Montgomery County in Maryland, is experimenting with a new way to address the housing crisis called "social housing." Unlike the traditional public housing model, (often meant only for low-income families) which carries a lot of stigma, social housing mixes market-rate apartments with affordable ones. The intent is to improve social cohesion by blending diverse communities. This makes the whole idea of public housing more appealing and less stigmatized.

What makes this really interesting is how they're paying for it. The county uses public money to offer better financing deals to private developers. This encourages developers to build and manage these mixed-income buildings, but the county still owns the properties long-term. The first project, The Laureate, was a big success and filled up quickly with tenants. It also creates a significant challenge that other regions might face - The model relies on significant upfront public investment to kickstart projects. Securing and managing these funds can be challenging, especially in regions with tight budgets or competing financial priorities, or simply no grant writers.

This new approach has grabbed the attention of other cities like Atlanta and Boston, which are now looking to try it themselves. So, while the concept of public housing isn't new, this particular way of mixing incomes and using innovative financing is a fresh and promising idea in the United States.