Gary Bennett

In awe of the humble strip mall — and my top 5 Frederick picks

by Gary Bennett

Prospect Plaza at S. Jefferson Street and Route 15.

This article appears in the January 15, 2026 issue of Frederick News-Post’s “72 Hours” entertainment magazine.

Nearly every neighborhood of any size has one: the humble strip mall. Short on ambience but long on usefulness, these unassuming clusters of storefronts are the quiet workhorses of American convenience.

In my retirement job as a pharmacy delivery driver, I spend my days moving through Frederick and taking in the city as it really is. Some sights are charming. Others, like utilitarian strip centers, less so. Still, when you need a six-pack, dry cleaning, a missing dinner ingredient or a quick taco, the strip mall reveals its true beauty.

So what exactly is a “strip shopping center”? As the name suggests, it is a row of stores arranged in a straight line or a simple L or U shape, usually with parking out front and serving a nearby neighborhood. According to Property Manager Insider, what these centers lack in atmosphere they make up for in convenience. Shoppers value the ease. Investors value the returns. Small business owners value the lower barrier to entry.

Strip malls are distinct from full shopping centers, indoor malls and commercial districts, which serve larger trade areas and feature more stores and infrastructure. Frederick has all four. Westview Promenade and the Seventh Street Shopping Center are examples of full shopping centers. The FSK Mall is now the city’s only indoor mall. The Golden Mile functions as a commercial district, as do the Route 26 shopping centers, which are quickly evolving in the same direction.

Indoor malls, once dominant, have steadily fallen out of favor over the past two decades. Meanwhile, outdoor shopping centers such as Riverview Plaza, Frederick Crossing and Market Square are outperforming them. More surprising still, Retail Insider reports that strip shopping centers are seeing stronger year-over-year sales growth than even larger shopping centers nationwide, driven by a preference for local businesses and the enduring appeal of convenience. Their lower construction costs only add to their resilience.

Frederick, one of Maryland’s fastest-growing municipalities, has no shortage of strip centers. Most residents live within a short walk or drive of one they rely on regularly. These centers tend to house businesses essential to daily life, from national chains like 7-11 and Dollar General to small independent shops. Typical tenants include grocery and convenience stores, restaurants, service providers such as salons and dry cleaners, specialty retail and practical businesses like banks, pharmacies and tax services.

For me, a truly great strip mall covers most everyday needs in one stop. Ideally, that means a small grocery, a few fast-casual food options, basic personal services, a place to indulge occasionally and something to offset the indulgence. I have yet to find one local center that includes everything, but some come close.

Below are my top five standalone strip shopping centers in and around Frederick. These are places I consider livable, meaning all basic needs are met within a short walk. A strong strip mall saves time and, surprisingly often, improves quality of life.

Ballenger Creek Plaza at Ballenger Creek Pike and Crestwood Boulevard.

5. Eastgate Shopping Center

East Patrick Street and Monocacy Boulevard

An L-shaped center with a standout donut shop, liquor store and several fast-casual options including Roy Rogers and JR’s Pizza. Belles combines a bar, pool hall and deli, while a well-stocked pet store rounds out the mix.

4. Thomas Johnson Center

Oppossumtown Pike and Thomas Johnson Drive

Anchored by Weis, this long strip center features an eclectic lineup of outparcel shops including a dry cleaner, spa, liquor store and multiple fast-casual restaurants. Zipani gives the center a distinct personality.

3. Ballenger Creek Plaza

Ballenger Creek Pike and Crestwood Boulevard

Anchored by Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park, this compact center includes a barber shop, nail salon, daycare, dollar store, liquor store, tax prep office and several pizza and sub shops. Urban Air makes it a destination, especially for families.

2. Walnut Ridge Center

Rosemont Avenue across from Fort Detrick

Anchored by Food Lion, this long strip center offers broad appeal with subs, pizza, Mexican, Chinese and ramen restaurants, plus a barber shop, nail salon, dry cleaner, Edible Arrangements and a travel agent. Dunkin’ and Starbucks in the parking lot seal the deal.

1. Prospect Plaza

Jefferson Street at Route 15

Serving several nearby neighborhoods, Prospect Plaza earns the top spot with unmatched retail density. Two adjacent dollar stores and a Gabe’s provide serious browsing power, while food options range from Pizza Hut and McDonald’s to Habanero’s Tacos and Chef Lin Buffet. Service offerings include salons, a liquor store, auto parts shop, dry cleaner and even a veterinarian. If I ever had to set up camp near a strip center, this would be it.

Gary Bennett is a longtime Frederick resident who spends his time hiking, biking, volunteering and providing childcare for grandchildren. He is married and retired from his career as a nonprofit marketing executive.

Affordable Housing in Frederick County: What it is, What’s Coming, and Why it Matters – 1/8/26

By Gary Bennett and Mary Ellen Mitchell

This article is the featured January 2026 blog post for the Affordable Housing Council of Frederick, Maryland.

Affordable housing is a topic that touches nearly every corner of our community, yet it’s often misunderstood. Before looking ahead to what’s coming in Frederick County, it helps to clearly understand what affordable housing is—and what it is not—and why it plays such a critical role in our local economy and quality of life.

What Affordable Housing Is—and Isn’t

Affordable housing is frequently confused with public housing or housing reserved only for people with very low incomes. Those options represent just one small segment of the broader affordable housing landscape. Affordable housing serves people across a wide range of incomes, especially working households who are essential to keeping Frederick County vibrant and functional.

Housing is generally considered affordable when a household spends no more than 30 percent of its gross income on housing costs. When housing expenses exceed that threshold, families become “cost-burdened,” leaving less room in their budgets for food, transportation, healthcare, childcare, and savings.

One group most impacted by the housing shortage is often referred to as the “missing middle.” These are teachers, healthcare workers, restaurant staff, first responders, retail workers, and others whose incomes are too high to qualify for many assistance programs but too low to comfortably afford today’s housing prices. As home prices, rents, and interest rates rise, these workers are increasingly priced out of the communities where they work.

So why don’t we just build more modestly priced homes?

The answer is complicated. Land costs have risen dramatically, construction labor and materials are more expensive, and regulatory requirements continue to add to development costs. Zoning policies that favor single-family homes over townhomes, apartments, and smaller units further limit housing choices. Without some form of public-private partnership, it’s extremely difficult to for developers to produce homes at a reasonable profit that working households can realistically afford.

How Communities Increase Affordable Housing

There are two primary approaches to addressing housing shortages.

One approach relies entirely on the private market, assuming high prices will eventually cool demand and bring costs down. While this theory works in some sectors of the economy, housing markets can take years—or decades—to rebalance, leaving families struggling in the meantime.

