North Bethesda affordable housing development breaks ground – MoCo360
North Bethesda affordable housing development breaks ground MoCo360
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The Chimes: Affordable Housing Development in North Bethesda
Construction on The Chimes, a 163-unit affordable housing development in North Bethesda, is now underway and developers are aiming to complete the project by mid-2026, according to developers Montgomery Housing Partnership (MHP), a non-profit organization that works with local government.
Groundbreaking Ceremony
On Thursday morning, Montgomery County officials, developers, and community members joined MHP officials at the project’s site at 11901 Nebel St. to celebrate the project’s groundbreaking. The site was a vacant property in an industrial area located a half mile from the North Bethesda Metro station and the Pike & Rose neighborhood of shopping, dining, and housing.
Funding and Partners
The $86 million project is the brainchild of MHP, a nongovernmental entity focused on preserving and expanding “access to quality, affordable housing” in the county, according to its website. Funding for the project included nearly $20 million from the county and $2.2 million from the Amazon Housing Equity Fund, according to MHP. Other funding partners are Capital One, Enterprise, Freddie Mac, Grandbridge Real Estate Capital, NeighborWorks America, and Truist, according to the nonprofit.
Affordable Living Options
Once completed, The Chimes is expected to be a seven-story building with a mix of apartment sizes, including 10 studios, 57 units with one bedroom, 72 with two bedrooms, and 24 with three bedrooms, according to MHP. Rents for all units are expected to be affordable to families with income levels ranging from 30% of the area median income (AMI) to 80% of AMI. Seventy-two units will be reserved for tenants making at or below 50% AMI.
Emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals
The Chimes aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations, including:
- Goal 1: No Poverty
- Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
- Goal 4: Quality Education
- Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
- Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Community Impact
Goldman and others noted that North Bethesda, with its access to transit and retail and dining, is a highly desirable place to live. The Chimes is designed to be affordable for those who work in the county, including teachers, nurses, and those who hold retail, construction, and service jobs, to be able to afford to live close to where they work.
Amenities and Features
The building is expected to feature amenities including a community center, classrooms, an on-site leasing office, an outdoor rear deck, a pocket park, and 143 parking spaces. A notable feature will be interactive wind chimes placed around the property, a nod to the development’s name.
Thrive Montgomery 2050
The project advances the goals of Thrive Montgomery 2050, the county’s 2022 update to its master plan, to turn more vacant or underused parcels into “great places for residents and visitors to enjoy for decades to come.”
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 1: No Poverty
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular, the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership, and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology, and financial services, including microfinance.
- SDG 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.
- SDG 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator 1.4.2: Proportion of total adult population with secure tenure rights to land, with legally recognized documentation and who perceive their rights to land as secure, by sex and type of tenure.
- Indicator 11.1.1: Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements, or inadequate housing.
- Indicator 17.17.1: Amount of United States dollars committed to public-private and civil society partnerships.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 1: No Poverty | Target 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular, the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership, and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology, and financial services, including microfinance. | Indicator 1.4.2: Proportion of total adult population with secure tenure rights to land, with legally recognized documentation and who perceive their rights to land as secure, by sex and type of tenure. |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums. | Indicator 11.1.1: Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements, or inadequate housing. |
| SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals | Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships. | Indicator 17.17.1: Amount of United States dollars committed to public-private and civil society partnerships. |
Source: moco360.media
