Elevate Maryland

On June 10, 2022, Rushern Baker suspended his campaign for Governor. Ten days later, he's on our show to tell you what he thinks about the 2022 Primary, why public financing needs some tweaks, and how Maryland's next Governor should declare a state of emergency for Baltimore City.

Candace and Tom celebrate FIVE YEARS of podcasting by hosting a live interview with Howard County Council District 4 candidate Janssen Evelyn. He addressed why housing is one of his top priorities and the way in which art infuses itself into his life. Janssen also recounts some stories from the field as he works to become the first person of color to represent Downtown Columbia on the County Council.

In this episode, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., discusses his decision not to run for Governor and instead seek reelection. We also hit on the topics of housing, education, equity, and his prolonged stint as a prominent local DJ! You won't want to miss his unpopular benign opinion, even though it technically has to do with food.

The Fair Housing Act passed in 1968, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, religion, national origin, and, since 1974, sex. Our guest this week believes we need another amendment that will prohibit discrimination in housing based on economic status. Although racism and sexism are seen as overtly bad, Richard Kahlenberg notes that Americans are much more ambivalent, or even supportive, of discrimination based on class. The result is that our communities are segregated based on income, resulting in bad outcomes not only for those less off, but also the wealthy families that support these divisions.

Candace returns for this interview with Howard County Library President and CEO Tonya Aikens to discuss the new "Brave Voices Brave Choices" campaign.  This new initiative will replace the iconic "Choose Civility" campaign, which has adorned resident bumpers for over a decade.  Tonya explains why it was necessary to move past the "Choose Civility" frame and tells listeners what they can expect in the months and years ahead from Brave Voices Brave Choices.

Vox's Jerusalem Demsas has burst onto the scene as a thought-leader on housing policy across the country. We were fortunate enough to book her for an interview to discuss the disjointed politics of land use policy, the economic impacts of SFD zoning, and how President Biden's new infrastructure plan may change all that.

Accessory Dwelling Units, or "ADUs", are a hot topic in housing policy and provide the opportunity for lower cost housing options in areas with high housing prices. Annapolis Alderman Brooks Schandelmeier has cosponsored legislation with Alderman DaJuan Gay to legalize and regulate ADU's in Maryland's state capitol. Kol Peterson is an ADU expert and has published the book "Backdoor Revolution-The Definitive Guide to ADU Development". In this discussion, we review the benefits and objections related to ADU's, their frequency of use in practice, and the questionable origin of single-family detached zoning that stands in the way of such units.

This week, Tom and Ainy interview Montgomery County Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson to discuss Thrive Montgomery 2050, urbanism, and affordable housing. This week’s featured business from The 3rd is “Simply Kashonna” founded by Kashonna Holland. “Simply Kashonna is building leaders through both a lifestyle, and corporate brand, focusing on motivational speaking, life coaching, and training.