The second approach uses a combination of policies, incentives, and partnerships to encourage the creation of more attainable housing more quickly. Frederick County and the City of Frederick have largely embraced this strategy.

Some of the most effective tools include:

Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit (MPDU) policies, which require a portion of homes in new developments to be offered at more attainable price points or allow developers to contribute fees that support affordable housing elsewhere.
Fee waivers, such as reduced or eliminated impact fees for developments that include affordable units.
Public land partnerships, where county- or city-owned land is used to lower development costs.
More efficient review processes, helping bring housing to market faster and with greater cost predictability.
Expanded housing types, including accessory dwelling units (ADUs), adaptive reuse of underutilized buildings, co-living options, and manufactured housing.

Together, these tools help create a broader range of housing choices that reflect the needs of today’s households.

Why Affordable Housing Strengthens Our Community

Access to stable, affordable housing benefits everyone—not just the households who live in it.

Research consistently shows that housing stability is one of the most powerful predictors of long-term success. A major multi-year study from Stanford University found that children who grow up in stable, affordable homes perform better academically and have improved economic outcomes as adults. Children who moved to lower-poverty neighborhoods experienced increased earnings later in life and were more likely to invest in their communities.

When affordable housing is scarce, the impacts ripple outward. Families are forced to live farther from work, increasing traffic and transportation costs. Employers struggle to attract and retain workers. Communities lose young adults who want to stay but can’t find housing they can afford, and older residents have fewer options to downsize while remaining nearby.

In contrast, a healthy supply of affordable housing supports workforce stability, economic growth, environmental sustainability, and stronger neighborhoods.

What’s Available Today

While challenges remain, Frederick County and the City of Frederick have made meaningful progress in expanding affordable housing options for renters and homebuyers.

Within the City of Frederick, several communities offer income-restricted or moderately priced rental opportunities, including Foundry Square downtown, Catoctin View and Manor on Motter Avenue for seniors, Sharpe Square on Motter, Ox Fibre Apartments on East Church Street, and Crestwood Apartments on New Design Road. These communities help provide housing options near employment centers, schools, and services.

Outside the city, Railroad Square Apartments in Brunswick and Orchard Park at Ballenger Run offer other affordable rental options, contributing to housing choice along key transportation corridors and serving residents who want to remain connected to Frederick County while living in a smaller community.

Habitat for Humanity also plays a key role by creating affordable homeownership opportunities through condominiums and townhomes that use land trusts to help keep prices attainable over time.

In addition, many new townhome and apartment communities—while not income-restricted—like Gambrill Glen, Preserve at Tuscarora, and Upper East Apartments help relieve pressure on the overall housing market by increasing supply. When more housing is available at different price points, competition eases and affordability improves across the board.

Crestwood Manor on New Design Road in Frederick

How Affordable Rental Housing Is Financed: A Brief Look at LIHTC

One of the most important tools for creating affordable rental housing nationwide is the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC, pronounced “Li-tech”) program. Established by Congress in 1986, LIHTC allows private investors to receive federal tax credits in exchange for financing affordable rental homes. These credits reduce the cost of development, making it possible to offer rents that are lower than market rates while still covering operating expenses.

In Frederick County, LIHTC has helped support numerous affordable rental communities over the past several decades as we noted above. Through the work of the County’s Division of Housing, Frederick has successfully attracted these investments, resulting in hundreds of affordable homes for seniors, families, and individuals. This steady use of tax credits has been essential in maintaining a diverse housing stock as market rents continue to rise.

Still, innovative approaches to affordable housing have never been more critical given the reduction in federal assistance and the fact that the very competitive nature of LIHTC can result in no or fewer projects being funded in the County for any given year. Co-living (rental housing) projects can provide housing opportunities at a less per-unit construction cost than other types of projects, generally requiring less public construction subsidies. Rental subsidies, via vouchers, are eligible for such housing that can range in price from $500 per month to $1,200 per month. This affordable option should be considered in the County, especially if funds are available that were dedicated to other planned projects that did not receive tax credits.

Artist’s rendering of the under construction Terrace affordable homes in Frederick.

What’s Under Construction and What’s Ahead

Looking forward, Frederick County and the City of Frederick continue to plan for growth in ways that support housing diversity and smart land use. Most new residential communities are located near existing infrastructure, employment centers, or transit corridors.

According to the City of Frederick’s development pipeline, nearly 14,000 housing units are planned or underway over the coming years. These range from small infill developments to large mixed-use neighborhoods such as Bloomfields, Brickworks, Renn Quarter, and Worman’s Mill Court Apartments. While not all these homes will meet formal affordability definitions, they will significantly expand the housing supply and help ease the ongoing imbalance between demand and availability.

Additional city and county developments—including Frederick Health Village, Simmers property in Thurmont, Summers Farm, The Terrace, and Lucas Village—will add a mix of housing types that serve different household sizes, life stages, and budgets.

Notably, the County’s new Prospect Center campus at the Old State Farm building on Himes Avenue is slated to be mostly affordable units. 150 units are planned. Both the City and County are actively considering public land for affordable housing.

Finally, the County’s Housing Needs Assessment study, which is in its final stages, will provide concrete data on the current housing gap and projected housing demand for both the County and City, and help to set a strategic direction for affordable housing policy.

Where to Learn More and Take Next Steps

For anyone searching for affordable housing, reliable information is key. Start with local housing agencies and nonprofit organizations, and follow up directly with property management offices to learn about availability and application timelines.

Helpful resources include:

Housing Authority of the City of Frederick
City of Frederick Department of Housing and Human Services
Frederick County Division of Housing
Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County

Visiting individual community websites and joining interest or waiting lists early can also improve your chances of finding a suitable home.

A Shared Responsibility

Affordable housing is not a single solution or a one-time effort—it’s an ongoing commitment. When we invest in housing that meets the needs of working families, seniors, and future generations, we strengthen Frederick County as a whole. Thoughtful planning, strong partnerships, and informed community conversations will continue to shape a county where people can live, work, and thrive—together.

Art of the boy’s weekend

by Gary Bennett
Special to the News-Post

Jim, Gary and Randy enjoy a dip in the Gulf of Mexico at Siesta Key Beach, June 2024. Water temp: 84 degrees.

This article appears in the January 8, 2025 issue of Frederick News-Post’s “72 Hours” entertainment magazine.

Let’s say you’d like to put together a boy’s weekend. You’ve got the boys (sort of), an understanding partner (sure you do), and the time and money (pretty much) to pull it off. What else do you need? Plenty, I say.

