Gary Bennett

Classic rock favorites to celebrate the dark season

By Gary Bennett

This article appears in the January 18 edition of the Frederick News-Post’s “72 Hours” entertainment insert.

Winter is upon us once again, and unlike my friends to the south, I love it — the chill of the air and the heat of the fireplace.

I suspect many of you feel the same.

To me, real winter begins right after the holidays. I don’t even consider December to be part of winter.

On Jan. 2, family get-togethers, all the anticipation, celebrations and sparkle of the holiday season are gone. We are left with two full months (or more) of persevering and seeing what we are made of.

And, it’s absolutely invaluable.

There’s something about winter that toughens us and opens our eyes to myriad possibilities. We buckle down. We work hard. We don’t worry about vacations. Days are short. Time is of the essence. When we accomplish something, particularly outdoors, we feel good about ourselves. We feel like we can’t be deterred.

But there can be a melancholy about winter. There’s an overabundance of darkness. The other three seasons seem long ago and far away. Unfortunately, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can rear its ugly head with some folks, causing mental and physical ailments.

Still, if you can, try to embrace the season. Embrace the cold. Embrace the melancholy. Spring will come in fits and starts and everything will be renewed again.

Here are my top 17 classic rock songs about winter (or set in the winter) to help get you through, nee, celebrate, the season.

“SONG FOR A WINTER’S NIGHT”
Gordon Lightfoot, 1967

Warm, caring loner holed up in his cabin, longing for an absent love.
“The lamp is burnin’ low upon my table top, the snow is softly falling, the air is still in the silence of my room, I hear your voice softly calling.”

“A WINTER’S TALE”
The Moody Blues, 2003

Sweet, poignant song about losing a love but taking it well.
“It was only a winter’s tale, just another winter’s tale, and why should the world take notice, of one more love that’s failed?”

“CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’”
The Mamas & the Papas, 1968

Longing for the warmth of LA during a cold winter in New York City.
“All the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray, I’ve been for a walk, on a winter’s day.”

“A WINTER’S TALE”
Queen, 1995

Not the same tune as the Moody Blues song above, but Freddie Mercury singing gorgeously of life and beauty as both wind down.
“It’s winter-fall, red skies are gleaming, sea-gulls are flyin’ over, swans are floatin’ by, smoking chimney-tops.”

“A HAZY SHADE OF WINTER”
Simon and Garfunkel, 1966 (also covered by The Bangles, 1984)

Quintessential pop tune contemplating the passing of the seasons with a focus on winter.
“But look around, leaves are brown now, and the sky is a hazy shade of winter.”

“COLD”
Annie Lennox, 1992

Song explores longing, isolation and heartbreak—the cold realities of life.
“Cold is the color of crystal, the snow light, that falls from the heavenly skies, catch me and let me dive under, for I want to swim in the pools of your eyes.”

“WHEN OCTOBER GOES”
Barry Manilow, 1984

Johnny Mercer lyrics contemplating the pain of growing old and of reliving lost love.
“I should be over it now, I know, it doesn’t matter much how old I grow, I hate to see October go.”

“WINTERLONG”
Neil Young, 1977

Waiting and yearning for your love for a very long time.
“I waited for you, winterlong, you seem to be where I belong, it’s all illusion anyway.”

“WINTER”
U2, 2008

Describes a person’s crisis of faith.
“Rhymes they sprang in me, summer sang in me, but summer sings in me no more.”

“WINTER SONG”
Chris Rea, 2000

A heartwarming song trying to explain the rapture of true love when it’s cold outside.
“If I put my arms around you, turn you in from the storm, from your autumn through winter, darling I’ll keep you warm.”

“ASPENGLOW”
John Denver, 1970

The wonder of glowing, snowy mountaintops at dawn and dusk.
“As the winter days unfold, hearts grow warmer with the cold, peace of mind is all you know, winter’s gold, Aspenglow.”

“SNOWBOUND”
Genesis, 1978

Lovely ballad about (somehow!) a peaceful death out in the cold.
“Lay your body down upon the midnight snow, feel the cold of winter in your hair, here in a world of your own, in a casing that’s grown.”

“MY DECEMBER”
Linkin Park, 2000

Sad story about being away and missing home.
“This is my December, these are my snow-covered dreams, this is me pretending, this is all I need.”

14. “WINTERTIME LOVE”
The Doors, 1968
A plea for love and warmth in the cold season.
“Wintertime winds blow cold to season, fallin’ in love, I’m hopin’ to be, wind is so cold, is that the reason? Keeping you warm, your hands touching me.”

“SNOWBIRD”
Anne Murray, 1970

Peppy song about yearning for youth in the twilight of life.
“Beneath this snowy mantle, cold and clean, the unborn grass lies waiting, for its coat to turn to green, the snowbird sings the song he always sings.”

“WINTER”
The Rolling Stones, 1973

Song bemoans the realities of the season and hopes for spring love.
“And it sure been a cold, cold winter, and the wind ain’t been blowin’ from the south, it’s sure been a cold, cold winter, And a lotta love is all burned out.”

“WINTER SONG”
Bruce Springsteen, 1973

Slow, moody “acquired-taste” song that drips with sexual innuendo cloaked in seasonal comparisons.
“Summer’s sweet and she brings me water, but give me winter, that old icy whore, summer lies meek and follows orders, winter cries “Me!” and pulls you through the door.”

How housing (or lack thereof) affects our economy

By Gary Bennett and Hugh Gordon

Sharpe Square affordable housing units in Frederick

This article appears in the January 12, 2024 issue of the Frederick News-Post.

As the largest monthly expense for just about all of us, it is no surprise that housing plays an outsized role in our regional and national economy.

First, there is the robust construction industry and all it employs.

We see the workers every day as we make our way around Frederick. It is no surprise that housing construction and allied trades are a large economic engine for most localities, including Frederick County.

Nearly 10% of employees in Frederick County work in the construction and allied trades industry. It is one of the largest industries in our diverse local economy. Any disruption in the construction industry, or any of our top industries, would be harmful to Frederick’s overall economy.

Second, there is the menace of inflation.

The wide gap we see now in the supply of and demand for housing that has driven up housing prices to historic levels had its origins in the recession of 2007.

Later, supply chain woes caused by the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020 drove up the cost of housing even more. The lack of balance in the housing market and the higher prices that come with it have been a major driver of inflation.

Even as food and fuel prices begin to moderate, housing prices remain stubbornly high. Mortgage interest rates that rose exponentially over the past year have only cooled demand slightly.

Rents remain artificially high, too, as folks get priced out of the home-buying market and increase competition for rentals. It seems clear, and most experts agree, that the best way to make a meaningful and long-lasting dent in inflation in the U.S. is to create more moderately priced housing.

Thirdly, our current lack of affordable housing may have a profound economic impact on the future if it’s not proactively addressed.

Research has shown that increasing access to affordable housing is the most cost-effective way to reduce childhood poverty and increase economic mobility in America. If we can somehow condition ourselves to take the long view on increased affordable housing instead of focusing on the short-term problems that can be solved with government action and political will, society will be better off.

