Rockville’s Mayor and Council have been constantly working to enact policies, programs, and actions that will directly assist renters in Rockville since the beginning of 2024.  However, the path we choose to assist renters must be one that fosters long-term growth, economic stability, and a thriving community.

Unfortunately, the policy of rent control is significantly problematic. While rent control may seem like a quick fix to rising housing costs, data consistently shows that such policies accompany unintended consequences that ultimately harm renters and the broader community.

As I described at our Meeting last night, Montgomery County itself is already experiencing some of these negative consequences as a result of their decision to implement rent control. Rockville cannot afford to make the same mistake as Montgomery County wherein housing market revenue is being lost and development is halted. Simply stated, rent control does not stabilize rental prices overall because it discourages investment in rental housing, leading to decreased availability and deteriorating quality of existing rental units. 

Rather than implementing rent control, pursuant to my motion which was approved by the Mayor and Council, Rockville is instead focusing on true overall policies to stabilize rents: policies that increase the supply of affordable housing while ensuring that rental protections and overall rental prices are fair and effective. I am extremely proud of Rockville’s continued and unwavering support of the renter community by pursuing policies that truly address the root causes of our housing challenges without sacrificing the long-term prosperity of our city.