Andrew Friedson is in his second term on the Montgomery County Council representing the only place he’s ever called home in District 1 (Bethesda, Chevy Chase, and Potomac). First elected in 2018 as the youngest Councilmember in County history, he later made history again when he was elected by colleagues in December 2023 as the youngest-ever Council President. Councilmember Friedson has become known for his work enhancing quality of life, growing the local economy, and modernizing county government with a pragmatic, data-driven approach. He has built broad coalitions to tackle big issues to make Montgomery County more attractive, accessible, and affordable for families and businesses.
Councilmember Friedson chairs the Planning, Housing, & Parks (PHP) Committee and serves on the Government Operations & Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee. He also serves as Chair of the Council of Governments’ Food & Agriculture Regional Member (FARM) Policy Committee.
Councilmember Friedson spearheaded a $100 million revolving Housing Production Fund and has sponsored legislation to incentivize smart growth housing near transit and colocation of affordable housing on public land and at places of worship. He established a $50 million Nonprofit Preservation Fund and successfully introduced the largest individual economic development package in county history, the New Jobs, Opportunities, and Business Support (J.O.B.S.) Initiative, securing $20 million to attract new business investments, promote innovation, and support historically underserved communities and underrepresented entrepreneurs. He led efforts to establish and expand the Nonprofit Security Grants program that protects faith-based institutions and nonprofits at risk of experiencing hate crimes so residents can freely and securely learn, live, and worship. Councilmember Friedson also co-authored the County’s largest-ever climate investment with the Montgomery County Green Buildings Now Act and authored multiple measures to help grow the biohealth sector and streamline the county’s regulatory processes to spur innovation and investment. He has been a consistent advocate for transparency in County government and has led efforts to strengthen financial oversight and the County ethics law, improve the budget process, and reform the County’s property tax system. Councilmember Friedson also authored legislation to expand the county supplement to the Homeowner’s Tax Credit, a progressive property tax credit that targets relief to residents of limited incomes, to help address housing affordability and allow more residents to continue to live in their homes and age in place. Councilmember Friedson has been a leader for working families, sponsoring the Paid Parental Leave and Right to Nourish bills to make sure Montgomery County continues to attract and retain talent so we can best serve our residents.
Councilmember Friedson has been referred to as the “economic and fiscal center of the Montgomery County Council.” He has received the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Legislator of the Year, Public Policy Leadership Award from the Center for Nonprofit Advancement, the inaugural Fair Access Committee’s Champion of the Western County Award, the B-CC Rescue Squad's Hiram Musgrove Memorial Award, and the Glen Echo Park Advocacy Award.