In a large multi-year study, Stanford economist Raj Chetty found that children living in stable, affordable homes are more likely to thrive in school and have greater opportunities to learn inside and outside the classroom. Children who moved to lower-poverty neighborhoods saw their earnings as adults increase by approximately 31% and had an increased likelihood of living in better neighborhoods as adults.

Indeed, the lack of safe, affordable housing is costing U.S. cities in many ways we don’t always see. It forces families to live far from work, increasing their carbon footprint. It lowers tax bases that fund the amenities we take for granted. And, perhaps most painfully, we lose potential workers and customers that keep our local businesses thriving.

You don’t have to look any farther than our Maryland neighbor to the west, Cumberland in Allegany County, for a discouraging example.

Cumberland has long embraced a very slow-growth housing policy. With little excess housing stock, Cumberland cannot grow.

Young people who may want to stay cannot find entry-level housing. Older folks who wish to sell their large family homes in hopes of downsizing to a smaller, more manageable home cannot find buyers or more modest homes to move to.

Businesses that come to town cannot find appropriate housing for their employees. It is a self-fulfilling cycle that Cumberland has found itself in for years.

Prosperity for the Frederick region depends on decisive action now to make sure our housing stock meets the needs of the future.

We are pleased to see both Frederick City and Frederick County taking steps to make building moderately priced dwelling units more appealing to developers, and if they don’t build them, a revenue base so government can fund affordable housing programs.

For Fredrick businesses to grow and stay vibrant, they need more customers and reliable workers who have housing. To succeed, Frederick County must remain a diverse place where all people have decent, safe, affordable places to live in thriving communities.

Editor’s note: Gary Bennett is a retired marketing executive. Hugh Gordon is the association executive for the Frederick County Association of Realtors and has decades of experience in the real estate world, including 24 years as a mortgage banker. They are longtime Frederick County residents and members of Frederick’s Affordable Housing Council.

You should be dancing: Boost your mood and health at these dance classes in Frederick

By Gary Bennett

This article appears in the January 2024 issue of Frederick News-Post’s “Prime Time” magazine. Page 4

You should be dancing—yeah! The Bee Gees sang those words back in the disco-crazed late 1970s, and boy, were they right! I can confirm what you probably already know: Dancing is a terrific aerobic and mental workout and a lot of fun, too.

Not to get too technical, but a large body of research touts numerous health benefits to dancing:

Boosts cardiovascular health
Builds core strength
Promotes flexibility
Helps with weight loss
Assists with bone health
Helps to prevent memory loss
Promotes good mental health
Minimizes stress
Enhances a feeling of social connection

Of course, health benefits will vary according to the type of dancing you do. Slow dancing is still great for those non-physical benefits but won’t do much for the more physical items.

Not a dancer? Here’s the good news: it’s never too late to start. And no one will care what you look like doing it.

Sure, you can just get out there and shake around a bit like we all did in high school. That can be a lot of fun and a good workout, too. But for the more adventurous among us, why not wow the crowd and learn a few coordinated moves with a partner?

As you might expect, Frederick is well-served by dance studios and other organizations to help you get dancing. Sign up for a class and in no time, you’ll be impressing others in public—or yourself in the privacy of your home.

If my wife and I can do it for our 40th wedding anniversary, you can do it, too.

Depending on your level of experience, you will likely need anywhere from three to nine lessons to feel confident learning the rhythm, timing of the music, the dance steps, how to lead or follow and more complex moves like spins, dips, and potentially a lift (if you’re feeling daring!) My wife and I polished off a pretty simple routine combining swing and hustle steps in six easy lessons, plus we practiced some at home, too, but not too much.

The easiest dances to learn are the waltz, foxtrot, swing, rhumba, and cha cha. Most reputable dance instructors will be able to discern what you want to accomplish and your ability level quickly. Start with a song you want to dance to and go from there. We chose to learn a dance that worked for the song “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” from the movie Dirty Dancing and had no regrets.

There is wisdom in that adage “dance like no one is watching.” Of course, it helps if you have confidence and a few moves to show off.

The following organizations do not comprise an exhaustive list, but they all offer adult dance classes, and I considered them all in my quest to impress. Keep in mind that many Frederick-area dance studios specialize in children’s dance or a specific type of dance such as belly, ballet, pole, or aerial. Those studios are not listed here.

City Rec Department

Go with the City for a more casual dance experience and to drop in as needed. Salsa, swing, line, jazz and tap classes will be taught at the Talley Rec Center on Bentz Street over six weeks beginning in January. Classes are held in the evenings Sunday through Wednesday. Prices range from $35 to $75 per session.

YMCA

The Y offers classes in ballet, tap, ballroom and hip-hop. Go with ballroom dancing to get you onto the floor quickly. No prior experience is needed. Classes typically run one hour and are offered on various days in the afternoon and evening. Monthly memberships for adults start at about $50 per month.

24/7 Dance Studio

This studio on Prospect Boulevard offers adult classes in hip-hop, tap, contemporary, ballet and jazz. Contemporary is the one you’ll want for dancing to pop or rock music. Classes are held on various days and range from half hour to 75-minutes. Most classes are based on a 32-week season and start at roughly $70 per session.

Dance Unlimited

This studio on South Jefferson Street offers adult classes in tap, ballet, jazz and hip-hop. Classes typically run a half hour to one hour and held in the evenings. Monthly payments range from $65 to $90. Total class time ranges from as little as two hours to nine hours or more. You can stop when you’ve met your goals.

Elite Feet

This studio on East Fourth Street offers adult classes in hip-hop and tap over six-week sessions. The adult classes are designed to provide a fun, safe space for adults to learn dance while also getting exercise. Prices range from $60 per month for half-hour classes to $80 per month for 90-minute classes. A full class schedule spans 32 weeks.

Ballroom Dance of Frederick

This studio on Grove Road specializes ballroom dancing’s two styles: American and International. American style is both social and competitive. International style is more focused on competition but can also be enjoyed socially. They offer a structured dance experience that moves through levels from basic to very advanced. They also have their own dance club. Contact them for specific pricing at 301-662-1602 or ballroomdanceinfrederick@verizon.net.

Fred Astaire Dance Studios

This studio on Pegasus Court near the Westview Promenade shopping area is the one my wife and I patronized and the one I recommend. They are the most complete and customized studio. They tailor their offerings to your needs and goals. They offer adults-only classes and one-on-one instruction in wedding and ballroom dances, including foxtrot, waltz, tango, salsa, merengue, hustle swing, cha cha, rhumba, samba and jive. They offer competitive dance events and their own dance parties.

Take advantage of the introductory offer of $50 per couple for two lessons. Afterwards, one-hour sessions run you about $100 per session, but you can stop at any time.

Where to dance?

Once you’ve got your moves down, you’ll need a place to show them off. Technically, any venue that plays live or recorded music and has a dance floor is a good place to dance. Of course, it helps if others are dancing, too.