As a devotee and primary organizer of an annual boy’s weekend, I can tell you that a lot can go wrong — unless you plan carefully.

Before we get started, you may be wondering: why not just take your wife or girlfriend on a nice trip? My friend, if you’re asking this question, then a boy’s weekend may not be for you. The point is to take time away from your dearly beloved to enjoy some manly pursuits — without worrying about boring her or boring yourself by doing things she wants to do. The focus should be on strengthening friendships with your guy pals through shared experiences. Along the way, you’ll create lasting memories that contribute to personal growth and make you a more well-rounded person.

And don’t downplay the cost savings of just one of you going on a trip. That may sound obvious, but if you’re the type of person who gets genuine pleasure from seeing someone else have fun, then you know exactly what I mean.

SELLING THE IDEA

The first thing you must do is get buy-in. If this idea comes out of the blue to your wife, girlfriend or partner, you’ll face an uphill battle — especially if you’re planning to go somewhere she has never been.

I was smart enough to insist my wife visit her sister in Florida right after the holidays — without me. “Yes,” I said, “you can enjoy undivided time with her without worrying about me.” A few years later, I even OK’d a trip to Europe for my wife and a girlfriend who had never been. I know — brilliant, right? Now I can plan my boy’s trips with impunity.

Jim, Gary and Randy enjoys the O’s vs. Tampa Bay Rays in June 2024.

PLANNING THE TRIP

It’s never too soon to begin planning your guy trip. These days, even retired guys have busy schedules, so I recommend giving yourself at least six months of lead time. You’ll often need that much time to secure good deals on transportation, accommodations and entertainment.

First, decide who to invite. I recommend keeping the group small — no more than four — and inviting close friends only. It may be tempting to invite that new guy you’re kind of smitten with, but resist the urge. You’ll be setting yourself up for failure. You not only need close friends on the trip, but the kind you’d be comfortable traveling and sleeping in the same room with. That’s harder than it sounds. Longtime friends who have known you at your worst — preferably since those awkward teenage years — are ideal. (This is an excellent reason to maintain friendships with high school and college chums.)

Another good tip is to choose friends your wife knows — and it’s even better if she knows their wives. This isn’t to say she’ll disapprove of people she doesn’t know, but why take a chance?

It also helps if everyone involved is a longtime, happily married husband. You never want to invite a friend who has recently married, divorced, or whose marriage is on shaky ground. (Believe me, everyone knows.) And this probably goes without saying, but you can never — I repeat, never — invite a single friend on a boy’s trip with married friends. That’s an unforced error and a recipe for disaster.

WHERE TO GO

Next, you’ll need to decide where to go and what to do. These two decisions go hand in hand. You wouldn’t head to the mountains if everyone loves the beach, but you’ll need to refine your thinking even further. Choose your destination wisely. Nothing says “boy’s holiday” like the right balance of adrenaline-fueled activities and downtime.

Plan collaboratively. Talk with your friends to find an approach everyone agrees on regarding budget and activities. Don’t over-schedule. Balance planned events with downtime, and leave room for spontaneity — some of the best moments come from it.

To drive or to fly? That depends largely on your destination and how much time you have. From the Frederick area, places like New York, New England, Florida, and even New Orleans could go either way. Choose carefully. Turning your boy’s getaway into a car trip introduces additional challenges: who drives and for how long, when to stop, where to eat, and whether the car ride is for music or conversation. My preference is to go far enough that flying is the only option. Flying offers the best combination of shared experience and personal space — and it can be just as cost-effective as driving.

Next, decide on accommodations. One big advantage of a boy’s weekend is the ability to rent a large suite — one you normally couldn’t afford — and split the cost three or four ways. But this needs to be discussed upfront. How many rooms will you need? Some friends may prefer their own modest room, while others are fine sharing. If three of you go, a large suite may be perfect. If four, two rooms might make more sense. Budget and comfort levels matter here, so don’t gloss over this decision.

Jim, Gary and Randy at Area 51 just north of Las Vegas, November 2025.

WHAT TO DO

Now comes the fun part: deciding on activities. For a three- or four-day weekend, I recommend scheduling at least two structured activities. The best guy trips strike a balance between high-energy experiences and time to relax. Naturally, whatever you choose must appeal to everyone so no one feels left out.

Classic boys’ weekend ideas include outdoor adventures like camping, hiking, fishing, rafting, or golf; attending a live sporting event or concert; or exploring a city with a focus on food, drink, nightlife, or gaming. Most of my boy’s weekends have centered around sporting events and concerts. Add some beach or pool time, good meals, and maybe a short bus or river tour, and you’ve got all the ingredients for a great getaway.

OTHER SENSIBILITIES TO WATCH OUT FOR

Be mindful of sleeping and bathroom arrangements. You don’t live with these guys, so you may not know their habits. Some shower at night, others in the morning. Some wake early; others sleep in. Some eat breakfast; some don’t. These details matter — talk about them ahead of time.

You probably already know which friends are easygoing and which are a bit more uptight. Some prefer a regimented schedule; others thrive on spontaneity. Be aware of these quirks, try to accommodate them when possible, and focus on the fun. After all, you’ll be back home before you know it.

Gary, Jim and Randy getting ready for an Eagles concert at the amazing Sphere in Las Vegas, November 2025.

MY WEEKEND TRIPS

I didn’t start organizing boy’s weekends until I retired a few years ago, but they’ve since become an annual rite of passage. We’re not golfers or thrill-seekers, but we know what we like. True to my own advice, we plan just a few activities and leave plenty of room to relax and be spontaneous.

To date, my two (and sometimes three) pals and I have taken these boy’s weekends over three or four days, and we’ve always had a great time:

2020 — Detroit: Two Orioles baseball games and a river walk.

2021 — Arlington, Texas: Two Orioles baseball games and a Texas Hill County tour.

2022 — New Orleans: Paul McCartney concert, Bourbon Street bar hopping and a bus tour.

2023 — Denver: Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game and a Red Rocks concert.

2024 — Tampa: Two Orioles baseball games and a Siesta Key Beach outing.

2025 — Las Vegas: Eagles concert at the Sphere, Area 51 tour, light gambling.

Joe Theismann will talk in Frederick about how to set and reach goals

By Gary Bennett
Special to the News-Post

This article appears in the January 8, 2026 issue of Frederick News-Post’s “72 Hours” entertainment magazine.

Legendary NFL quarterback Joe Theismann will share his incredible journey from 1982 NFL MVP and 1983 Super Bowl champion to media personality, businessman and motivational speaker at 8 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick. An Evening with Joe Theismann is part of the Weinberg Center’s Live Series, celebrating iconic speakers and resilient stories.

