Vice President Harris to announce new federal housing policy in Bowie

Vice President Kamala Harris and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge will announce a new federal housing policy Wednesday in Bowie, Harris’ office said.

The policy, aimed at lowering housing costs, will be announced at a Bowie location yet to be disclosed.

The visit follows the White House’s announcement last year of the Housing Supply Action Plan, designed to close the housing supply gap in five years. The plan, which was published on the White House’s blog in May, will incentivize the creation and preservation of affordable housing units and involve policies to reduce housing costs like rental assistance and down payment assistance.

Last month, the White House released the Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights, which details steps that local, state and federal government entities can take to strengthen protections for renters and work toward rental affordability. More than a third of Americans rent their homes, according to a White House statement.

About a third of Maryland’s population rents, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Those earning Maryland’s 2022 minimum wage of $12.50 an hour would need to work 78 hours a week to afford a small one-bedroom rental home at fair market rent. Last year, Maryland was the ninth-most expensive state in which to rent a two-bedroom unit, according to the coalition.

Members of President Joe Biden’s administration have made several visits to Maryland the past two years. The president visited Baltimore last month to announce rail upgrades and in October 2021 to promote his infrastructure plan. He was the keynote speaker at the U.S. Naval Academy graduation in May 2022.

And on Nov. 8, Biden participated in an election eve rally at Bowie State University promoting the successful candidacy of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wes Moore.