Renter Protections

Gaithersburg is a dynamic and growing city, a place many call home and many more aspire to live. Yet, the escalating cost of housing is creating a crisis that threatens the very heart of our community. While Montgomery County has taken action to protect its residents through rent stabilization, the City of Gaithersburg currently stands exempt from this crucial legislation.

This exemption exists despite deeply concerning trends:

• Over the past decade, rents in Gaithersburg have reportedly soared by more than 100%.

• Renters are routinely hit with annual increases, often starting at 15% and sometimes dramatically exceeding 50%.

This is not sustainable, and it is fundamentally changing who can afford to live here.

Renters constitute a vital half of Gaithersburg's population, contributing significantly to our city's culture, economy, and social fabric. However, their voices and concerns are currently underrepresented in our city government, with no renter currently serving on the City Council to directly champion their interests.

The consequences of unchecked rent increases are stark and immediate:

• Young residents who grew up here, or who are just entering the workforce and wish to build their lives in Gaithersburg, are being priced out.

• They are forced to move away, potentially forever, seeking areas where housing costs are more manageable.

• This exodus of young talent and families weakens our community's future.

• Current renters face immense financial pressure and are often forced to relocate further and further from their places of work, increasing commutes and decreasing their quality of life.

It is particularly jarring that just beyond Gaithersburg's city limits, the protections of Montgomery County's rent stabilization law are available to renters. This creates an inequitable situation where housing security depends arbitrarily on which side of a municipal boundary one resides. Renters within Gaithersburg deserve the same fundamental protections against exorbitant and unpredictable rent hikes that homeowners have against sudden, drastic increases in their housing costs.

The narrative that renting was affordable in Gaithersburg twenty years ago is a distant memory.

It is time for the City of Gaithersburg to acknowledge this crisis and act decisively. We call upon the Mayor and City Council to implement Montgomery County's rent stabilization law within our city limits. Adopting this law will provide crucial benefits:

• Provide much-needed stability and fairness for half of our residents.

• Help prevent displacement.

• Ensure that Gaithersburg remains a diverse, accessible, and thriving community for people of all income levels, including the young adults vital to our future.