As the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) of Montgomery County prepares to mark the 50th anniversary of its founding next year, HOC also is reflecting on the significant progress it made in 2023 toward accomplishing its mission of providing affordable housing and supportive services to low- and moderate-income families in Montgomery County.
Noteworthy accomplishments include two new building openings and the completion of two major renovation projects, recognition of HOC’s work by national and state organizations and the completion of key strategic and financial planning activities.
“The housing opportunities provided by HOC dramatically improve the lives of the growing number of our fellow residents who struggle with the high cost of living in this county,” said Chelsea Andrews, HOC President. “HOC’s Commissioners and our hard-working staff, along with our valued partners, are committed to delivering even more housing resources and supportive services to the Montgomery County community in 2024, our official 50th year in operation.”
Among the highlights of our 2023 achievements:
Project Updates
- Opening of The Laureate: The Laureate is a 268-unit mixed-income, mixed-use development in Derwood, located just steps away from the Shady Grove metro station. It is the first development project to utilize HOC’s innovative Housing Production Fund (HPF). The Laureate also houses HOC’s new Service Center (formerly located on Lakeforest Boulevard in Gaithersburg).
- Opening of The Leggett: The Leggett is a 267-unit, 16-story mixed income development for seniors in the heart of Silver Spring, MD. In addition to providing affordable housing, The Leggett incorporates a health and wellness center operated by Holy Cross Health Partners and a state-of-the-art Montgomery County recreation and aquatic center to help seniors thrive.
- Renovations Completed at Georgian Court and Shady Grove Apartments: Work was completed on community room spaces at the Georgian Court complex in Silver Spring and Shady Grove Apartments in Derwood to provide additional space for residents to participate in year-round recreational and social activities.
Strategic and Financial Planning
- Launch of the New Strategic Planning Process—HOC kicked off its five-year strategic planning process in June, with the goal of defining the agency’s future and charting a clear path for its work through 2029. The strategic plan will serve as the foundation for HOC’s efforts to address Montgomery County’s critical affordable housing needs and create positive outcomes for HOC’s clients.
- Procurement Fair—HOC hosted its first ever Procurement Fair at the Silver Spring Civic Building in March, which brought together dozens of local businesses, several of whom subsequently have become HOC partners.
- HUD Grant Awarded for 25 Stability Vouchers—In April, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded HOC 25 Stability Vouchers, which provide rental assistance to people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness, including survivors of domestic or dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking.
- HUD Grant Awarded for FY2022 Resident Services—In June, HOC was awarded a grant of more than $4.1 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide resident services to the men, women and children of HOC homes. HOC used those resources to pay for McKinney Permanent Supportive Housing staff salaries, client rents, utilities and all expenses related to moving. We also provided ongoing client support and assisted with transportation, furniture and basic supplies.
- Single Family Mortgage Purchase Program—As a result of five successful programs through the Montgomery County Housing Assistance Fund (McHAF), HOC in August released phase one of $3 million in funding from the Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Development. McHAF helps eligible homebuyers purchase a home in Montgomery County.
Awards and Recognition
- HPF Receives Award of Merit: In November, HOC received an Award of Merit from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) for the innovative Housing Production Fund. In addition, as an Award of Merit recipient, HOC was nominated by a NAHRO regional jury of judges for consideration by a national jury to receive NAHRO’s National Award of Excellence.
- HOC Receives Certificate for Excellence in Financial Reporting: In November, the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) awarded HOC the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for HOC’s comprehensive annual financial report.
- The Laureate Receives Apartment and Condominium Industry Awards for Excellence: HOC’s The Laureate was selected for Delta Associates’ 27th Annual Apartment and Condominium Industry Awards for Excellence in the category of Best Suburban Maryland Mid-Rise Apartment Community.
- HOC Featured in the The New York Times: In August, The New York Times published a front page article about HOC’s use of the Housing Production Fund to finance the construction of The Laureate to address the affordable housing crisis in Montgomery County.
- Hillandale Gateway Receives FY23 Resilient Maryland Award: In June, HOC was selected to receive a $100,000 Resilient Maryland award from the Maryland Energy Administration. Award funds are provided to help with the costs needed to complete feasibility analysis and preconstruction planning for HOC’s Hillandale Gateway multifamily affordable housing community in Silver Spring.
- Stewartown Homes Project Receives “Platinum Excellence” Award: HOC’s Stewartown Homes project was awarded a Platinum Excellence award by ABC Greater Baltimore’s Excellence in Construction Program (EIC). The EIC program is the premier competition within the region that recognizes outstanding projects ABC members have built.
Additional information on these achievements can be found on HOC’s website at https://www.hocmc.org/.
About the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County (HOC)
The Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County provides affordable housing and supportive services that enhance the lives of low- and moderate-income families and individuals. HOC is a property owner and operator, and a vertically-integrated developer, focusing on three things: getting people housed, keeping people housed, and helping customers reach their fullest potential. HOC serves more than 20,000 Montgomery County households through a variety of innovative housing programs. HOC owns more than 9,400 apartment, townhome and single-family home rental properties and leases or administers another 7,400 properties that provide affordable housing. We provide rental assistance to more than 8,000 low-income households through the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program and an additional 1,600 households through other types of subsidized housing programs. HOC also has financed more than 3,400 privately-owned multi-family buildings and helped more than 2,000 households purchase a home through the homeownership and mortgage program. For more information, visit https://www.hocmc.org/.
