Montgomery County, Maryland recently took action to protect Westchester West Apartments from potential rent hikes and displacement of residents. After learning of the building’s sale, tenants partnered with community organization Action in Montgomery to request county intervention under the Right of First Refusal law.
In response, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and Councilmember Natali Fani-Gonzalez directed the Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) to purchase the property for $67 million. DHCA then sold it to Enterprise Community Development (ECD) for an equal amount. ECD will oversee a long-term plan that preserves affordability, addresses maintenance needs, and enhances resident services at 345 units across Montgomery County.
This proactive move safeguards vulnerable communities by preserving affordable housing options while setting an example for other counties nationwide looking into similar initiatives as a means of protecting their own citizens from rent increases or displacement due to gentrification pressures on local real estate markets .