Joe Theismann is an iconic Washington sports figure, best known for his long NFL career spent entirely with the Washington Redskins, after a short stint in the Canadian Football League. He played with Redskin greats like the “over-the-hill-gang,” “hogs,” “fun bunch” and “Riggo.” He led the Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XVII in January 1983 over the Miami Dolphins but unfortunately suffered a gruesome on-field injury that ended his football career abruptly in 1985.

His football journey was unique and star-crossed, to say the least.

A college football Hall of Famer, Theismann starred for three years as quarterback for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He was not only a football all-American and Heisman Trophy runner up in 1971 but was also an academic all-American, loquacious and witty and with movie star good looks. The Notre Dame sports information department was so eager for him to win the Heisman in 1971 that they informed him they would change the pronunciation of his name to rhyme with Heisman (with a long i sound). At the time, there was not a more glamorous or well-known player in college football.

Thought too small to play quarterback in the NFL, Theismann was drafted into the Canadian Football League in 1971. He spent three standout years with Toronto Argonauts, lauded for his daring and effective quarterback play. In 1974 he was acquired by the Washington Redskins as a backup quarterback and punt returner. The latter was a job unheard-of for any quarterback before or since. Known as a fierce competitor, Theismann willingly took the job just to get onto the field. In 1978, he finally assumed the starting quarterback position, supplanting another Redskin favorite, Billy Kilmer.

In November 1985, shortly after his MVP and Super Bowl winning years, Theismann suffered a devastatingly severe compound fracture of his tibia and fibula when sacked by Lawrence Taylor of the New York Giants on Monday Night Football in front of millions of viewers. The 36-year-old Theismann was wstill in his prime for an NFL quarterback, but unfortunately, the injury ended his career on the spot. The image of Taylor frantically waving for help while a prone Theismann lay unable to move and in clear agony is one of the most enduring and wrenching images the NFL has to offer.

Unable to play again, Theismann retired and embarked on a successful broadcasting career. In 1986 and 1987, he served as color commentator on NFL games for CBS. In 1988 he became the longtime lead analyst for Sunday Night Football, a job he kept through 2005. He joined the Monday Night Football TV crew for one year in 2006. Since then, he has appeared consistently on the NFL Network and covered Thursday Night Football. In 1994 he won a CableACE Award (an Emmy equivalent) for insightful NFL commentary.

Today, he appears across various media, co-hosting Playbook, a weekly show on the Washington Commanders network; on podcasts such as 2nd City Gridiron and the Ruffino and Joe Show; in the movies, usually playing himself in such fare as Cannonball Run II; and in the theater with his live show, An Evening with Joe Theismann. His NFL Films documentary, Joe Theismann: A Football Life airs periodically on the NFL Network. He has written books, including his latest, How to be a Champion Every Day, and leads various business ventures including Theismann’s, his restaurant in Alexandria, that has been in operation since 1975.

As a motivational speaker, Theismann is in high demand by organizations such as Gaylord Hotel, ADM Investor Services, SHOPCO Stores, Prosperity Life, University of Phoenix and the Restaurant Association of Maryland. Theismann often speaks on the relationship between business, sports, and our personal lives, and how they parallel one another. He shares lessons on leadership, overcoming adversity and mental toughness, which he now brings to his live shows.

At the Weinberg Center, Theismann will speak for about 60 to 75 minutes about his football life and how to set and reach your goals and motivate those around you. After his talk, he will entertain questions from the audience. Tickets are available at weinbergcenter.org.

Gary Bennett is a longtime Frederick resident who spends his time hiking, biking, volunteering and providing childcare for grandchildren. He is married and retired from his career as a nonprofit marketing executive.

(Don’t) party like it’s 1999: My most memorable News Year’s Eve

By Gary Bennett

This article appears in the December 31, 2025 issue of Frederick News Post’s “72 Hours” entertainment insert.

Looking back, New Year’s Eve 1999 was momentous on several fronts. It was the end of the year, decade, century and even the millennium, but few remember it could have been the end of civilization as we knew it.

I am overstating that last item, of course, but fears were rampant because of a little thing called the Y2K computer bug.

The shorthand form of the year 2000 (Y2K) became synonymous with impending doom. It referred to possible failures to computer systems because years (back in those days) were denoted as two-digit numbers instead of four. Therefore, no one could be sure how computers would react to the rollover from 99 to 00. Some believed computers would think it was 1900 instead of 2000, making any calculations that relied on time, like interest payments on savings or Social Security payments, to fail.

As incredible as it sounds now, this glitch was simply due to pure cost savings and an amazing lack of foresight. Early in the computer age, which dates from the 1940s, data storage was extremely expensive and programmers compensated by taking shortcuts wherever possible. One easy shortcut was to denote years as a two-digit number instead of four. No one worried about the year 2000 because it was so far away, and it wasn’t at all clear this new technology would catch on.

At the turn of the century, I was working for the Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. (BNA) in Washington, D.C. It was a large publishing company that specialized in reporting on legislative and regulatory news coming out of the federal government. It is now part of Bloomberg. BNA reported extensively on governmental efforts to stem this coming catastrophe. We even had a publication called the Y2K Reporter.

During the late 1990s, the federal government finally recognized the problems this computer glitch could cause and they went to work in a bipartisan fashion to fix the problems unimaginable today. By some estimates, the federal government spent upwards of $600 billion to remedy the 2-digit year glitch.

I was not a reporter or a computer programmer at BNA but a communications-type person. Nevertheless, I was on high alert New Year’s Eve, ready to make my way to the office in D.C. if the unimaginable happened. And believe me, doomsday scenarios were running wild: Jets would fall from the sky at midnight, the power grid would fail, and people would not be able to withdraw funds from banks were a few of the wildest.

Luckily, nothing much happened. There was some minor glitches to nonessential government programs but no widespread systems failures like some predicted. Our Y2K Reporter folded up the following year, and New Year’s Eve the following year was much more pleasant.

So, on Dec. 31, 1999, I was not ready to “party like it was 1999,” as Prince suggested, but was suffering from high anxiety like millions of other Americans and looking askance at my big, old desktop computer.

Federal Government Shutdown’s Effect on Housing

By Gary Bennett

This article appears as the featured December blog post on Frederick County Government’s Affordable Housing Council website.

The federal government shutdown recently and thankfully ended but could have long-lasting effects on the ability to provide affordable housing for those who need it most.

The reason is simple: an entity as large as the federal government cannot turn on a dime and cannot ramp up fast enough to reestablish the safety net programs that are so crucial to poor and working-class Americans.

Sadly, many of these crucial programs were under fire even before the shutdown began. The reduction or delay in government benefits will affect the decisions people have to make today about how they spend their available resources.

During the shutdown many young families burned through whatever savings they had trying to keep their head above water. Others maxed out credit cards to survive. The shutdown opened the door for financial overload for many. Many if not most, are now further from homeownership than they were prior to the shutdown.

Let’s look at some pocketbook facts.

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average household’s monthly expenses were $6,440 ($77,280 over the entire year) in 2023. That’s up from $6,081 ($72,967 over the entire year) in 2022. The average annual income after taxes was $87,869 in 2023, up from $83,195 in 2022. Even under the best conditions, that leaves little room for error or an unexpected major expense.

Naturally, housing is the largest average expense for most Americans at $2,120 per month, making up 33% of typical spending. That is the absolute highest ratio Americans should spend for their housing to not be considered cost-burdened or “house poor.”

Housing costs are followed in order by transportation, food, personal insurance and healthcare. None of these costs can be looked at in a vacuum. All are interrelated. If, for example, your housing subsidy goes away, it would be extremely difficult to make up for that in other areas.

Food

On the food front, low-income families may have trouble buying food if safety-net programs stall.

The SNAP program, which some 42 million Americans rely on for food assistance, has been the subject of much uncertainty — and an escalating legal battle — in recent weeks. The Trump administration said last month that it would suspend SNAP funding in November due to the shutdown, prompting a wide outcry and a series of legal challenges.

At this point, beneficiaries in some states have gotten their full monthly allocations, while others have gotten partial payments or nothing at all. Reopening the government means restarting SNAP, but it’s not clear how quickly full payments will resume since that varies by state. And, many who rely on the program are worried that benefits could be cut again.

One lesson that both parties should take from the fight is this: You should not play politics with the food assistance program that 42 million people, including about 18,000 in Frederick County, depend on. In the future, SNAP benefits and other federal payments should be specifically exempt from cutoff during a shutdown. Congress should direct the government to continue paying these vital benefits.

Housing

On the housing front, the government shutdown created significant disruptions and delays for various housing services, like loan processing, rental assistance payments, and federal insurance programs.

For home buyers and sellers, significant delays are expected for government-backed loans from the FHA, VA and USDA. That means big delays for families waiting on mortgages and for developers and homeowners seeking refinancing or rehabilitation funding. First-time buyers that rely on federally backed loans would likely be hit hardest.

Lenders rely on the IRS for income and tax verification. The shutdown caused major backlogs in this process, delaying loan approvals for conventional loans and those backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that can’t be reversed quickly.

For renters and homeowners who get federal assistance through programs like the Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and Project-Based Rental Assistance, the prolonged shutdown will almost certainly mean funding gaps when reserves are depleted, creating financial uncertainty for public housing agencies and participating landlords.

Public housing agencies may need to rely on limited operating reserves for daily operations and emergency repairs, potentially forcing them to limit services or delay critical capital improvement projects.

Homeless assistance grants recipients will almost certainly experience delays due to needing HUD staff approval that will be heavily backlogged thereby disrupting the continuity of services.

For federal workers, the State of Maryland has taken steps to protect against evictions and foreclosures. This means an involuntarily furloughed federal government employee at risk of eviction or foreclosure can ask the court to temporarily pause the eviction or foreclosure during the shutdown. Federal employees are protected even if they are required to work during a shutdown.

For everyone else, it has been reported that HUD has restored Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) funding for both November and December. But nothing is guaranteed for January because of the shutdown.

State Resources

The State of Maryland is doing its best to step in during the shutdown and during the time it takes federal programs to ramp up after the shutdown.

If any homeowners get behind on mortgages, they shouldconnect with a HUD-approved housing counseling agency for free and objective guidance on available options. If foreclosure action has been filed, they should act quickly and consider reaching out to a nonprofit legal services provider.

If evicted from a rental home, reach out to the Access to Counsel in Evictions Program for coordinated legal services. Maryland has recently passed several tenant protection laws.

Local Resources

Local Continuums of Care offer emergency rental assistance, street outreach, shelter, and permanent housing assistance for individuals at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Contact your community’s coordinated entry hotline or intake point for access to local services.

The city of Frederick recently announced it will provide rental assistance, flexible payments, and other services to federal workers affected by the government shutdown. About 3,500 federal workers live in the city according to the city’s website.

Frederick County has recently approved $2.5 million in aid to organizations helping county residents dealing with the impacts of the federal government shutdown. $1.5 million is allocated to provide grants to nonprofit organizations in the county and an additional $1 million for local food banks to help them meet demand. The county is home to about 12,000 federal workers.

Key West: Carefree in the ‘Conch Republic’

By Gary Bennett

Article appears in the November 20, 2025 issue of the Frederick News-Post’s “72 Hours” entertainment magazine.

They say Key West is for pirates, parrots and poets. I didn’t see any of those on a recent visit, but the phrase captures the island’s whimsical, creative and laid-back spirit. Like Las Vegas or New Orleans, it’s one of those places every American should experience at least once before they head off to that great overseas highway in the sky.

And speaking of highways, few routes are as memorable as the 113-mile Florida Keys Overseas Highway. Stretching from Key Largo to Key West across an astonishing 42 bridges, it hopscotches from island to island, each with its own personality. The drive delivers uninterrupted ocean views, glimpses of coral reefs, dolphins and endless boat traffic. Think dozens of Chesapeake Bay Bridges lined up end to end.

Yes, Key West has its own international airport with flights from across the U.S. and abroad, but I’m not sure why anyone uses it. Flying into Miami, renting a car, and driving the Keys offers a breezy, scenic adventure filled with quirky shops and water in every direction. It goes by quickly.

Key West is the southernmost city in the continental U.S. Surprisingly, it’s closer to Havana (90 miles) than to Miami (165 miles). Jutting far into the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, the island has a tropical climate and is regularly hit by hurricanes and tropical storms.

The writer poses at Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Key West.

With weather similar to a Caribbean island, daytime and nighttime temperatures rarely vary by more than 15 degrees at any time of year. Prevailing easterly trade winds keep summer temperatures from climbing too high and winter temperatures from dropping too low. It’s rare for the thermometer to reach 95 degrees.

As you pull into town, you’ll notice palm-shaded streets, stately historic homes, salty air and nightly waterfront sunsets that are astonishingly beautiful. Only about 30,000 people live here full-time. Because the weather barely shifts from season to season, visitors come throughout the year, which helps disperse crowds. We’ve visited in both January and August; the weather felt almost identical, and the island never seemed like an overwhelming tourist trap — more like a homey escape.