Here is a short list of bars, night clubs, social clubs, dance clubs and events in Frederick where you can shake your groove thing. Go to their websites for more information:

AARCH Society Unity Ball, annually in October
Alive at Five, summer on Carroll Creek, Frederick
Anchor Bar, near FSK Mall, Frederick
Bushwaller’s, North Market Street, Frederick
Café 611, North Market Street, Frederick
Cellar Door, East Church Street, Frederick
Community Living Gala, annually in September
Delaplaine Annual Gala, annually in September or October
Firestone’s, North Market Street, Frederick
Frederick Ballroom Dance Club, West Frederick Street, Walkersville
Frederick Eagles Club, West Patrick Street, Frederick
Frederick Elks Club, Willowdale Road, Frederick
Hurwitz Breast Cancer Fund Pink Ribbon Gala, annually in October
Mental Health Association Gala, annually in April
Mission of Mercy Gala, annually in September
Monkey La La, (part of Avery’s Maryland Grille) Baltimore Road, Frederick
New Thurmont Dance Club, (part of American Legion) Thurmont
Old Towne Tavern, North Market Street, Frederick
Orioles Nest, West Patrick Street, Frederick
Owls Club, South Jefferson Street, Frederick
Platoon 22 Red Tie Gala, annually in September
Sass Choice Awards Gala at Tenth Ward Distillery, annually in September

Top Classic Dance Songs

These 25 songs are guaranteed to get you out of your chair and onto the dance floor. Ask your DJ to give them a spin. Not all at once, though!

1999 – Prince

All Night Long – Lionel Ritchie

Billie Jean – Michael Jackson

Brick House – Commodores

Celebration – Kool & The Gang

Dance to the Music – Sly & The Family Stone

Dancing Machine – Jackson 5

Dancing Queen – ABBA

Don’t Stop ‘Till You Get Enough – Michael Jackson

Flashdance – Irene Cara

I’m So Excited – Pointer Sisters

I Want to Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston

Night Fever – Bee Gees

Play That Funky Music – Wild Cherry

Respect – Aretha Franklin

Rock the Boat – Hues Corporation

September – Earth, Wind & Fire

Shake Your Groove Thing – Peaches & Herb

Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees

Thank You (Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Again) – Sly & The Family Stone

The Hustle – Van McCoy

The Twist – Chubby Checker

We Are Family – Sister Sledge

YMCA – Village People

You Should Be Dancing – Bee Gees

Going downee ocean, hon: Ocean City in the winter

By Gary Bennett

The gloriously empty Ocean City beach in winter.

This article appears in the December 14, 2023 issue of Frederick News-Post’s “72 Hours” entertainment insert.

Ask a Marylander where they’re going this summer, and chances are you’ll hear the typical “Merlin” response, “downee ocean, hon!” (Translation: Down to the ocean, my friend.)

Of course, when you go to the ocean in Maryland, you’re going to just one place: Maryland’s iconic beach resort, Ocean City.

But let’s face it, Ocean City in the summer is not for everyone. It can be loud and obnoxious. I know it can be an acquired taste for many, including myself. But, as with, say, a stern mother-in-law, if you can give yourself a chance to know and love her, you’ll be repaid many times over.

There’s good news for people like us: We can fall in love with Ocean City all over again in the winter. It’s really the perfect antidote to the winter blues. So, if you haven’t tried Ocean City with a chill in the air, you’re in for a treat. A calm, quiet treat.

CITY SIZE

In the off-season, Ocean City returns to being a small village of about 7,000 residents, down from about 320,000 in the summer. This is about the size of Walkersville! With so few people and so much land and infrastructure, you’ll have plenty of room to spread out and relax.

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Be advised: Ocean City is open in the winter. Not everything, of course, but everything that matters.

You’ll still have the iconic boardwalk paralleling the Atlantic Ocean from First to 27th Street. You’ll still have about 10 miles of sandy beaches to explore. You’ll still have beautiful sunrises over the ocean and sunsets over the bay.

When you bundle up for a brisk walk on the smooth, wooden-planked boardwalk in the winter, you’ll have plenty of room to watch the crashing waves without crashing into fellow tourists. Believe it or not, fires are also allowed on the beach, with a permit.

Most of the familiar boardwalk haunts will be open at least for limited hours in the winter. I’ve frequented all these in the winter myself: Thrasher’s French Fries, Wockenfuss Candy, Fisher’s Popcorn, The Dough Roller, M.R. Ducks and Purple Moose Saloon, to name a few.

HOTELS

Not all hotels are open in the winter, but you should have no trouble finding perfectly acceptable oceanfront properties to unwind and gaze upon the waves. Most will have indoor pools, too. The name-brand hotels are your best bet in the winter. Also, be sure to search out local favorites Carousel and Princess Royale. They and others will feature specials for Valentine’s Day and the long President’s Day weekend.

RESTAURANTS

Many of the smaller restaurants on the boardwalk are closed in the winter, but don’t despair. Food options are plentiful year-round for locals and brave tourists. I recommend Harborside Bar and Grill, which reopens Dec. 15, for burgers and comfort food, in West Ocean City. Fager’s Island is a fine upscale restaurant worth visiting in North Ocean City. Other local favorites are Marlin Moon, Palm, Coral Reef, Captain’s Table and The Restaurant at Lighthouse Sound.

DOGS AND BIKES

If you have dogs and want to bring them along, the offseason (Oct. 1 to April 30) is for you. Dogs are allowed on the beach anytime. You’ll have ample room to throw that frisbee or play ball. For a little green space, head up to 94th Street for the Dog Playground. It comes complete with a doggie pool, a small dog area and covered seating with plenty of benches. You’ll need to register your dogs in person at Northside Park on 125th Street or online at oceancitymd.gov/rec. Passes are $10 for one day and $20 for three days.

On those relatively warm winter days that are become increasingly normal, head out by boat to the sandbar just north of Hooper’s Crab House where you’ll likely see plenty of dogs frolicking in the shallow water.

Bring your bike, too. Bikes are also allowed on the boardwalk at any time in the winter. The same goes for rollerblades, scooters and other self-propelled and small engine apparatuses. Rentals will be hard to find, so bring your own. Up and down the boardwalk from start to finish is a perfect 5-mile circuit.

Dogs frolic in the cold, shallow Ocean City surf.

FISHING

The typical fishing season in Ocean City is May through October, so you may not be able to charter an excursion during the off-season, but you can do some ocean, bay, surf or pier fishing on your own any time of year. A valid fishing license for the Atlantic Ocean and coastal bays is required.

Ocean City bills itself as the “white marlin capital of the world,” but several other species are plentiful and in season at any time of year, including American eel, black drum, black sea bass, bluefish, croaker, grouper, mahi-mahi, red drum, Spanish mackerel, spotted seatrout, flounder, wahoo, and weakfish.

INDOOR MINI GOLF AND ICE SKATING

Old Pro Golf has an under-cover course at 68th Street called, appropriately, Undersea Adventure. There’s no better way to while away a couple hours putt-putting your way in total warmth through whales’ mouths and windmills and up and down long hills and curves.

