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Appoint James Hedrick to Planning Board

Letter to County Council, February 13, 2023

Dear Council President Glass and Members of the Council,

The Action Committee for Transit strongly endorses James Hedrick, PhD, for the Montgomery County Planning Board.

The work of the Montgomery County Planning Board is at a critical juncture, and Dr. Hedrick is uniquely qualified to help move the Planning Board and Montgomery County forward on implementing Thrive 2050, updating our land use regulations, and creating attainable and affordable housing. Dr. Hedrick has an extensive professional background in affordable housing development, and his time as Chair of Rockville Housing Enterprises (RHE), the City of Rockville’s public housing authority, has given him valuable experience in organizational management, including budgeting and contract approvals. Dr. Hedrick would be able to contribute substantively to the Planning Board’s work immediately upon appointment.

Professionally, Dr. Hedrick’s entire career has focused on affordable housing, community development, and housing finance. Currently a Senior Financial Analyst at the Federal Housing Finance Agency, he is deeply familiar with the issues of zoning, general and master plans, and other responsibilities of the Planning Board, both through his professional work at FHFA and his advocacy with organizations like the Action Committee for Transit. Additionally, he is familiar with the administrative responsibilities of an organization like the Planning Board from his time as Chair of RHE, including approving budgets, updating organizational policies, and hiring staff.

Montgomery County faces a housing and affordability crisis, and the Planning Board must ensure that our development provides for all our residents. The Planning Board needs the perspective of a commissioner with a deep knowledge of affordable housing and transportation issues. Dr. Hedrick’s skills and experience will strengthen the Planning Board in the short run as it rebuilds trust and recommits to ethical oversight, and in the long run as the Planning Board implements Thrive 2050 and works to create a more equitable, economically competitive, and sustainable Montgomery County.

We urge you to select Dr. James Hedrick for the current Planning Board vacancy.

Sincerely,

Amy Frieder

President, Action Committee for Transit