept the fact that its impossible to have low-income housing in Columbia,” said Del. Liz Bobo, D-District 12B, who spoke at the group?s gathering Monday in Columbia.
The group also advocates fewer residential units to be built downtown ? 1,600 rather than the planned 5,500 ? but Howell said fewer units could mean less affordable housing.
If fewer residential units are built, builders will be quick to cut the amount of affordable housing and raise the price of the housingto make a profit. It?s tough to have both affordable housing and low density, said Howell, a member of the African American Coalition of Howard County.