The beautiful oceanfront Carousel Hotel at 118th Street has an indoor ice-skating rink open to the public. Between October and May, you can reserve the rink for two-hour time slots for $125 — perfect for a getaway birthday party.

WINTERFEST OF LIGHTS

If you go between Nov. 17 and Dec. 31, you can enjoy Winterfest of Lights, a mammoth display of holiday lights you can stroll or ride through on a handy tram in 58-acre Northside Park. The animated light displays include a 50-foot tree, flying reindeer and hot chocolate and photos with Santa. This is a much larger display than anything available in Frederick. It’s on par, scale-wise, with the large Christmas lights display in Olney but at a fraction of the cost. The price per person to go through the Olney display: $39. Ocean City’s Winterfest: $6.

ASSATEAGUE ISLAND

You can head a little south of Ocean City for a beautiful escape to Assateague Island. The island itself is 37 miles long and spans Maryland and Virginia. You’ll want to stop at Assateague Island State Park, which has two miles of pristine beach. The nearby marshes are the homes for hundreds of species of wildlife you can spot in the off season, including the famous wild horses. The 100 or so horses roam free and make for great photos. But keep your distance. They are wild animals, after all. The Assateague Island National Seashore Visitor Center offers interesting exhibits including marine aquariums, touch tanks and a film about the wild horses.

View from our winter time, ocean front, reasonably-priced hotel.

PUBLIC PARKS

Ocean City is home to several public parks and recreational areas. Some of my favorites include Inlet Park, which is at the southernmost tip of the boardwalk and features great views of the Atlantic and Ocean City’s official time capsule. Northside Park at 125th Street offers 58 acres of hiking trails, a playground, fishing lagoon, picnic areas and an indoor gymnasium. Sunset Park has a bayside promenade with fantastic views of the bay and Assateague. The Downtown Recreation Complex has basketball courts, a skate park, two tennis courts, a playground and an area for bay fishing.

OUTLET MALL IN WEST OCEAN CITY

You can easily spend an entire day at the Outlet Mall in “West O,” as the locals call it. Over 30 outlet shops feature discounts on apparel, footwear, jewelry, handbags, kid’s clothing and eats.

FOX GOLD COAST THEATER

You can kick back and relax in heated recliners and catch the latest movie you can’t seem to find the time to enjoy in Frederick. The theater is on Coastal Highway at 113th Street behind the Goad Coast Mall.

BAR SCENE

If hitting the bars is more your style, Ocean City naps a bit in the winter but certainly doesn’t hibernate. Local favorites like Brass Balls Saloon, Seacrets, Fager’s Island and Pier 23 are open and inviting places to sample local beers and cocktails.

And speaking of local cocktails, don’t forget to sample Ocean City’s own original Orange Crush at just about any bar in town. I heartily recommend you go to the source of this concoction at Harborside Bar and Grill in West Ocean City, where you can also have the best burger in town. Be forewarned, it is the quintessential biker and dive bar.

OCEAN CITY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

For a more genteel evening, head over to the Ocean City Performing Arts Center. Located inside the Roland E. Powell Convention Center at 4001 Coastal Highway, the center provides local, regional and national musical acts, plays and a variety of off-Broadway shows.

The venue is similar to our Weinberg Center, with a 1,200-seat auditorium, two tiers of fixed seating and a concession area. During the off-season, they specialize in orchestral shows, stand-up comedians and tribute shows.

OCEAN CITY LIFE-SAVING MUSEUM

Near the end of the boardwalk at the inlet is the Ocean City Life-Saving Museum. There, you’ll find exhibits of the great storms that have battered Ocean City over the years, sea life, shipwreck finds, mermaids and how life-saving is performed in Ocean City.

BERLIN

The historic town of Berlin is only 8 miles west of Ocean City and well worth a visit. Like Frederick, it has been designated an arts and entertainment district. Its downtown has over 60 retail shops, restaurants, art galleries and music venues. You can explore Berlin’s rich history at Taylor House Museum.

SALISBURY

Salisbury is an easy 30-minute car ride to the west. You won’t want to miss The Country House, “the largest country store in the East,” as it is billed. It’s located at 805 E. Main St. and is quite impressive, with 16,000 square feet of gifts, antiques, home décor, linens, florals, baskets, jewelry, food items and seasonal items.

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.

The goal-oriented author enjoying a crisp day on the boardwalk.

How did we get in this affordable housing mess (Part 2)

By Gary Bennett and Hugh Gordon

This article appears as an opinion column in the Saturday, December 9 issue of the Frederick News-Post

In our column of Oct. 21, we discussed the overarching supply-and-demand cause for the nationwide affordable housing shortage and the role that single-family-only zoning plays in exacerbating this shortage.

In this column, we look at other limiting factors for building affordable housing and some possible solutions.

***

Single-family-only zoning is one way local zoning boards limit how much housing can be built.

Many places also employ height restrictions. Some areas are zoned for multifamily buildings, but don’t allow any building over two stories high. This drives down supply.

Parking requirements are often written into zoning laws, too.

Many laws require two parking spaces for each unit of multifamily housing. A 100-unit apartment complex would need 200 parking spots. This usually means buildings of that size don’t get built.

Builders must lower the number of units to save space for parking, even in areas with effective transit systems. Those units become more expensive because the land is still the same cost to the developer. What could have been reasonably affordable units become units for those with higher incomes.

Another feature of many zoning laws is minimum lot sizes. Builders are legally required to allot land for each home, often a large amount.

These “exclusionary” zoning laws push builders to focus on bigger luxury homes instead of smaller starter homes or multifamily homes.

Zoning boards are essentially only allowing people who already benefitted from the wealth of this country — who built their incomes with access to high-opportunity jobs and education and generational wealth — to live in neighborhoods.

Historically, some of the first zoning laws in our country were engineered to block people of color, particularly Black Americans, from living in predominantly white neighborhoods. This was known as redlining.

Today, laws don’t explicitly mention race, but they continue to worsen segregation. In most municipalities, the more single-family zoning for a neighborhood, the whiter it is.

Shrinking the pot of new housing getting built, while demand keeps rising, drives up the cost of housing for everyone.

The old code phrase “changing the neighborhood character” gets thrown around.

People are confused when they hear that affordable housing is coming to their neighborhood. They say they don’t want giant apartment buildings.

And they’re right — not every neighborhood should have giant apartment buildings. But affordable housing is much more than that.

Even small gradual changes to zoning laws can have an impact.

For example, allowing smaller homes on smaller lots, or simply allowing duplexes, would double available housing in some areas. In recent years, cities like Minneapolis took the huge step of ending single-family zoning.

Increased automation of the construction process can help, too.

There’s some innovation now with modular construction and 3D printing, but productivity growth is slow. States can help by mandating that manufactured housing is permitted housing in any zoning code.

The federal government isn’t blameless, either. Many incentives have been written into the tax code to encourage home ownership over other asset classes as our country’s primary wealth-building mechanism.

Most American homeowners expect the sale of their home to finance a large part of their retirement. This means property values must be maintained at all cost.

