Montgomery County Council OKs move to cut office vacancy rate

The Montgomery County Council has approved legislation designed to cut into the county’s office vacancy rate.

The “Make Office Vacancy Extinct (MOVE) Act” would codify and make permanent the program that awards grants to businesses that relocate to or expand within Montgomery County, Maryland.

During the discussion before Tuesday’s vote, Council member Evan Glass noted the office vacancy rate for Montgomery County hit a record high this year. The rate topped 18% in the first quarter of the year, according to CoStar, a commercial real estate company.

Glass said telework has changed the landscape in Montgomery County.

“We know that going to work in a physical location is good for our local economy, our stores, our restaurants and our coffee shops,” he said. “We’ve just got to keep doing more as we rethink our infrastructure.”

The entire WTOP article can be read here.