Anne Arundel County Council members met yesterday to discuss the possible creation of an incentive program to encourage homebuilders to construct affordable housing in the area. Draft legislation could be available for review as soon as Dec. 1.

Affordable housing has become a political issue as housing prices in the county continue to skyrocket. Council members, as well as County Executive Janet S. Owens, promised to tackle the issue of affordable housing in their election campaign platforms.

At the meeting at the Arundel Center yesterday, Councilwoman Barbara D. Samorajczyk, a Democrat from Annapolis, said that she hoped to help county employees such as teachers, firefighters and police officers purchase homes in the area. Many county employees must live outside the county if they want to own a home.

Samorajczyk and Councilwoman Pamela G. Beidle, a Democrat from Linthicum, organized the meeting, which also was attended by representatives of the Annapolis and Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce, development firms and architects. Annapolis Alderwoman Cynthia Carter, whose ward includes low-income and public housing neighborhoods, also attended.

Bernard Tetreault, president of Innovative Housing Institute and BLT Consulting, outlined a longstanding Montgomery County housing program. Since the early 1970s, more than 10,000 housing units, including townhouses and duplexes, have been built, he said.