Policies in the second pillar promote affordability by making it easier for the private sector to increase the overall supply of housing. In other words, these policies expand affordable housing access by helping align the locality’s housing supply with its market and neighborhood housing conditions. Some policies to expand the housing supply include allowing higher residential density and improving the predictability of the development processes. The second pillar also includes policies to help localities struggling with vacant and abandoned properties. The process associated with obtaining approval for new construction can be time-consuming and costly. To help developers increase the overall supply of housing, one strategy that some localities have adopted is to streamline their permitting processes. For example, in 2012, Montgomery County, MD, launched a cross-agency initiative to streamline its development process, which involved the Department of Permitting Services, Fire and Rescue Services, and the Planning Board. The County held forums to identify bottlenecks, duplicative review requirements, and inconsistencies. It also facilitated roundtable discussions and working groups to address discrete topics, like rezonings, right-of-way permits, and building permits.