The Biden administration is attempting to help at the federal level by tackling exclusionary zoning through a $5 billion program to give money to localities that remove exclusionary zoning policies. This is more than any presidential administration has done on this topic.

Help may be on the way from Congress, too. A bipartisan bill called the Build More Housing Near Transit Act has been reintroduced to encourage construction of new homes, including low- and middle-income homes, in transit-served, walkable communities.

The act would incentivize local governments to promote building new homes in and around transit corridors. The bill adds pro-housing policies to existing law, so local governments will be incentivized to make the following changes near transit corridors:

• Eliminate parking minimums

• Establish by-right permitting for projects that meet objective standards

• Reduce minimum lot sizes

• Create and preserve homes affordable to low-income households

• Raise or eliminate height limits

Ending America’s housing shortage will require real political willpower. And it will take people across the country taking a hard look at their own neighborhoods and understanding what gets built and who gets excluded, and how to make home ownership achievable for millions who are shut out.

Editor’s note: Gary Bennett is a retired marketing executive. Hugh Gordon is the association executive for the Frederick County Association of Realtors and has decades of experience in the real estate world, including 24 years as a mortgage banker. They are longtime Frederick County residents and members of Frederick’s Affordable Housing Council.

The stories and music of Jim Croce at New Spire Arts

By Gary Bennett

Mike Schirf will perform the music and tell the stories of Jim Croce at a special tribute show in Frederick. Courtesy photo

This article appears in the November 30, 2023, issue of the Frederick News-Post’s entertainment insert “72 Hours.”

“50 Years Gone: A Tribute to Jim Croce” will hit downtown Frederick at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at New Spire Arts for two shows, one of which is already sold out. Presented by Key West Productions, the show was put together as a loving, musical tribute to the life and music of Jim Croce.

According to show producer Tom Kohlhepp, Frederick will be the first stop for this show.

The duo of Mike Schirf and Chris Masheck will take the stage and not only play all of Croce’s biggest hits, like “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” “Time in a Bottle,” “I Got a Name” and “Operator,” but they’ll also tell the great stories that Croce told during his all-too-short career.

They’ll also sing many of Croce’s lesser-known songs, like “Roller Derby Queen,” “One Less Set of Footsteps” and “Workin’ at the Car Wash Blues.”

“This night will be really [about] spending time not only listening to Croce’s music but more importantly, I think, getting to know more about the man,” Kohlhepp said. “He wrote so many of his best songs about people he actually knew and came across in life.”

Schirf will sing and play the Jim Croce parts. He is a big Croce fan, according to Kohlhepp, and includes many of Croce’s songs in his setlist when playing his own gigs.

Once Schirf and Kohlhepp decided to put this show together, they settled on Chris Masheck as the best person to accompany Schirf in Maury Muehleisen’s role. All Jim Croce fans know the impact Maury’s beautiful guitar work had on Croce’s success. It’s a testament to the producer that his part is included in the show.

It should be noted, Schirf and Masheck will not attempt to look like the original band members. “The feel and the sound are what we’re really going after,” Kohlhepp said.

Kohlhepp’s production company will also offer the “It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere” show about the life and times of the late Jimmy Buffett at New Spire Arts in February. Kohlhepp was privileged to know Buffett and has lots of interesting, little-known stories to share. “I really like doing my research and enjoy sharing these stories with anyone who wants to listen,” he said.

And if you were wondering, yes, Croce and Buffett knew each other in real life and got together a few times in the early ‘70s. Buffett was actually signed in 1974 to take Croce’s place on the roster of ABC Records’ recording artists after Croce passed.

Get away from it all in Siesta Key

By Gary Bennett

Aerial view of barrier island Siesta Key on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

This article appears in the November 30 issue of the Frederick News-Post’s entertainment insert “72 Hours.”

Every time I make my way to Siesta Key, Florida, the terrific steel-drum-infused Beach Boys song “Kokomo” comes to mind. “Everybody knows, a little place like Kokomo … that’s where you wanna go, to get away from it all.”

I’ve been getting away from it all for close to 40 years now, and it’s the same place almost every year — beautiful Siesta Key. It’s a delightful barrier island that juts into the Gulf of Mexico in Western Florida about 70 miles south of Tampa.

The island itself is only eight miles long and crescent-shaped. It’s bordered by the Gulf of Mexico on the west and the Intercoastal Waterway on the east. The vibrant, handsome city of Sarasota is close by, too. That’s where the Orioles train each spring. Two charming drawbridges connect Siesta Key to the mainland.

Florida, of course, sports hundreds of miles of beaches on the Atlantic Ocean and the gulf. It’s hard to go wrong with almost any of them. But if you want calm, warm water almost any time of year; gentle surf; pristine, white powdery sand; and quiet, minimally invasive nightlife, Siesta Key is the destination for you, too.

STAR ATTRACTIONS

Of its many qualities, the real star of the show in Siesta Key is the white, cool-to-the-touch sand, rated as some of the world’s finest. It’s clean, dazzling white, and feels like confectioner’s sugar. Scientists say this is because it’s made up of nearly 99% quartz crystals, with little to no chipped shells mixed in. You’ll find nothing like it in the beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. There is no such thing as burned feet due to sand in Siesta Key.

Gentle, shallow, azure waves lap continuously at your ankles.

For nine months of the year, the co-star to the beautiful white sand is the gentle, warm water. You rarely need to worry about waves knocking you over or shocking yourself with cold or even cool water as you enter the surf for the first time. Mostly, the water temperature hovers in the high 80s, which approximates the air temperature. You can literally take your noodle out into the gentle surf and bob for hours while chatting with friends or enjoying an adult beverage. There has been no scientific research to my knowledge to prove this, but I am convinced of the healing powers of the gulf waters. I certainly feel rejuvenated after a few hours in it.

BEACHES

Siesta Key is actually made up of three beaches. Each seems to have its own personality.

Siesta Beach to the north is a busy public beach, complete with tennis and volleyball courts, shaded playgrounds and a bustling concession stand. It has year-round lifeguard protection. There is a fun drum circle one or two hours before sunset each Sunday. Teenagers, 20-somethings and day-tripping families flock here.

Crescent Beach, in the middle of the island, is more secluded and private, with only one public access trail. It is perfect for, shall we say, the more mature crowd. It is dotted with pools, palm trees and lovely condos to rent for as little as three days or as much as a year. Loggerhead sea turtles use this beach to lay eggs and nest for up to six months. The beach is kept dark at night so as not to disorient them. There have been nearly 400 total nests established so far in 2023. Chances are, you’ll see some nests on this beach that have been staked off by biologists.

Lovely, fluttering seagrass on the Siesta Key beach.

Turtle Beach to the south is a sportier, family play beach. It’s a great location for paddle boarding and snorkeling. An abundance of seashells makes it beachcomber’s paradise. There are lots of shark’s teeth, too, to impress the kids.

All three beaches feature breathtaking sunsets; gentle, easy-going waves; and beautiful, shallow, azure water. Young parents can feel secure allowing their pre-school kids to play unattended at the water’s edge. Each beach has been recognized for cleanliness, water quality and safety.

