Political Allies of McKay Join With 'Workforce Housing'
Advocates to Push Low-Income Housing

By Ahmar Khan

ST. MARY’S TODAY

LEONARDTOWN --- A Catholic charity representing the Archdiocese of Washington has proposed a plan for strategic housing for the underprivileged, pointing out that one in five people in St. Mary’s County live below the poverty line.
Former St. Mary's Commissioner Barbara Thompson, a Republican ally of Commissioner Tommy McKay (R. Hollywood), who is running a campaign for the GOP nomination to oppose Sen. Roy Dyson (D. St. Mary's, Calvert, Charles), gave a big pitch to the county to fund a new position to supervise low-income housing opportunities.  Thompson lost a race against Dyson for the State Senate in 2002 after losing a re-election contest as St. Mary's Commissioner President to Democrat Julie Randall in 1998.  McKay beat Randall in the 2002 election.

While the county already funds such positions as Thompson proposed, Thompson's detailed pitch advocated the goal of Catholics to spur construction of new low-cost housing, but she never mentioned the 55 acres of land owned by the Archdiocese of Washington adjoining Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Lexington Park.  The tract already has sewer and water and lies in the Lexington Park Development District and is close the area's chief employer, the Patuxent River Naval Air Station.
The Immaculate Heart of Mary tract of land is unused by the church and is located west of the church complex of buildings, parking and cemetery.  The site has been set aside for future use for low-income housing and a succession of local priests and parish members have hoped for years that the Cardinal would provide the land for such use.
At the same public hearing Tuesday evening a Tommy McKay supporter shamed the rest of the four County Commissioners for rejecting the commissioner president’s election year idea of doling expensive county land to the Habitat for Humanity in Great Mills.

As many as 1300 people are on the waiting list of Section 8 housing and as many as 210 families face homelessness, the commissioners heard from staff earlier in the day. Thousands of blue and white collar can not afford decent accommodation and make-do in pigeon holes, according to local studies.

Kathy Sprenger, representing the Habitat, shamed the four Commissioners, Democrats Dan Raley (D. Great Mills) and Tom Mattingly (D. Leonardtown), and Republicans, Kenny Dement (R. Piney Point) and Larry Jarboe (R. Golden Beach).

Intriguingly, Sprenger began by expressing gratitude to Commissioner President Tommy McKay (R. Hollywood). “First, I would like to thank Commissioner McKay for his support,” she said at the St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioners public hearing, a forum many believe is now being misused for agenda-pushing.

The Catholic proposal called for an appointment of a staff person at the county level to define the categories of need, set priorities, quantify objectives, establish time lines, and identify strategies for achieving results. The staff person shall be entrusted to implementing the strategic housing plan.

Former Commissioner Thompson, chairwoman of the council, said “To date, St. Mary’s County has invested $85,000 in housing studies but no unified strategy for dealing with the problem of affordable housing has yet emerged. In the meantime the problem has only intensified.”

Thompson said the unprecedented growth in St. Mary’s County, in terms of population and economy, has negatively impacted those living in poverty and others in the workforce whose incomes have not seen a corresponding increase.

“Home sales in the price range below $300,000 in St. Mary’s County dropped by 57 units and accounted for 43 percent fewer sales in 2005 as compared to 2000 while the number of units in all categories above prices of $300,000 rose significantly in that same period,” Thompson said.

She said members of the catholic community of St. Mary’s County, in accordance with their understanding of Gospel justice, believe safe housing is imperative and therefore request that County Commissioners extend their efforts to provide housing for all by assigning a staff person to develop and implement a Strategic Housing Plan.

Thompson said, “ We are here because of our belief that the Gospel calls men and women to ‘continue the work of creation, to fashion a better, more just society as we wait for the kingdom of God’ and that effective action, especially for the most vulnerable, is ‘an essential dimension on this continuing creation’.”

Thompson said over the last 15 years the housing issue in St. Mary’s County has surfaced in a number of critical ways, but especially with regard to the livability code for rental units, the relocation of tenants from Lexington Manor, and an upswing in the market that has almost eliminated affordable options for service workers.

Thompson recalled the words of the Affordable Housing Task Force formed by the commissioners in 1990: “It is in the best interest of the people of St. Mary’s and the economy of the County to ensure that adequate affordable housing is available to County residents employed locally…. To that end, establishment and provision of affordable housing should be considered as an economic development issue.”

A 2002 St. Mary’s County study suggested revisions to Livability Code to upgrade the quality of life while in 2003, the county contracted with the Danter Company to do study. The Danter Report in May 2003 concluded that “The current housing development trends in St. Mary’s County are not affordable for a significant portion of the population and household base. According to major employer representatives, the lack of affordable housing is the primary reason that one of every four of their employees reside outside of St. Mary’s County.”

Additionally, the Danter Report concluded that as many as 2,453 households in St. Mary’s County were rent overburdened, meaning a disproportionate high percentage of their paycheck went towards paying rent.

Both the January 2002 and May 2003 reports identified a strategic plan as the first step towards any solution.

Thompson called for revising the Comprehensive Plan, a state-mandated document that makes a general statement envisioning “safe, affordable variety of housing located in livable communities.”

She said the 2002 study reiterated what the Affordable Housing Task Force had originally suggested way back in 1990, and that is, to identify the linkage between economic developments and housing needs.

Thompson said the strategic plan was a document that can only be produced and adopted by St. Mary’s board of county commissioners. “A crucial factor in bringing it to birth is the appointment of a staff person to be an exclusively focused midwife.”

She said during the six month process a staff person can consult with a wide range of stake holders including builders, developers, employers housing advocates, representatives of low income communities and the general public to develop a consensus.

The percentage of population priced out of the market has increased since 2003, she said. “But all this has to be both economically and politically feasible,” Thompson concluded.

McKay’s supporter Sprenger also praised Rachelle Millison for donating lots where four Habitat homes now stand and urged other developers and builders to follow her lead.

Sprenger said Habitat board president Chuck Stein had proposed to build a community of homes for the Habitat of Humanity on the ground next to the Great Mills pool, which the county owns.

She said a news article said the commissioners reportedly said “the land is too valuable” and shamed the commissioners for that, while praising McKay.

Sprenger said she finds working as a volunteer for Habitat most rewarding experience of her life. But the political undertones of Sprenger’s scathing comments was quite uncharacteristic for a volunteer of a non-profit, observers said, adding fuel to whispers of McKay’s alleged manipulation.

A second speaker, Laurie Walker of California, whose home was built by the Patuxent Habitat for Humanity, said even people with minimum wages deserved a decent abode in prosperous societies.

Walker said several trailer parks and flat tops, which were the only housing the working people could afford, no longer existed in St. Mary’s County.

But Sprenger indirectly conceded the Great Mills school site lacked economic feasibility as she said this may have been an “ambitious request by Stein.” She asked the county commissioner’s not to dismiss Stein’s request and think of donating any land that would work for a worthwhile cause.

Sprenger said partnering families, which are the families chosen for a home by Habitat, were some of the most admirable families she ever met. “Their character and values inspire me. Many times their efforts have gone towards helping their fellow human beings rather than pursuing high paying careers.”

Walker urged the commissioners, “I think you should be firm on your pledge to represent all walks of people in St. Mary’s County.”