Action to secure affordable housing for low and very low income residents and special populations in Anne Arundel County and the City of Annapolis. ⓘ 

Support for:

1. rehabilitation of the existing housing supply to maintain the stock of affordable housing;
2. meeting the housing and human service needs of special populations including, but not limited to the homeless;
3. increasing opportunities for people of low or moderate income;
4. ensuring an adequate stock of subsidized housing, and rental assistance and services to low and very low income persons.

2021 Report of the LWVAAC Study Group on Affordable Housing 

Support for election of Board of Education members in nonpartisan elections held at the same time as partisan elections. ⓘ

Support for a charter that is clear, concise and confined to fundamentals. ⓘ

Hazardous ⓘ  Support the efforts of County government to control problems of hazardous waste. Support establishment of central collections points for disposal of hazardous wastes from households and other small generators. Urge the County to provide adequate information on how to report suspected hazardous wastes and on ways to reduce the use of hazardous products in the household.

Solid ⓘ Support a program of solid waste management that protects public health and the environment through promotions of source reduction, recycling, and adoption of a conservation ethic among individuals, businesses, and government. We believe every individual must take responsibility for his or her waste and must change disposal habits. A solid waste plan should emphasize source reduction, waste materials recovery, recycling, and composting. Incineration (waste to energy) and other alternatives should be considered only after health, environmental, and economic effects have been studied. Includes City of Annapolis.

Endorsement of the concept of controlled growth and encouragement of strong enforcement of existing land use controls (zoning, and storm water and sediment controls) and adoption of new regulations to support the concept. ⓘ

The League supports the following goals in accordance with this position.

1. Promote and pursue balanced development in appropriate target areas that will have minimum impact on the environment and maximum long-term benefit to employment and the tax base including provision of opportunity for affordable housing and a variety of commercial activities in established commercial areas and discouragement of strip development.
2. Enforce the County implementation of the critical area laws and ensure their adequacy.
3. Enforce more strongly the adequate public facilities ordinances, including those regarding water and sewer systems, waste water treatment plants, roads, and public transportation.
4. Reduce air, water, and noise pollution.
5. Expand and strengthen watershed management with storm water and sediment controls, using stronger enforcement of regulations and citizen participation, e.g. as monitors.
6. Maintain the integrity of rural residential and established farming areas by expanding the agricultural preservation program.
7. Expand programs that support carpools, vanpools, and all forms of public transportation.

ⓘ Support development and improvement of public transportation in Anne Arundel County, and encourage the county government to have thorough, professional studies made of the transportation needs of various sectors of the population, to develop proposals for meeting the needs, and to find ways to implement appropriate proposals. The LWVAA should evaluate proposals using relevant criteria regarding:

Users’ concerns–needs of various population groups and geographical areas, affordability of fares, travel time reliability and comfort, and safety;

Economics–capital costs (rights of way, construction and equipment), capital funding, operating costs, potential ridership and fare, operating revenues;

Physical matters–availability of rights of way, relation to other systems existing and planned, adaptability to future growth, and fuel type and consumption;

Environmental impact–pollution, and degradation of natural resources.

ⓘ Increase focus and support for the LWVUS position on immigration: In achieving overall policy goals, the League supports a system for unauthorized immigrants already in the country to earn legal status, including citizenship, by paying taxes, learning English, studying civics and meeting other relevant criteria…the League does not support deporting unauthorized immigrants who have no history of criminal activity…all persons should receive fair treatment under the law.

Outlook for work:

• Call on local and county police to conduct investigation and apprehension of immigrants in a fair and humane manner.
• With LWVMD, work to establish Immigration Reform as a legislative priority within the LWVUS. Urge that reform include a federal solution to the present denial to non-citizens of housing, health care and welfare services for those non-citizens whose low income levels would otherwise make them eligible.
• Enlist Spanish-speaking adults as mentors for reassuring and informing immigrant adults of the practices of our schools and systems for everyday living.
• Enlarge the number and scope of after-school and summer activities available to Hispanic/Latino
  middle-school students, and encourage and promote participation in such programs by the students.
• Permit Anne Arundel County Community College to accept in-county resident tuition from any
  graduate of a county high school who meets entrance requirements.
• Foster formation of a private non-profit Council for Immigrant Services composed of representatives of public and private organizations serving the immigrant population, including businesses, as well as the county and city Human Relations Commissions.