The Travel Channel ranks Siesta Beach as one of the nation’s top 10 beaches. It has also been recognized as the No. 1 beach in the U.S. by Stephen D. Leatherman (aka Dr. Beach), director of the highly respected Laboratory for Coastal Research. It continues to receive recognition across the country and world as one of the top coastal destinations. International visitors abound. There is a cacophony of languages to be heard up and down the island.

GETTING THERE

If you’ve seen any of my contributions to 72 Hours, you may know I love road trips. My best friend and I have made this trip by car many times, picking up our less adventurous (OK, saner) wives at the airport. The 1,200 miles from Frederick to Siesta Key may seem daunting, but it’s really not too bad. You can depart from Frederick at 8 a.m. (preferably on a weekend) and be in Daytona Beach or Ocala (depending on which way you go) by 8 p.m. After a good night’s rest, you’ll be in Siesta Key by lunch time. If you really want to push it, you can make it all the way to Siesta Key in about 16 hours, mostly down I-95.

Siesta Key has breathtaking sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico nearly every night.

Of course, you can easily fly into Tampa, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, or Sarasota International Airports from BWI or Dulles in just about two and a half hours and rent a car to complete your trip. A round-trip plane ticket to Tampa and back to BWI on Southwest recently ran us about $450 each. We then rented a mid-size car for 10 days for about $600 at Enterprise.

While on the island, take advantage of handy and free shuttle services when you can. Siesta Trolley, Jonny’s Original Free Rides, Froghopper and Key Life Shuttle will all deliver you to the commercial parts of the island in a relaxed, fun atmosphere.

WHERE TO STAY

One thing you should know about Siesta Key is that there are no hotels. This has been a controversial subject among locals for years. They have, time and again, prevented the big hotel chains from encroaching on the island. For tourists like us, there are plusses and minuses to this stance. There is no denying the lack of hotels keeps a certain charm about the island intact. On the other hand, this means condo owners rule, and rentals can be pricey.

There are plenty of condos, big and small, up and down the island to suit every taste. Three of our favorites include Sea Shell, Midnight Cove and Palm Bay Club. There are even campgrounds at Turtle Beach for the campers among us.

We and another couple just finished up 10 days at a typical five-story condo in the middle of Siesta Key in the front unit with a panoramic view of the Gulf for about $4,500 or about $450 per night. Nearly a quarter of this price is made up of various state and local taxes placed on tourists. We have been loyal to our condo over the years, staying at Sarasota Surf and Raquet Club almost every trip. But, if you decide to go, it would be wise to consult with a real estate agent who can do all the legwork to find the best value for you. They are paid by the condo owners to find renters.

Prices vary by season, of course. In-season in Florida is generally winter and spring. Prices will be higher then. Our annual trip in September is off-season and a bit cheaper. It also has the added benefit of less tourists due to schools being in session all over the country. Many owners do not rent their condos off-season.

WHAT TO DO

Many people, including us, are more than happy to just chill — spend all day reading, chatting and snoozing under big umbrellas and floating in the warm gulf waters. But if you are more energetic, there is no lack of things to do. I heartily recommend visits to at least four local institutions we have enjoyed.

Ringling Museum of Art, named after circus magnate John Ringling, sports 66 lush acres and one of the largest art collections in the country. Ringling’s mansion is a stunning Gothic style palazzo with sweeping views of Sarasota Bay.

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is a tropical oasis on the shores of Sarasota Bay. It is an open-air museum with more than 20,000 colorful plants, a butterfly garden, Koi Pond, orchid display and art exhibits.

Mote Aquarium has a variety of sea life from the smallest creatures to the largest predators. A shark habitat and hands-on exhibits round out the offerings.

The Legacy Trail is a 20-mile hardwood biking trail from nearby Sarasota to Venice, Florida, through a thick, lush canopy of vegetation. Be sure to watch out for the frequent “alligator crossing” signs as you roll along at a comfortable 10 miles per hour on the flat terrain. There are frequent rest stops along the way.

The beautiful seaside pool at Sarasota Surf & Racquet Club.

Of course, there are the requisite boat rentals, golf courses, fishing charters, parasailing excursions, jet skis rentals and beach cars to tool up and down the island. Most of these commercial offerings happen at the far northern or southern tips of the island, leaving the large middle section blissfully noncommercial.

There is terrific shopping in Siesta Key Village that includes a farmers market every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. “The Village,” as it is known to the locals, is a quaint, mile-long shopping and eating district at the northern end of the island. You’ll likely find yourself drawn here many evenings during your visit. Doors are wide open and inviting. The aroma from the restaurants are exquisite. Most of them sport live acoustic music that gives the area a laid-back, beachy feel. Young people are drawn here, including the cast of the MTV series “Siesta Key.”

WHERE TO EAT

If you venture into Sarasota or Venice, you can enjoy upscale, 4- and 5-star restaurants, like Fins at Sharky’s, Marina Jacks, Antoines, Michael’s on East and Flemings. However, I recommend you mostly stay on the island and eat where the locals eat.

Blasé Café, Gilligan’s Island Bar & Restaurant, Crescent Club, Island House Tap & Grill, Siesta Key Oyster Bar, Sniki Tiki and Captain Curt’s are some of our favorites. You won’t want to miss Broken Egg or Toasted Mango for breakfast at least once during your trip. Other top restaurants on the island include Walt’s, Turtle’s, Ophelia’s on the Bay, Flavios, Café Gabbiano, Siesta Key Oyster Bar and The Old Salty Dog.

The Gulf of Mexico has 87 degree water in September.

The lure of Bass Nation: Maryland fishing group serves paralyzed vets

By Gary Bennett

Cover of November 2023 “Prime Time” magazine with my friend, Dick Brown, on the cover.

This article appears in the November 2023 issue of Frederick News-Post’s “Prime Time” magazine.

Longtime Frederick resident and insurance executive Dick Brown is a dedicated fisherman who has taken his passion and turned it into service for injured veterans.

The organization he belongs to, Maryland Bass Nation, is one of many state affiliates of the national Bass Anglers Sportsmen Society, which has approximately 24,000 members and is dedicated to conservation, youth activities and promoting the sport. Brown is the first vice president of MBN.

Each spring, Paralyzed Veterans of America holds the Capital Clash Bass Tournament in conjunction with MBN to bring injured and paralyzed veterans together with experienced fishermen for a peaceful yet competitive weekend on the water for bass fishing.

Brown has put his heart and soul into organizing this tournament for 16 years now as the tournament committee chairman for the Capital Clash event. He has been involved in some capacity since 1997. Last year they celebrated their 25^th anniversary of the PVA B.A.S.S. Tournament Series. Fishermen ranre in age from 18 to 80.

Characteristically humble, Brown said, “I just kind of said I’m going to do this. The guy that got me involved was an old drill sergeant who just treated me fantastically. He was one of the best small-mouth bass fishermen in the country, and I wanted to learn from those guys. At first, PVA did 98% of it [the tournament], and I just took people out in my boat. It took off from there.”

