There is a lack of affordable housing in Kent County, and we must do our best to address this issue so current and future workers can live here in Kent County and contribute to our tax base and local economy. As we address the need for workforce housing, we must be guided by the desire to protect our green spaces and when we build, do so with an eye on value, quality and an architectural style that respects the vernacular of the Eastern Shore.  

Intelligently Reform Zoning

Among the most impactful near-term changes we can make to expand workforce housing is allowing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) by-right throughout the county. ADUs are a secondary housing unit on a single-family residential lot that functions as an independent living space. It has its own entrance, kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area — essentially a complete, self-contained home that exists alongside the primary residence.

Leverage State and Federal Funding

Kent County needs to position itself to capture dollars that are already flowing. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) runs multiple programs relevant here: the Rental Housing Works program (LIHTC allocations), the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), and the HOME Investment Partnerships program. The county should designate a housing coordinator (even part-time) whose sole job is grant writing and compliance. USDA Rural Development also has Section 515 and Section 502 programs specifically designed for areas like Kent County which provide low interest loans to homeowners and developers.

Activate County-owned Land

Conduct a complete audit of county-owned parcels and tax-sale properties sitting idle. Surplus lots can be transferred to a land bank or conveyed at below-market rates to a community land trust (CLT) or nonprofit developer. A CLT model is particularly well-suited to Kent County — it permanently retains affordability because the land never enters the speculative market, only the structure changes hands. Long-term ground leases (99 years) keep homeownership costs low for buyers while protecting the public investment.

Rehabilitate Existing Stock

Much of Kent County’s housing stock is aging. A rehab-focused strategy serves two goals simultaneously: preserving existing affordable units that might otherwise be lost and improving quality for current occupants. Weatherization assistance, code-compliance grants for landlords who rent affordably, and Maryland historic tax credits all apply here. USDA Rural Development’s Section 504 repair loans are available to very low-income homeowners.

Short Term Rental (STR) Tax Enforcement as a Housing Funding Source

Another benefit of rigorous STR registry (with annual renewal and inspections) captures the hotel/motel tax revenue currently being lost. That revenue, deposited into a dedicated county housing trust fund, becomes the local match that can unlock state and federal grants.

Employer-assisted Housing Partnerships

Washington College and Chester River Health System to name two of Kent County’s largest employers, both face challenges in recruiting and retaining employees due to the fact that affordable housing is scarce in Kent County.

An employer-assisted housing (EAH) program — where each anchor institution contributes to a shared down payment assistance or rental subsidy pool — may cost them far less than ongoing recruitment losses.