Our Government
COLUMBIA
Columbia is not an incorporated municipality. It is, in essence, a large-scale homeowners association. Organized as a nonprofit public benefit corporation, the Columbia Association (CA) provides the core of this "homeowners association."
Columbia residents pay an annual charge that provides the operating budget for the CA. This charge allows CA staff to operate and maintain a whole host of recreational, cultural and community services that are intended to enhance the lives of Columbia residents.
While day to day operations of the CA are carried out by paid staff, the CA is governed by the CA Board of Directors. The CA Board of Directors has 11 members: one representative from each of the 10 Columbia villages, and then the president of the CA.
The representatives from each village to the CA Board of Directors are elected by residents of that village. To maintain these elections, and to provide for day-to-day operations of each of the villages, each village has its own Community Association, which is guided by a Village Board.
HOWARD COUNTY
As Columbia is not an incorporated municipality, Owen Brown residents receive most of their services directly from Howard County. The main number for Howard County is (410) 313-3000.
Owen Brown is part of Howard County District 3. Our District 3 representative to the County Council is Jen Terrasa.
Howard County has a great collection of maps that show the boundaries for all Columbia Villages here.
Owen Brown Testimony on County Council Legislation:
- CB-58 and CB-59 (Downtown Zoning changes - (ZRA-113))
MARYLAND
Owen Brown is part of District 13 in the Maryland State House.
Our representatives in the House of Delegates are: Guy Guzzone, Shane Pendergrass and Frank Turner. Our representative in the State Senate is James Robey.
UNITED STATES
Owen Brown is part of Maryland's Third Congressional District.
Our representative in the U.S. House of Representatives is John Sarbanes. Our representatives in the U.S. Senate are Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski.