Frederick delays decision on new co-living housing category amid overcrowding concerns
The proposed Personal Living Quarters category would allow private living units with shared kitchens and bathrooms, but commissioners want more information before making a recommendation.
HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW
Frederick is considering a new housing category called Personal Living Quarters. PLQ buildings would contain at least six individual units. Kitchens and possibly bathrooms would be shared. Each unit could house up to three people. The proposal requires at least one kitchen for every nine units. That could theoretically mean one kitchen shared by as many as 27 residents. Commissioners raised concerns about overcrowding, sanitation, kitchen access and landlord oversight. The Planning Commission plans to revisit the proposal on Oct. 12.
Frederick’s Planning Commission has delayed a recommendation on a proposed zoning category that would formally allow a new type of co-living housing in the city.
The proposal would create a category called Personal Living Quarters, or PLQ, for buildings containing at least six individual living units with shared kitchens and potentially shared bathrooms.
Each private unit could potentially house up to three people.
Supporters say the model could create another lower-cost housing option for residents who do not need or cannot afford a traditional apartment.
Commissioners, however, raised questions about whether the proposed standards could create overcrowding or poor living conditions.
One of the biggest concerns involves kitchen access.
The proposed rules would allow as few as one kitchen for every nine units. If every unit were occupied by three people, that could mean as many as 27 residents sharing one kitchen.
Other concerns included bathroom access, sanitation, property maintenance and whether landlords could exploit tenants in high-density living arrangements.
The Planning Commission is expected to review the proposal again on Oct. 12. The city’s official meeting calendar confirms a Planning Commission meeting is scheduled that evening.
The commission’s delay does not kill the proposal.
Instead, it gives staff and commissioners additional time to examine how similar housing models operate elsewhere and whether stronger standards are needed before the zoning amendment advances.
WHAT IT MEANS
Frederick is considering a housing model that sits somewhere between a traditional apartment building and rooming-house style housing.
The concept could create lower-cost options, but the Planning Commission wants more evidence that the rules would protect tenants and avoid unsafe or overcrowded conditions.
The Oct. 12 review could determine whether the proposal advances in its current form or returns with tighter standards.
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