Dick Brown (left) and PVA colleague preparing for touney.

A Logistical Challenge

Despite running a busy insurance agency and managing Type 1 diabetes and disk problems in his back, Brown and the Capital Clash committee spend most of the year organizing the tournament, including all fundraising and logistical activities.

Brown and his committee of eight fundraise to purchase and distribute T-shirts, tackle, lures and other supplies for the vets. Everyone gets a new, fully-packed tackle box and a new rod and reel.

“If they come with nothing, they’ll still be able to fish, but they usually already have equipment. Most of us have a tackle store in the boat – it’s an addiction! We want the vets to get out on the water and enjoy themselves, the camaraderie and the therapeutic aspect of that,” Brown said.

Where’s My Captain?

A big part of the organizing effort is to find enough boat captains to take the veterans out on the water. Brown needs anywhere from 30 to 90 boats, depending on attendance and demand.

“You have to find guys who have bass boats big enough to go out on the bigger bodies of water, who can keep the fish alive, because they are released back into the river and are able to donate their time, ability, gas, and oil, which is not cheap,” according to Brown.

Brown says the captains assist the paralyzed veterans as much as they can. They are not allowed to cast for them unless the veteran is unable. The captains also cannot set the hook or reel in the fish, but they can net the fish for them when it is reeled into the boat.

“Sometimes I’m short 10 or more boat captains the night before,” Brown said. “Only if we have to will we put more than one disabled vet in a boat. If someone wants to fish, we’ll find a spot for them.”

“You should have seen the one that got away!”

Not Just for Fun

The tournament is not just for camaraderie and relaxation. There are real championships and prizes at stake.

“We have a couple of donors who say they want every injured soldier to get something,” Brown said. “PVA supplies prizes to the top 10 fishermen, and MBN steps in and supplies prizes to all the others.”

Championships are measured by a point system. For each tournament you weigh your five biggest bass, and whomever has the most weight wins the tournament.

Some are novice fishermen, but because they have a national tournament trail, some have become very skilled. PVA developed this tournament trail for those who would like to fish nationally.

A First-Rate Operation

Generally, the two-day tournament begins on Friday evening at the American Legion in LaPlata. Registration is held while a picnic-style dinner is served of hamburgers, hot dogs and potato salad.

Names go into a computer, and the vets and boat captains are matched randomly, almost always one to one. In keeping with the rules, the tournament is a total “blind-draw.”

Brown explained it’s done that way so no one can pick their vet or boat captain ahead of time. “There’s always a different match made each year. It can be very competitive.”

Often these matches foster lasting relationships.

A typical fishing excursion lasts for eight hours. Vets and captains arrive at Smallwood State Park, near LaPlata, at 4 am. Saturday and are on the water by 6 am after a flag-raising ceremony. They mostly fish in the Potomac River near LaPlata and the creeks on both the Maryland and Virginia sides. They only fish for bass.

There is a separate bank division tournament. These anglers fish from the river banks if they’re not able enough to get on a boat, “a tourney within the tourney,” as Brown put it, and they also get prizes. They fish for anything, not just bass.

Vets Love It

Many anglers come from all over the country to participate. “I see huge smiles and get huge thank-yous,” Brown said. “Just getting away from their daily grind and out into nature is so great. The nice thing is the vets from this area just go 20 or 30 miles south of D.C., and it’s like you’re in Florida on some of these creeks.”

Brown is proud of the fact that it is inspiring to hear participants exclaim that they are “already looking forward to next year” as they say their goodbyes.

“One of the things that gets overlooked sometimes is that veterans who are injured would not have this chance, 25, 30 years ago, and they’re back here enjoying life – such as fishing – and not complaining. They’re out there having wheelchair races and having fun, and that’s what made me realize this is important,” Brown said.

Many paralyzed vets hear about this opportunity through the rec department at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda. PVA also reaches out to local military bases and hospitals, such as Fort Belvoir, Joint Base Andrews, Quantico, and the Baltimore and Winchester VA hospitals.

A Fishing Tourney Lifer

Brown insists he’ll keep doing this as long as he is able.

“It’s totally a labor of love,” he said. “If I were in their shoes, I would love to have this available to me. It’s my hobby anyway, which I don’t get to do very often.”

“The very first time I did this, it changed me,” he went on. “Some days I don’t feel well because I’ve got Type 1 diabetes. But what some of these vets have to endure just to get out of bed each day and to just function at all is amazing. What do I have to be upset about? I would do it if I were in the organization or not. As long as I’m breathing and able, I’m going to participate.”

Brown considered the service out of high school but was disqualified. “’You’re flat footed and legally blind in your left eye’ was what they told me.”

It was disappointing because he was very fast and athletic and had been a hunter all his life, able to hit any target. He sees the tournament as a way to give back.

You Can Help

Anyone who wants to help with the tournament can contact Brown at dickbrown@4myinsurance.net.

There are several ways to volunteer, such as distributing supplies and lunches, helping with parking and weigh-ins, and many other tasks.

If you know someone who is injured or disabled and wants to fish, veteran or not, they may qualify to fish in this tournament and are encouraged to contact Brown. For more information, see pva.org/adaptive-sports/bass-tournament-series.

The next PVA Capital Clash Tournament is set for June 7 to 9, 2024, in Waldorf.

And yes, Brown has been working on logistics for months already.

How did we get in this affordable housing mess?

By Gary Bennett and Hugh Gordon

This article appears in the October 21, 2023, issue of the Frederick News-Post.

As members of the Affordable Housing Council in Frederick County, we spend lots of time looking at houses on Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and The Frederick News-Post.

This is no news to anyone, but we can assure you that houses are more expensive than ever. Here in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C., region, it’s shocking.

In Maryland, according to Zillow, more than half of all buyers in June 2023 paid above list price for their home. Buyers are paying, on average, 1 to 2 percent above asking price now.

That may not sound like a lot, but on a $500,000 home, that may be another $10,000. One Realtor friend told us that for one of her listings, there were 32 offers, all above asking price. That means 31 unhappy, unsuccessful home seekers.

Renters have it no better.

In Maryland, the National Low Income Housing Coalition has found that a renter working 40 hours per week and earning Maryland’s minimum wage of $13.25 per hour must work 79 hours each week to afford a modest one-bedroom apartment and not be cost burdened (not spending more than 33% of income on housing costs).

But it’s not just Maryland and the D.C. area. The lack of affordable housing is a nationwide problem. Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen housing prices reach a level they’ve never reached before.

According to the National Association of Realtors, the median price for a house in America is now $414,000. That is the second highest median price recorded, after June 2022.

In Maryland, it’s worse. Maryland Realtors, a nonprofit membership organization, reports the average sales price in Maryland is up more than 3 percent from last year to over $486,000. Our proximity to Washington, D.C., has a lot to do with this.

That price may not sound like a lot for this region, but keep in mind it includes all areas of Maryland, rural and urban. Those prices make rents more expensive and home ownership unobtainable for millions of Americans.