Many early residents immigrated from the Bahamas and were known as “Conchs” (pronounced “conks”). In the 20th century, residents began embracing the term, and today it generally refers to full-time locals.

One of the island’s most beloved stories dates to 1982, when Key West symbolically declared independence as the “Conch Republic” in response to a U.S. Border Patrol blockade at the junction of U.S. Route 1 and the mainland. The blockade created major traffic delays and disrupted daily life. Although the secession was purely symbolic, the tale endures, and the Conch Republic Independence Celebration is marked annually on April 23.

Key West is compact in both population and size, but you’ll want at least three or four days to get a real feel for the place.

MUST-SEES

Start with a visit to the southernmost point in the continental U.S., marked by a giant, whimsically painted concrete buoy. Locals say the point was once indicated by a simple sign, but constant photo-seekers led to its upgrade. Here you’ll also find the “90 miles to Cuba” marking. It’s kitschy, but worth the photo (this is one of the most photographed spots in the country). The marker sits at 1400 Whitehead Street on the waterfront, and there’s no admission fee. When we visited, the line was short and we snapped our picture in minutes.

Next, grab a photo at Mile Marker 0, the literal and figurative end of the road in America. It marks the southern terminus of U.S. Route 1, the longest north-south road in the nation. For the dedicated road-tripper, its northern end is in Fort Kent, Maine, near the Canadian border. Driving it straight through would take more than 50 hours — and you’d likely hit every stoplight in every small town along the way.

Take a leisurely walk down Key West’s most iconic street, Duval Street, the island’s historical, entertainment, culinary and cultural center. It runs 14 blocks — about a mile — from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. No one rushes here; you’re on island time.

Under the category of “only in Key West,” don’t be surprised if free-roaming chickens wander across your path. They strut around as if they own the place — and perhaps they do. Early Cuban settlers brought chickens for food and cockfighting. When supermarkets took over and cockfighting was outlawed, many birds were released. Today, locals often prefer the chickens to tourists, and attempts to control their population have sparked strong resistance.

One of the most photographed places in the U.S.

Once you’ve navigated the chickens, visit two historic landmarks: the Ernest Hemingway Home and the Harry S. Truman Little White House.

Hemingway lived in Key West from 1931 to 1939. His wife’s wealthy uncle purchased the home as a wedding gift. It features an impressive swimming pool that cost the equivalent of nearly $350,000 today. Here, Hemingway was introduced to deep-sea fishing by Joe Russell (the original “Sloppy Joe”) and acquired his lifelong nickname, “Papa.”

These were his most productive years. He wrote “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “The Snows of Kilimanjaro,” “To Have and Have Not” and “Death in the Afternoon” in the mornings at his estate, reserving afternoons for his family. (“A Farewell to Arms” was completed before he arrived in Key West.)

President Harry S. Truman visited Key West 11 times during his presidency, spending a total of 175 days there, mostly during winter. At the Little White House, he conducted official business and worked on the Truman Doctrine, which pledged political, military and economic support to democratic nations threatened by authoritarian regimes. President Dwight Eisenhower later recuperated there after a heart attack, and Presidents John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter were also frequent visitors.

While in town, stop for a drink and a meal at Sloppy Joe’s Bar. The food and drinks themselves are nothing remarkable, but the history is. Founder Joe Russell, a rumrunner from Cuba, needed a place to sell his goods. With encouragement from Hemingway, he opened The Blind Pig, which became Hemingway’s favorite bar. Hemingway suggested renaming it “Sloppy Joe’s” in reference to the wet floors caused by melting ice used to sell seafood. The name stuck.

In one legendary episode, Russell — unhappy paying $4 a month in rent during the 1930s — moved the bar down the block, “lock, stock and barrel,” with help from his customers, who continued drinking as they carried furniture and supplies. The landlord was furious but could do little about it.

End your stay with the sunset celebration at Mallory Square, held nearly every night of the year. This waterfront event begins an hour before sunset and features artists, craftspeople, psychics, street performers, food vendors and crowds of locals and visitors who gather to watch the sun sink into the Gulf to cheers and live music.

Ocean in all directions as you navigate the Florida Keys Overseas Highway.

Bernard W. Brown: 95 years of serving and going strong

By Gary Bennett

Bernard Brown stands in front of the building named after him on N. Market Street in downtown Frederick. Staff photo by Ric Dugan

This article appears in the October 15, 2025 issue of the Frederick News-Post’s Prime Time Magazine.

There are not too many living Fredericktonians with their names on a building, but Bernard W. Brown of Thomas Avenue is one of them. He is, without a doubt, the epitome of a life well lived. He has accomplished much in his 95 years and is determined to remain active and vital for as long as he can.

At the current United Way of Frederick County offices at 629 North Market Street, the Bernard W. Brown Community Center proudly bears his name. The Center stands as a testament to his lifelong work advocating for affordable housing in Frederick.

“I’m very proud of the Bernard Brown Building,” he said recently. “The Housing Authority named it after me after serving as chairman [for the Housing Authority] for more than 20 years. I go way back. I first got involved with my daughter at some programs there.”

His building is no longer a community center but serves as the United Way’s main conference room, featuring prominent floor to ceiling windows. Seeing it still thriving and providing support to residents makes Brown proud.

“I’m really pleased with the way things worked out. It gave the United Way a good, central place to operate and tied in the Housing Authority and their properties with it in a way that is good for both.”

AN ELK AT HEART

Throughout his career, Brown has worked tirelessly behind the scenes, not only leading the Housing Authority but with a number of boards and committees.

Remarkably, he also served as exalted ruler of the Mountain City Elks Lodge for more than 50 years. Oct. 15 of every year is now Bernard W. Brown Day at the Elks. He was even presented a key to the lodge, so he can come and go as he pleases.

“What can I say? I love the world of ‘Elkdom,’” Brown said of his time and service with the Elks. “My brother Adrian and I joined up together. He got sick and passed at a young age, but he told me that’s a good organization so stay there as long as you can. I’ve been a member for 58 years now. I stepped down five or six years ago as exalted ruler.”

As for his special day at the Elks, Brown is characteristically humble.

“My brother and I saw that a lot of help was needed. We wanted to do as much as we could and didn’t want our efforts to fall away, so I pledged to carry on after my brother died as a tribute to him. Before I knew it, decades had passed,” Brown said.

Now he looks forward to his special day every year because friends near and far call to congratulate him on his life and legacy, typically ones he’s not heard from in years.

It wasn’t always hard work with the Elks.

