Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about the County’s housing study and the process that will be used to develop it.

What is the purpose of the Housing Study?

Carroll County will be developing a new Master Plan that will set the framework for the County’s future land use decisions. The Housing Study will support the Master Plan update by providing information and recommendations for residential land use based on the county’s current housing inventory and an Assessment of Fair Housing, which is a new plan component required by Maryland state law.

What is meant by an “Assessment of Fair Housing”?

New state planning requirements being phased in under 2021’s HB 90 create a new imperative for Maryland jurisdictions to include in their comprehensive plans “an assessment of fair housing to ensure the local jurisdiction is affirmatively furthering fair housing”. This means that, as it is planning for the future, Carroll County must consider meaningful actions it can take to overcome any patterns of segregation and to promote inclusive communities that hold opportunity for all residents, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, national origin, and whether they have children. An Assessment of Fair Housing is the analytical step that patterns of segregation and/or barriers to opportunity to be remedied.

How is the Housing Study related to the recent Economic Development and Land Use Study?

The County completed its Economic Development and Land Use Study (EDLU) in 2023. Although both the EDLU and the Housing Study will serve similar functions in developing data and land use recommendations to inform the upcoming Master Plan update, they cover different but related, subject areas. The County is grateful for all the public engagement in the EDLU through survey responses, focus groups, and open houses and hopes for similar levels of interest and engagement with the Housing Study.

What data will be collected and analyzed?

The study will consider two primary types of data: 1) input from residents and community stakeholders; and 2) standardized sources of quantitative data, including figures from the Census, American Community Survey, and local sources.

Specific variables that will be studied include characteristics of the existing housing stock; development trends; existing housing market conditions; current county and municipal zoning, infrastructure, development policies and regulations; projected future housing needs; and areas for new housing development (including but not limited to affordable housing, age-restricted, age-targeted, redevelopment, and adaptive reuse opportunities, as well as the usage of alternative housing styles such as tiny houses and manufactured housing).

How will the study impact the community?

The Housing Study will ensure that housing policies and goals in the upcoming Master Plan will be informed by current data and thorough research and recommendations. The Master Plan is a fundamental tool for guiding Carroll County’s long-range vision for future growth and land use over the coming 10 years, so an accurate understanding of the current housing landscape now is important for ensuring the County’s long-range planning adequately meets the county’s housing needs in the future.

Who is conducting the Housing Study?

The Carroll County Bureau of Comprehensive Planning is responsible for the planning effort, in cooperation with the Department of Citizen Services, which encompasses the Aging & Disabilities and Housing & Community Development Bureaus. Additionally, the County has contracted with Mosaic Community Planning, a housing planning consulting firm, to take the lead in developing the study and engaging residents in its creation.

How can residents participate or provide input?

The Housing Study depends, in large part, on the input and insight of residents. A variety of opportunities will be available to receive resident input, including a survey, various in-person outreach events we will be holding throughout the county, and focus groups. A link to the survey and an event schedule will be available on the County’s website.

What policies or strategies will be recommended?

Until the research is completed, and resident input is evaluated, it is premature to outline policies and strategies the housing study will recommend, however, potential policy recommendations or strategies that could emerge from the housing study may involve appropriate housing initiatives, zoning changes, incentives for developers, or plans for future infrastructure investments.

What is the expected timeline?

The project’s timeline includes public engagement activities spanning mid-April to mid-June, delivery of a first draft of the Housing Study in July, and public presentations in September and October 2024.

How will the study results be communicated to the public?

The County’s website is the best place to follow the progress of the Housing Study and is where future public presentations of the study’s results will be announced.

If you can't find the answer to your question about the Housing Study here, please contact the Bureau of Comprehensive Planning at compplanning@carrollcountymd.gov