TOWSON, Md. — Baltimore County is taking steps to address its affordable housing crisis, requesting $7.8 million in federal funding for a new apartment complex while grappling with a housing shortage that far exceeds current development plans.
WATCH: Baltimore County seeks federal funding for affordable housing development
The county will request the federal funding to contribute to the construction of Loch Raven Overlook, a 122-unit affordable apartment community being built by a private developer
However, a housing study reveals the real need is nearly 19,000 units — highlighting the massive gap between current efforts and actual demand.
"We have outmigration. People cannot afford to live in Maryland. There's just not enough housing that is at the right price for many households," said Dr. Daraius Irani, a regional economist.
Nearly 30% of county residents pay 50% or more of their income on housing, underscoring the severity of the affordability crisis.
Meanwhile, a proposed 500-unit development has stalled due to community opposition. Lutherville Station in Timonium would include transit-oriented workforce housing for teachers, first responders, retail and service workers and others.
"The developer had proposed building 550 apartments at one time on 12 acres. That's a pretty huge complex. So the people for the most part in Lutherville were not very happy with this proposal," said Wade Kach, Baltimore County Council District 3 representative.
Kach is working on a new proposal that would reduce the number of apartments in half after community pushback over traffic and school crowding concerns. He plans to hold a public meeting before introducing a revised bill this spring.
"This is something that we need to address. We're talking about 12 acres of land that has a deteriorating building on it right now. What I want to move forward with is a plan that is reasonable and rational that the people in the community can feel comfortable with," Kach said.
A spokesperson for the developer of Lutherville Station says they're waiting to review Kach's proposal.
If both projects were built, they would add over 400 units — still just a fraction of the county's actual need.
"It continues to be a challenge, but you know, we do need individuals to be able to live close by where they work, and especially if they're working in some of the service industries where they don't get paid very much," Irani said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
