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County Council Member · District 4 · Montgomery County · 2026 Primary
County Council Members serve as the legislative branch of county government, passing local laws and approving the annual budget that funds public schools, roads, and emergency services. They set local tax rates and make final decisions on land use and zoning, which determines where new homes and businesses can be built. This office is responsible for prioritizing how your tax dollars are spent and managing the long-term growth and infrastructure of your community.
View all candidates in this racePeter "Rocky" Whitesell is a candidate running for Montgomery County Council District 4 in the June 23rd Democratic primary. He campaigns on housing as his central issue, highlighting that hundreds of kids are now homeless in Montgomery County with data showing homelessness has risen overall by 160% from 581 residents to 1510 since 2022. Whitesell argues this crisis stems from decades of county policy and zoning that have severely restricted affordable multifamily housing, noting the council failed to address it as multifamily approvals dropped 90%. He emphasizes that a quarter of renters already spend over half their income on rent while younger residents are rapidly leaving the county.
Sources: Campaign website
Rocky Whitesell Housing For All! Montgomery County Council Candidate, District 4 Vote June 23rd!
This Crisis is neither accidental, nor inevitable. For decades, county policy and zoning have severely restricted affordable multifamily housing.
I know that with a change of direction, though, we can fix things. If there is one promise I can make as your councilor it will be this: I won't ever shy away from hard problems.
Source: rockywhitesell.com
Housing
Whitesell identifies homelessness and housing affordability as the core crisis facing Montgomery County, citing a 160% increase in homeless residents from 581 to 1510 since 2022.
“Homelessness, in particular, demands we act. It's difficult to overstate just how badly it hurts people, how hard it hits kids, and how huge a difference it is for someone just to have a warm, safe place to live.”
Land Use
He criticizes the council for failing to address housing supply issues, noting multifamily approvals dropped 90% from already low levels.
“In 2022, the county's own planning board was already warning that the '...steady rise in housing costs...has been caused mainly by the failure of housing supply to keep up with demand for over 30 years.'”
Rent Burden
Whitesell highlights that a quarter of renters already spend over half their income on rent, and a majority spend more than a third.
“At the same time, a quarter of renters already spend over half of their income just on rent , and a majority spend more than a third.”
“Homelessness, in particular, demands we act. It's difficult to overstate just how badly it hurts people, how hard it hits kids, and how huge a difference it is for someone just to have a warm, safe place to live.”
Source“For decades, county policy and zoning have severely restricted affordable multifamily housing. In 2022, the county's own planning board was already warning that the '...steady rise in housing costs...has been caused mainly by the failure of housing supply to keep up with demand for over 30 years.'”
Source