LA PLATA, Md. — During the Charles County Planning Commission meeting on March 17, Vice Chairman William Murray recommended adding a full-time position dedicated solely to affordable housing efforts. Planning Supervisor Joel Binkley, AICP, provided an update on affordable housing needs, emphasizing the growing demand and ongoing initiatives.
Murray suggested allocating at least $630,000 to cover the salary for the position as well as consulting services to advance affordable housing efforts.
“I think working on affordable housing is more than a part-time job,” Murray said. “We need someone full time to push this forward and try to meet the timelines.”
Murray emphasized that while drafting plans and recommendations is relatively simple, implementation requires dedicated personnel. “Unless you have the manpower to implement it—someone working full time and fully responsible—it just doesn’t get done,” he said.
The recommendation will be included in the Planning Commission’s letter of approval during its annual review of the requested Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The commission has identified 47 projects—including multiple phases of several projects—that align with the Charles County Comprehensive Plan and are specifically recommended for funding in the fiscal 2026-30 Capital Improvement Program budget.
The Planning Commission is expected to formally request that the Charles County commissioners allocate the proposed funding to support affordable housing implementation, ensuring the new full-time position is dedicated exclusively to affordable housing initiatives.
Board members agreed that the work done on the report should not sit on a shelf without being implemented. Commission members acknowledged Binkley’s hard work and agreed that a dedicated staff member is necessary to advance affordable housing efforts effectively.
See the Affordable Housing Update presentation here.
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