By Emily Top, Capital News Service

TAKOMA PARK, Md. — The most recent Takoma Park survey of residents showed that the majority are satisfied with their overall quality of life but share concerns about the availability of quality affordable housing in the area. In the 2018 City of Takoma Park Resident Survey, only 31 percent of residents who responded to the randomly administered survey felt that there was an "availability of good quality affordable housing," down by 12 percentage points since 2014. Only 3 in 10 residents responding to the recent survey said the quality of housing was good or excellent, whereas the other 7 in 10 said it was poor or fair.

"Housing affordability is a concern for many members of the community," said Councilmember Kacy Kostiuk of Ward 3. "In Ward 3 in particular, this was an issue many expressed concern about." The survey was mailed to 3,000 households. It was completed and returned by 826, or 29 percent, the report says. The margin of error for responses was plus or minus 3 points.

Realtor Elliot Barber of the Maplesden Group of Long & Foster said in Takoma Park a person can purchase a 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom condo for around $150,000, but there are also houses in the town that sell for upwards of $1 million. According to Trulia, the median price of a home in Takoma Park was $350,000 and the median rent was $2,600 a month as of April 29. Since May 2014, median sales prices in the area have increased by about $160,000.

That jump in the median sales price in Takoma Park in the last five years is considerably greater than the $32,000 increase seen in neighboring Silver Spring, according to Trulia data. But the median sales price of a home in Silver Spring was higher than Takoma Park's — at $386,500 to Takoma Park's $350,000. The median rent in Silver Spring was $2,300 a month — $300 less than in Takoma Park.

Councilmember Terry Seamens of Ward 4 said the city does not control owner-occupied housing prices, but they change as the market does. "Housing prices in Takoma Park continue to rise, partly because Takoma Park is a desirable place to live. We provide good services and we are located inside the [Capital] Beltway close to many well-paying jobs," he said.

Barber attributed the change in prices in part to the gentrification of the city and the surrounding suburbs. People are starting to get priced out of Northwest Washington neighborhoods, he said, leading them to move northeast toward Takoma Park.