“We’d go to the convention in whatever city, and then we’d stay an additional week,” he recalled. “That gave us a chance to travel, and most of the time we drove. My wife wouldn’t fly or take the train. These were some of our most enjoyable times. We’ve been to Vegas, Detroit and lots of trips to Atlanta. My wife was also a teacher, so we had summers off and took advantage of that for our trips.”

ORIGINAL POWER COUPLE

Brown lost his wife Ruth in 2023. They had been married for 68 years. Ruth Brown worked as a local teacher and coach and founded the Bernetta R. Brown Dance Troupe, named for their late daughter.

Brown credits Ruth as the person who kept him grounded. Together, they were a power couple to be reckoned with.

They both joined the NAACP and delighted in helping others solve problems. They didn’t always succeed but generally felt they made things a little better.

“I miss her a lot. We had a good life together. We were both Christians, and I just remember all the special things she did for the community and family. She was the backbone of the family. If I came to her with something I wanted to do, she never turned me down. She always said, ‘Give me one good reason why you can’t do this?’ I could never come up with anything. I took care of her at the end. That left me with a very special feeling. It gave me the opportunity to show her how much I loved her.”

LABORING SONS

Along with his passion for the Elks and his work at the Housing Authority, Brown was instrumental in the restoration of Laboring Sons Memorial Grounds on Chapel Alley between Fifth and Sixth streets. It was a Black cemetery when it was donated to Frederick in 1941. The city then converted the site to a whites-only playground in 1948, but after the original purpose for the site was discovered in 1999, the playground was dismantled and the site was re-dedicated as the Laboring Sons Memorial Grounds in 2003.

“I looked into the history of the cemetery and found they closed it and built a park over it,” Brown recalled. “The park at that time was segregated. I got together with Bill Lee and a couple of friends and said we need to restore it so people can remember it. We went to Mayor [Jennifer] Daugherty, at the time and she allowed us to restore it. So we got it restored and added the monument. It turned out to be something nice for the community.”

LEARNING AND SERVING

Brown credits a surprising career change for sparking his love for learning and serving.

He’d worked for Frederick Construction Company for 22 years as the concrete supervisor when a friend told him the school system was changing the way they hire teachers in the construction field.

“I interviewed and because of my time in construction, they hired me as a teacher. But I had to pick up 18 credits right away during the summer at the University of Maryland to get my teaching degree. I got my degree and then got my first teaching assignment at Brunswick High School teaching the building trades. I retired after being at Brunswick High and New Market Middle schools. It all came about because research showed that students learned better from people that had actual hands-on experience in the trades.”

Brown credits community service for his longevity and constantly working his mind to remain mentally fit and agile and recommends getting involved in the community as much as possible.

“I got involved in a lot of community stuff early because of my wife. She was involved in a lot of things, so I started going with her. I started volunteering under Ron Young. He appointed me to the first block grant committee. After that, everything took off.”

In his many decades, he has seen and contributed to more change than most of us can imagine.

“Things are better now than they were. Now, we’ve sort of come to a halt nationally, but we’re still doing alright compared to the old times.”

Brown was no stranger to discrimination, segregation and redlining. With a twinkle but slight hint of sorrow in his eyes, he told the story of how he came to be in his current home on Thomas Avenue in Frederick.

“My first home was on South Street. We bought that one. After 10 or 12 years there, we built this house. My realtor was a real nice Christian man and he had us a place lined up on Route 40 — the Golden Mile — up on the left [in the Hillcrest neighborhood]. But, at that time there were terrible racial problems. People up there found out we were Black and started talking. The owners took it off the market. My realtor was mad and said, ‘I’m going to get you a nice home if that’s the last thing I do.’ He found this lot on Thomas Avenue and we jumped on it. I got a contractor to set up the shell and we did the rest ourselves — me, my father and two brothers. We were all builder types.”

THE FUTURE

At 95 years old, Bernard Brown’s lifelong dedication to service continues to inspire everyone around him, and he is optimistic about the direction of the city.

“I think we’ve had good people as mayors and on the boards,” he said. “I believe we should support our leaders, not condemn them unless they’re really doing something terrible. I talk with Mayor O’Connor some, and he spoke at my 95th birthday. And Ron Young, too. I’ve been friends with them all. When I’ve had a problem, I go to them and they’ve never backed off.”

His impact is lasting, and his example reminds us of the power of service and community.

Gary Bennett is a longtime Frederick resident who spends his time hiking, biking, volunteering and providing childcare for grandchildren. He serves as a board member of Advocates for Homeless Families and is on the Affordable Housing Council for Frederick County.

One-hit wonderful: Celebrate these one-off hits on One-Hit Wonder Day

By Gary Bennett

Motion of the turntable of warm toned image with shallow depth of field

This article appears in the September 25, 2025, issue of Frederick News-Post’s “72 Hours” entertainment magazine.

I’ve always puzzled at the mockery directed toward pop artists who only manage one big hit song in their careers. In my mind, they’ve managed something that few others have: hit the jackpot in life by creating something that brings others entertainment and sometimes joy. That is one-hit “wonder-ful” in my book.

I’m not alone. These artists and their songs even have their own day. September 25 is officially “One-Hit Wonder Day.”

A one-hit wonder is any artist that achieves mainstream popularity, often for only one piece of work, and becomes known among the public solely for that momentary success. The term is mostly used for music performers with only one hit single that overshadows their other work.

Because of streaming services and the decline of broadcast radio, the line has been blurred as to what is a hit song now days and what is not. People listen to what they want and pay less attention to mainstream radio and Top 40 charts than they used to.

Still, the term ‘one-hit wonder’ lives on in popular culture. How many times have you heard the term directed at someone who (as far as you can tell) has only done one big thing in life? I tease my best friend all the time with this term because he obviously “married up.” Another gets the same ribbing because he is an only child.

Maybe one-hit wonders haven’t attained long-lasting success or public notoriety, but in many cases, they’ve earned a comfortable living with a little thing called “royalties.”

Case in point, back in my day, a fellow named Norman Greenbaum had one big hit, “Spirit in the Sky.” It reached No. 3 on the pop charts in 1970. I’m sure you’ve heard it. It has sort of a mystical vibe. It turns up in movies and commercials all the time. Even though he long-ago signed away the publishing rights, Greenbaum still receives a cut of the revenue as the song’s performer. Each time “Spirit in the Sky” appears in a movie or ad, he cashes a check for $10,000 or more.

“It’s not like it’s made me rich, as you can see,” said Greenbaum, 82, pointing at his modest two-bedroom home in Santa Rosa, California. “But because of ‘Spirit in the Sky,’ I’ve never had to work a real job. “

Then there are the hitmakers in bands who go off to become solo performers but don’t have the same success on their own.

