As described below, AHSI will do real and significant harm to existing residents. If AHSI truly contributed to solving the problem of affordable housing, most residents would be sympathetic. But already in the few conversions that have been done, developers will buy the cheapest home in the best location and replace it with as many units as they are allowed to build to sell at as high a price as they can charge. This only maximizes developer profit while removing an attainable housing option.

Many of the proposed “upzoning” areas are old communities with infrastructure already strained from existing density. More housing will put intense strain on the electric grids and stormwater systems. Moreover, developers get tax breaks exempting them from paying for infrastructure upgrades, leaving the bill with the residents. 

Many of these communities already have issues with traffic and parking.  The streets in the older neighborhoods, some of which are 100 years old, are very narrow with one-side-of-the-street parking. Many are too narrow to allow two-way traffic to pass. Some do not have sidewalks. Increasing the density of these neighborhoods could cause safety issues and delays for emergency vehicles and pedestrians. Not only can these neighborhoods not accommodate additional cars, developers are exempt from providing the parking spots required under existing zoning.

Many public schools are already over capacity. There simply is not enough space to expand the schools to accommodate the additional students. Montgomery Country is already looking at busing students to schools away from their communities to manage capacity issues.