Victory for Affordable Housing in Downtown Columbia
PATH leaders at a press conference on October 23 on the plans for new affordable housing
On Monday, December 1, 2025, PATH celebrated the Howard County Council’s approval of two bills that advance a new lakefront library in downtown Columbia and 320 new mixed-income apartments, including at least 160 affordable homes.
One of these new mixed-income developments would be built in the site of the current Central Branch Library, and the other one in the Merriweather district, both of which are high-opportunity areas.
For ten years, PATH has organized to support the County’s plans for more affordable housing in downtown Columbia, and is glad to see the County advancing housing opportunities for families to thrive here.
PATH leaders at the hearing on November 19.
Eighteen PATH leaders showed up at the County Council hearing on November 19 to support this plan, and two PATH leaders gave public testimony.
Carrie Britt testified:
“We’re a diverse, inclusive, equitable community that should support, encourage and provide its residents with resources and services that will make all people successful.”
Stephen McGovern shared:
“I want to live in a county where amazing teachers like my granddaughter’s are not just service providers but my neighbors and friends.”
PATH was also invited to speak at County Executive Calvin Ball’s press conference announcing the introduction of the bills that the Council passed.
PATH Co-Chair Shehlla Khan spoke at the conference:
“We have a stark choice to make over the next decade—whether we will continue to lose young people and workers, or whether we will build the variety of housing needed to stay a welcoming and vibrant place to live.”
In 2016, PATH successfully organized for the inclusion of 900 units of affordable housing in the Downtown Columbia plan. This new plan is an important step towards this commitment.
PATH is dedicated to continuing to organize so that everyone can afford to provide a dignified, stable home for themselves and their families.
Read more in this Baltimore Banner article.
