Connecting the Dots: A Fair Housing Plan

Prince George’s County and the City of Bowie, Maryland

The Challenge:

The City of Bowie and Prince George’s County hired Ochoa Urban Collaborative (OUC) and LSA Planning to prepare the county and city’s fair housing plan last completed in 2012 and updated in 2019. 

Our Strategy:

The Analysis of Impediments (AI) to Fair Housing Choice is a requirement by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under the Fair Housing Act of 1968, whereby local jurisdictions that utilize HUD funds are used to “affirmatively further fair housing.”  The AI evaluates patterns of residential location, housing availability, and impacts of public- and private- sector actions. Using AI as our framework, OUC: 

  • Completed over 15 interviews of stakeholders and leaders.

  • Analyzed data indicators and maps related to race, housing, transportation, environment, and other related indicators that might serve as a barrier to affordable housing.

  • Identified goals and actions through community engagement process with staff and community stakeholders.

  • Wrote substantial portions of the report including the Analysis of Fair Housing Issues, Disparities in Access to Opportunity, Fair Housing Priorities, Goals, and Actions.

Progress to date: 

The County and the City have collectively:

  • Identified actions and funding priorities that have been included in their Consolidated Plan 2021-2025. 

  • The County’s Human Relations Committee is seeking to become a HUD certified Fair Housing Assistance Program agency in order to directly investigate cases of housing discrimination, increase the number of units accessible to disabled persons, and expand a local housing trust fund to build more housing throughout the county. 

  • The City of Bowie continues to provide fair housing training to its residents as well as nearby municipalities and is piloting incentives for workforce housing near transit.

mochoa@ochoaurbancollaborative.com | 202-413-6910