There is a fellow named Dave Mason who had plenty of hits with a terrific band called Traffic in the 1960s but came up with just one big one as a solo performer, “We Just Disagree,” in 1977. He’s now 79 and still plays small clubs. Before he plays his one big solo hit, he tells the audience it’s his “mailbox song,” because every month he walks out to the mailbox and picks up his royalty check. He says he has no idea how much he’s made on that one song but agrees he could probably live off it.

English singer, songwriter and guitarist Dave Mason performs in 1974 in London, UK. (Photo by Chris Walter/Getty Images)

Consider, too, the successful artists that have been called one-hit wonders even though they’ve had other charting singles. In their cases, one mammoth song overshadowed everything else they’ve done. Think Grateful Dead’s “Touch of Grey,” Beck’s “Loser,” Frank Zappa’s “Valley Girl” and Simple Minds’ “Don’t You Forget About Me.”

I often joke with my wife that if I could just come up with one pop hit, we would be set (never mind the fact that I have no musical talent).

“Macarena” by Los Del Río in 1996 is often cited as the quintessential one-hit wonder. The song’s popularity, powered by the iconic dance, made it a global sensation in the mid-1990s. Afterwards, the band was never able to come anywhere close to the level of success achieved by that song.

So, settle in fellow music fans and take a trip with me through the decades on One-Hit Wonder Day on Sept. 25, and pull up some of these classic songs and terrific artists who never reached these heights again. But at least they did once!

1960s

• Teen Angel, Mark Dinning, 1960

• The Lions Sleeps Tonight, The Tokens, 1961

• Monster Mash, Bobby “Boris” Picket, 1962

• Rhythm of the Rain, The Cascades, 1963

• (Just Like) Romeo and Juliet, The Reflections, 1964

• Eve of Destruction, Barry McGuire, 1965

• Wild Thing, The Troggs, 1966

• A Whiter Shade of Pale, Procol Harum, 1967

• In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, Iron Butterfly, 1968

• Get Together, The Youngbloods, 1969

1970s

• Ride Captain Ride, Blues Image, 1970

• One Toke Over the Line, Brewer & Shipley, 1971

• Brandy, You’re a Fine Girl, Looking Glass, 1972

• Dancing in the Moonlight, King Harvest, 1973

• Midnight at the Oasis, Maria Muldaur, 1974

• The Hustle, Van McCoy, 1975

• Play That Funky Music, Wild Cherry, 1976

• You Light Up My Life, Debby Boone, 1977

• Short People, Randy Newman, 1978

• My Sharona, The Knack, 1979

1980s

• Whip It, Devo, 1980

• Just the Two of Us, Grover Washington, Jr., 1981

• 867-5309/Jenny, Tommy Tutone, 1982

• There’s Always Something There to Remind Me, Naked Eyes, 1983

• We’re Not Gonna Take It, Twisted Sister, 1984

• Take on Me, a-ha, 1985

• Take My Breath Away, Berlin, 1986

• At This Moment, Billy Vera and the Beaters, 1987

• Don’t Worry, Be Happy, Bobby McFerrin, 1988

• Bust a Move, Young MC, 1989

1990s

• Ice Ice Baby, Vanilla Ice, 1990

• Walking in Memphis, Marc Cohn, 1991

• Life Is a Highway, Tom Cochrane, 1992

• I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), The Proclaimers, 1993

• Loser, Beck, 1994

• I’ll Be There for You (Theme from Friends), The Rembrandts, 1995

• Macarena, Los Del Rio, 1996

• MMMBop, Hanson, 1997

• Torn, Natalie Imbuglia, 1998

• Mambo No. 5, Lou Bega, 1999

2000s

• Who Let the Dogs Out, Baha Men, 2000

• I Hope You Dance, Lee Ann Womack, 2001

• The Middle, Jimmy Eat World, 2002

• The Boys of Summer, The Ataris, 2003

• Heaven, Los Lonely Boys, 2004

• Bad Day, Daniel Powter, 2005

• Crazy, Gnarles Barkley, 2006

• Hey There Delilah, Plain White T’s, 2007

• All Summer Long, Kid Rock, 2008

• Goodbye, Kristinia DeBarge, 2009

2010s

• Call Me Maybe, Carly Rae Jepsen, 2010

• Somebody That I Used to Know, Goyte, 2011

• Let Her Go, Passenger, 2012

• Ho Hey, Lumineers, 2013

• Cheerleader, Omi, 2014

• Fight Song, Rachel Platten, 2015

• Ex’s and Oh’s, Elle King, 2016

• Feel It Still, Portugal. The Man, 2017

• Let You Down, NF, 2018

• Roxanne, Arizona Zervas, 2019

‘YIMBY’ analysis ignores reality

By Gary Bennett

The letter to the editor appears in the September 12, 2025, issue of the Frederick News-Post

The Sept. 5 column “Forget YIMBY. The housing shortage could disappear on its own.” is an example of a column from an outsider that really says nothing.

The word “could” in the title should be the tipoff. I “could” become a millionaire tomorrow. Sure, but not very likely.

The same can be said about the author’s opinion on a subject he apparently knows little about. He says the housing shortage will straighten itself out in five years due to demographic shifts and a surge in construction.

Five years sounds pretty good, but that is no solace to the 20- and 30-somethings who can’t find an affordable home for their growing families now.

Demographic shifts and a surge in construction also sound plausible, but I know from my time on the Affordable Housing Council of Frederick County that affordable housing simply cannot be built without incentives to do so.

The math just does not work because of the cost of land and other factors, including the price of materials, and, yes, zoning regulations.

I’m part of the demographic that would like to downsize, but downsize into what? Plus, we’re living longer than ever.

He goes on to say the housing issue is a local one and cannot be solved by national policies or national groups like YIMBY.

He is mostly right. Housing policy is a local issue, but national policies play a big part, especially federal tax credits and funding from HUD.

Frederick politicians say all the right things, especially at election time, but the problem is when push comes to shove in public meetings, the NIMBYS — the “Not In My Backyard” types — often win the day because they are organized and motivated, and they vote.

That is why national groups like YIMBY (“Yes In My Backyard”) have state and local chapters that work at the local level.

I’ve been in discussions with the national YIMBY group to start a Frederick chapter to hold politicians accountable and to push back at the NIMBYs. If you are interested in joining our cause for more affordable housing now, contact me at gabennett01@comcast.net.

Gary Bennett
Frederick

Editor’s note: Gary Bennett is a member of the Affordable Housing Council of Fredrick County, but is speaking on his own behalf.