Mynor Herrera Appointed to the Housing Opportunities Commission

Mynor & Associates would like to extend a huge congratulations to our very own Mynor Herrera for being appointed to the Housing Opportunities Commission last month. Mynor will serve as a public commissioner to diligently work hard to strengthen families and communities while establishing an efficient and productive environment that fosters trust, open communication and mutual respect. The mission of the Housing Opportunities Commission is to provide affordable housing and supportive services that enhance the lives of low- and moderate-income families and individuals throughout Montgomery County, Maryland. Their primary focus is to ensure that no one in Montgomery County is living in substandard housing.


The HOC works with advocates and providers to maintain support for all the work of the Commission. To achieve this mission, HOC operates as a public housing agency, a housing finance agency and a housing developer. The Montgomery County government provides funding for the Commission to manage the following service programs: Affordable Housing Development: acquires Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDUs) for rental to lower-income families; Public Housing Management: maintains community norms and relationships between homeowner associations and public housing residents; Services to Residents in Assisted Housing: provides counseling and support services to low-income individuals and families in assisted housing; and Housing Resource Service: provides up-to-date information on available housing programs.

 "Montgomery County is fortunate to have so many outstanding residents who volunteer to serve on our boards, committees and commissions. The County will benefit immeasurably from your efforts. We are grateful for your willingness to serve and we look forward to your participation in this significant effort." says Craig Rice, Council President of the Montgomery County Council. 

Keep up the great work Mynor! We are very proud of your active involvement in making Montgomery County a better place to live for everyone. Help us congratulate Mynor by writing a few words on our FaceBook page. Don't forget to like our page if you haven't already done so.

Free Veggies for All! Should We Follow the British Example?

Planting flowers in public spaces adds beauty to any area, but what if vegetables were planted there instead?

Have you noticed abandoned patches of land in your community suddenaly springing to life? It could be the work of an underground movement called guerrilla gardening — the practice of taking unused land and planting it with flowers and shrubs, just to beautify the area a bit.

Now, a group of British women are bringing the same concept to light — except their aim is not only to beautify, but to feed their neighborhood.

Pam Warhurst and Mary Clear of Todmorden, West Yorkshire, believe flowers are well and good, but planting vegetables in public spaces would benefit their town much more. Incredible Edible Todmorden replaces flowers in public gardens with vegetables, then invites local residents to help themselves to ripe veggies whenever they like, free of charge. This means food has to travel much fewer miles to get to hungry mouths, reducing impact on the environment.

Within 10 years, they aim to have their town producing their own fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy products.

Norah Hamill, who runs a similar project in the nearby town of Huddersfield, encourages her neighbors to plant vegetables wherever possible — back yards, public gardens, schools, even cemeteries. Shopkeepers and café owners are invited to put container gardens outside their establishments, and passersby can pick at will.

Occasional acts of vandalism, or people taking more than their fair share, can be expected, but organizers still say the educational and environmental benefits outweigh this risk.

Incredible Edible Todmorden and Incredible Edible Huddersfield have already been inundated with donated seeds, tools, and volunteers. Other nearby towns, such as Wilmslow and Wakefield, are following suit with their own community agriculture.

Do you think Americans would be open to adopting this practice?

Source: www.houselogic.com

Contact me, Mynor Herrera, for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD & VA areas. I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the subdivisions on Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda and Whitehall Condominium.

January 21, 2012: Ohr Kodesh Movie Night

Here is a family event ideal for the residents of the Rosemary Hills and Rock Creek Forest communities. The Ohr Kodesh Congregation will be hosting a movie night this coming January 21, 2012 from 6:30pm - 9:00pm. Ice cream sundaes and popcorn will be available at 6:30 PM. 

Dolphin Tale and The Smurfs will be shown for children beginning at 6:50 pm. There will be supervision for the kids.
For adults and teens, A Matter of Size, a comedy about a group of overweight men in Israel who aspire to become sumo wrestlers, will be shown. It is comedic and poignant at the same time.

No RSVP required. Cost: $2/child, $3/adult, maximum $10. Meet in the Lobby of Ohr Kodesh.

Ohr Kodesh Congregation
8300 Meadowbrook Lane
Chevy Chase, MD 20815

P: 301-589-3880


Contact me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda and Whitehall Condominium.

East Bethesda Citizens Association – January Newsletter

Hello to my friends and neighbors in East Bethesda! If you want to be in-the-know on what’s happening in your neighborhood, please check out the newest EBCA Newsletter.

This month, you’ll read about:

·         Results of School Boundary Study

·         Parks Clean-Up on April 30, 2011

·         Notes from the EBCA President

Thanks for being involved and caring members of your community!

Contact me today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA area! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda, & Whitehall Condominium.

Chevy Chase PTA’s Making (Up) the Difference

Not so long ago, the Chevy Chase-area Parent Teacher Association worked on fun events for the community.  Now, as the school system tightens its belt, local PTA’s are more often contributing to the cost of basic school supplies and operations.

This year, PTA funds will help purchase computer carts for Chevy Chase Elementary to help with computer instruction classes.  Since the computer lab had to be closed, the carts will carry computers and become mini computer labs that are shared among classrooms. They’ve funded two carts so far, at $6,000 each, with a goal of three or four more.

At North Chevy Chase Elementary School, the PTA dished out $1,300 for the teachers’ educational magazines that the county said it could no longer afford. When the county cut the bus for students in the after-school tutoring program, the PTA stepped in and paid that bill, too—about $1200.

The PTA at the Rosemary Hills Primary School has brought in over three times as much money as in past years, to the tune of about $60,000.  About $36,000 of this will purchase six more interactive white boards for the school, which currently has four. The balance of the money is for PTA programs.

Area PTA’s are bringing in more money not only through fundraisers but through other inventive means, including simply asking for it. They’ve found willing donors in parents, community members, and some local governments.  It seems that people would rather write a check and know specifically where their money is going rather than contribute to wrapping paper sales or other fundraisers with vague definitions.

Last December, several Chevy Chase villages contributed to the neighboring Rosemary Hills PTA, simply because they were asked—and found the cause worthy.

As municipal budgets continue to be cut, the PTA expects to continue making up the difference so that local schools (and school kids) have what they need for a quality education.

Contact me today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA area!