Community & Culture Committee Reviews 2026 United Way ALICE Report on October 15, 2026

The Community & Culture Committee of the City of Frederick met on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. to receive a workshop presentation on the 2026 United Way ALICE Report and discuss its implications. The report uses 2024 data. The committee approved the September 17, 2026 meeting minutes 2-0.

Minutes Approval

• Councilmember Hemplermani moved to approve the September 17, 2026 minutes; Councilmember Shockford seconded. The motion carried 2-0.

Presentation: 2026 United Way ALICE Report

• The presenter reported that in 2024, $62,400 was twice the federal poverty line for a family of four (two working adults, two children) and was the qualification threshold for many federal assistance programs such as SNAP and housing vouchers. The ALICE survival budget for a family of four in Frederick County was $121,080 for housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, phone, and taxes, with nothing for savings and zero debt assumed.
• Frederick County had about 108,000 households. The presenter said 32% of county households were ALICE, split between 6% in federal poverty and 26% above the federal poverty line but below the basic cost of living, or about 34,465 households. Median household income was $122,000; the county population was 299,317; and the labor force participation rate was 71%.
• County ALICE and poverty rates were below state averages: 26% of county households were ALICE versus 29% statewide, and 6% were in poverty versus 10% statewide.
• Total households grew from 83,964 in 2010 to 108,330 in 2024. The percentage of ALICE households was relatively stable, but the total number grew as the county grew. Between 2023 and 2024, the presenter reported a net decrease in ALICE households and a net increase of about 2,090 households above the ALICE threshold.
• Survival budgets cited were $50,868 for a single adult, $121,080 for a family of four, and nearly $55,000 for a single senior. Gaps between 200% of the federal poverty line and survival budgets were $21,000 for a single adult, $58,680 for a family of four, and about $25,000 for a single senior. The family-of-four gap increased by $7,000 in one year.
• The presenter linked these budgets to required hourly wages of $25.43 for a single adult and about $27 for a senior.
• The monthly child care estimate for two children was $2,500 in 2024; the presenter called that an underestimate likely closer to $3,000 today and noted a $698-per-month increase from the prior measurement year.
• Housing consumed 46% of a single adult's survival budget ($1,949 of $4,239) and 43% of a single senior's budget, while the family of four spent about 20% on housing. The presenter said spending 30% or more of income on housing is considered cost-burdened.
• The presenter cited the county housing study: about 31,000 new homes are needed by 2035, roughly 3,500 per year, with affordability defined at 60% of area median income. More than 20,000 households, about one in five, are currently cost-burdened.
• On the county map, ALICE concentrations were highest in rural areas and municipalities. Urbana had the lowest concentration at 17%, Brunswick the highest at 48%, and the City of Frederick was at 45% with about 35,000 households.
• The presenter flagged that 50% of American Indian and Alaska Native households were ALICE, but this was based on only 262 households, making the percentage sensitive to small changes.
• Single mothers remained disproportionately affected: 75% of single-mother households were ALICE. Single fathers increased to 51%, and married dual-income households with children were at 13%.
• The presenter explained that the ALICE Essential Index, which strips luxury goods from the consumer price index, has risen faster than the federal CPI, meaning federal assistance tied to CPI is not keeping up with essentials such as housing and child care.

Recommendations and Council Discussion

• The presenter urged the city to apply an ALICE lens to policies and fees, noting that fees are often passed through to ALICE families.
• He described the existing Sold on Frederick program as providing up to $25,000 interest-free toward down payment and closing costs with no payments until the home is sold, and recommended sustaining and expanding it alongside matched-savings programs.
• He recommended expanding transportation and technology support. He cited that 83% of 5,500 Chromebook recipients did not otherwise have a computer at home, and that technology now costs $147 per month in the survival budget.
• The presenter offered to provide the city a deeper demographic and geographic look at its ALICE data if additional resources were available.
• The presenter said United Way's Pathway to Home Ownership has helped 35 graduates buy their first home with zero defaults over 10 years. The program requires budget coaching, credit counseling, HUD-authorized homeownership training, and $3,000 in personal savings. Frederick County permits up to three homeowners per year through the partnership; United Way averages 3.5 graduates per year and hopes to expand to 10.
• On transportation, the presenter praised TransIT's system improvements and said the Ride United Network provides 9,000 to 10,000 free rides per year. Veterans can access rides by calling 211, and rides are also distributed through nonprofit partners. The program began with a pilot in 2023 and has room for expansion.
• The presenter also said red-light and speed-camera tickets can have an undue effect on ALICE households, potentially preventing them from renewing their driver's licenses or car registrations. A councilmember who identified as a district representative responded that speeding is a frequent constituent complaint, expressed openness to discussing alternatives with the traffic enforcement team, and noted that state-level license-related reforms are under discussion.
• Councilmembers said the ALICE data should remain at the forefront when crafting policy and allocating budget resources.

Key Outcomes

• The committee approved the September 17, 2026 minutes by a 2-0 vote.
• No formal action was taken on the ALICE presentation; it was received as a workshop item.
• The committee heard the United Way's offer to explore additional city-specific data and councilmembers expressed support for considering ALICE impacts in future decisions.