Workforce Housing Proposal Passes

After the vote, Davison said she expected County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D) to sign the measure. She said, however, that some issues still need to be worked out to make the program a reality.

"It's very hard to know whether we'll get workforce housing, or if the effect would be to kill off any kind of development at those locations," she said. "That's the unknown question."

Representatives of the development community have said the burden imposed by the mandate would force the industry to subsidize the less expensive units or pass on the costs to other occupants.

"Enough is enough," said Robert H. Metz, an attorney for the builders and developers. "It's very unfair."

He questioned the premise that middle-class workers with families would want to live in high-rise buildings near Metro stations.

Jim Humphrey of the Montgomery County Civic Federation also challenged the assertion that the program could result in 2,500 units. The council, he said, has given developers too much lead time to submit plans before the new requirements would apply. He predicted a "tidal wave" of building proposals for areas near the Bethesda and Silver Spring Metro stations before the December deadline.

Humphrey's analysis projects as many as 600 new units by 2014, largely in the neighborhoods surrounding the Shady Grove, Glenmont and Forest Glen Metro stations.

"This isn't a real solution to the problem of housing affordability; this is just a good-sounding program to tout while running for reelection," he said, in a reference to Silverman, who is running for county executive.

The price of housing has emerged as an issue in the contest to replace Duncan. Former council member Isiah Leggett, who is challenging Silverman in the Democratic primary for county executive, called the measure "more style than substance." He said he would have held out for a more sweeping approach to creating affordable housing.

Silverman responded that he is "building on what we've had in the county for 30 years."