I am a resident of Howard County and I am writing in support of the proposed Lakefront Library and construction of mixed-income housing, and I urge you to include its funding in the FY2024 County budget.

The County Council already unanimously approved the Downtown Columbia Plan which called for the replacement of the now-outdated Central Library.

The lakefront is one of Columbia and Howard County’s favorite gathering spaces and this library will expand community access to one of our best public spaces. The lakefront location will make the new library the centerpiece of our community, as well as creating much needed infrastructure such as additional classrooms, spaces for teenagers, and workforce development and equity initiatives.

This project also makes the prior location of the replacement library site available for the construction of mixed-income housing that our county desperately needs.

As a resident of Howard County, I understand and recognize the value of a new library that can better meet the needs of our growing community, as well as creating more affordable housing options.

I ask you to vote for funding for the construction of the Lakefront Library in the FY2024 County Budget and to support mixed-income housing in the Merriweather District of Downtown Columbia.