Frederick is growing. And like many cities across the country, our housing needs are changing faster than our ordinances.

Over the past decade, we’ve seen a steady rise in single-person households, workforce mobility, and residents looking for flexible, lower-cost living arrangements. Yet many of our local rooming and occupancy regulations were written decades ago, at a time when housing patterns looked very different.

Our goal is simple: modernize the framework so it reflects how people actually live today.

Updating Outdated Rooming Ordinances

Much of the confusion around co-living stems from outdated language. Terms like “rooming house” often carry assumptions that no longer apply to modern shared housing.

We are proposing updates that

  • Clearly define what a Single Room Occupancy unit is
  • Distinguish small-scale shared housing from institutional facilities
  • Provide operational clarity for property owners and the City

Clarity benefits everyone. It helps residents understand what is being built. It helps neighbors know what to expect. And it gives developers and homeowners predictable guidelines to follow.

Defining SRO Units vs. Facilities

One important proposal is distinguishing between:

  • A private bedroom with shared common areas in a residential setting
  • Larger facilities that provide services or operate under entirely different models

Not all shared housing is the same. Modern co-living is often simply a cost-efficient residential design, not a social services facility.

Clear definitions remove unnecessary stigma and allow responsible operators to build housing that fits Frederick’s character.

Aligning Policy With Today’s Reality

We believe Frederick can preserve neighborhood integrity while also embracing thoughtful housing evolution.

Through collaborative discussions with City leadership and professionals like Katie Nash, we are working toward practical updates that balance:

  • Safety
  • Community standards
  • Housing accessibility
  • Predictability for investors

Modernizing ordinances is not about radical change. It is about responsible alignment with today’s housing reality.