How did this happen, and how can we fix it?

We can think of today’s exorbitant housing prices as a result of a supply and demand problem. The housing supply isn’t matching demand.

On the demand side, there has been a generational shift in who is buying homes. Millennials are now the largest generation in American history, and they are aging into their prime home-buying years.

On top of that, until recently, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages were at an all-time low, which meant it was relatively cheap to borrow the money to buy a house. That enticed people to buy if they could, making demand for houses even greater.

Over the last two years, interest rates rose past 7 percent, but because of low inventory, that has yet to substantially cool demand in the housing market.

From 2010 to 2019, there were fewer homes built in the U.S. than in any decade since the 1940s. In particular, the construction of smaller, entry-level homes, for first-time home buyers, has dropped more dramatically.

In the 1980s, those “starter” homes made up about 40 percent of homes built. Today, it is closer to 8 percent.

Currently, the National Association of Realtors says the U.S. is down anywhere from 5.5 million to 6.8 million starter homes needed to satisfy demand.

Moreover, according to Pew Research in 2021, 55 percent of adults under age 30 said the lack of affordable housing is a major problem, up from 39 percent in 2018.

This housing shortage drives a big part of the problem for renters and prospective homeowners. It is worse where demand is highest, such as near good jobs, transit and schools like Frederick.

One straightforward solution is to simply build more affordable homes in desirable places. For years, however, there has been one big obstacle — builders aren’t allowed to.

Zoning or local regulations that decide where things can be built overwhelmingly favor single-family homes over multifamily homes. Zoning boards have banned the ability for anyone to build anything other than a single unit of housing on that land.

In many towns, zoning boards exclude all types of multifamily housing from their neighborhoods.

And not just large apartment buildings. Things like duplexes and fourplexes are illegal on most residential land in many American cities.

Single-family housing is the law in 70 percent of Minneapolis, 75 percent of Los Angeles, and 84 percent of Charlotte, N.C., to name a few. This is a huge determining factor for the housing shortage in the U.S.

We need states to step in and preempt municipalities from enacting and enforcing land-use restrictions that raise housing costs. Land-use control is constitutionally guaranteed to states, not municipalities.

States often delegate the authority to municipalities. But they can and should take it back when cities don’t use it for public benefit.

Gary Bennett and Hugh Gordon are longtime Frederick County residents and members of Frederick’s Affordable Housing Council.

All I Have to Do is Dream: Best Classic Rock Songs about Dreams

By Gary Bennett

This article appears in the September 28, 2023, issue of Frederick News-Post’s “72 Hours” entertainment insert.

I had a dream last night.

I realize this probably doesn’t sound unusual to you. But, to me, it was. I hardly ever dream. At least I don’t think so.

Scientists say most people dream but don’t remember them. I probably fall into that category. Scientists also say the purpose of dreaming is to “help analyze and consolidate memories, a process where recent, learned experiences are converted into long-term storage.” I guess that that makes sense but still doesn’t explain the sensation of falling out of an airplane, showing up at work naked or snake monsters.

Naturally, last night’s dream got me to thinking about classic rock songs about dreaming. Why? Because I love classic rocks songs and because popular music tends to cover all the esoteric feelings and experiences we all share. If listening to love songs can help make you a more loving or romantic person, which I believe, why can’t songs about dreams make you a “dreamier” person?

Unfortunately, it seems that most songs about dreams are not really about dreams at all, at least not in the sleeping sense. No, they are more about conscious dreaming and trying to reach your full potential.

Still, I think I’ll give it a try tonight by listening to my top ten classic rock songs about dreams and see if I can repeat last night’s performance.

10. “DAYDREAM BELIEVER”
The Monkees, 1968
Tuneful, repetitive song about the sweet boredom of suburban life delivered up by the fun loving boys of ‘60s bubblegum rock.
“Cheer up Sleepy Jean, Oh, what can it mean, To a daydream believer, And a homecoming queen?”

9. “DREAMS”
Fleetwood Mac, 1977
Haunting melody and cryptic lyrics by Stevie Nicks poking fun at her cheating boyfriend and bandmate at the time, Lindsey Buckingham.
“Thunder only happens when it’s raining, Players only love you when they’re playing.”

8. “YOUR WILDEST DREAMS”
The Moody Blues, 1986
Thoughtful lyrics and upbeat groove exploring whether a lost love ever thinks about you “in their wildest dreams.”
“Once upon a time, Once when you were mine, I remember skies, Reflected in your eyes.”

7. “BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS”
Green Day, 2004
Moody, reflective song covering heartbreaking loneliness and lost dreams.
“I walk this empty street, On the boulevard of broken dreams, Where the city sleeps, And I’m the only one, And I walk alone.”

6. “ENTER SANDMAN”
Metallica, 1991
These heavy metal rockers serve up a terrifying lullaby with an unforgettable guitar lick. Have to blast this one full volume for the best effect.
“Say your prayers little one, Don’t forget, my son, To include everyone, I tuck you in, warm within, Keep you free from sin.”

5. “#9 DREAM”
John Lennon, 1974
A soothing, haunting, spiritual song that reportedly sprang from a real dream. One of his best.
“Dream, dream away, Magic in the air, Was magic in the air?, I believe, yes, I believe, More I cannot say, On a river of sound.”

4. “DREAM ON”
Aerosmith, 1973
This timeless masterpiece with the unforgettable opening chords implores us to live for today because tomorrow is not promised.
“Every time that I look in the mirror, All these lines on my face getting clearer, The past is gone, It went by like dusk to dawn.”

3. “CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’”
The Mamas and the Papas, 1965
A lovely call and response song with impeccable harmonies about longing for something you can’t have.
“All the leaves are brown, And the sky is gray, I went for a walk, On a winter’s day, I’d be safe and warm, If I was in LA.”

2. “DAYDREAM”
Lovin’ Spoonful, 1966
A carefree, feel-good song about being so much in love, it’s like a daydream. Terrific tenor vocal from John Sebastian.
“I’ve been having a sweet dream, I been dreamin’ since I woke up today, It’s starring me and my sweet dream, ‘Cause she’s the one makes me feel this way.”

“ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM”
Everly Brothers, 1958
This sweet, classic song extols the virtues of dreaming to be reunited with the one you love. Impeccable harmonies introduced America to this classic duo.
“When I want you in my arms, When I want you and all your charms, Whenever I want you, All I have to do is dream, dream, dream.”

Honorable Mentions:
Jim Croce’s “Dreamin’ Again,” Crowded House’s ”Don’t Dream It’s Over,” Bobby Darin’s “Dream Lover,” The Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” Heart’s “These Dreams,” Billy Joel’s “The River of Dreams,” Gordon Lightfoot’s “Summertime Dream,” Kenny Nolan’s “I Like Dreamin’,” Billy Ocean’s “Get Out of My Dreams, Get Into My Car,” Elvis Presley’s “If I Can Dream,” The Romantics’ “Talking in Your Sleep,” The Talking Heads’ “Dream Operator,” and Gary Wright’s “Dream Weaver.”