Housing

passed both · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 153: Residential Rental Apartments - Air-Conditioning Requirement

HB 153 requires landlords to provide air-conditioning in most residential rental units in Maryland under specific conditions. It applies to buildings with four or more dwelling units (excluding historic properties, pre-1950 developments, and certain Baltimore public housing), mandating landlords maintain temperatures at or below 80°F in living areas from June 1 to September 30 each year. New construction must comply starting June 1, 2026, while units with major electrical or heating system upgrades must comply starting October 1, 2026. The law does not apply retroactively to buildings with permits issued before the bill's effective date.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates AC in rentals for tenant comfort, directly strengthening tenant protections under housing policy requirements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Housing

Track

passed both · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 180: Evidence - Interception of Oral Communications - Fair Housing Testing

SB 180 allows fair housing testers working for specific programs (federal, state, local governments, or qualifying nonprofit civil rights organizations) to legally record oral communications during housing tests to document potential discrimination. The bill creates an exception to Maryland's wiretap law, permitting testers to intercept conversations they are party to if the recording is solely for gathering evidence of fair housing violations under federal, state, or local law. Crucially, recordings made under this exception cannot be used as evidence in court or other proceedings except to enforce fair housing laws. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, and directly affects fair housing testing organizations and their trained testers.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingEnables fair housing testers to legally record discrimination evidence, strengthening enforcement against housing bias per federal/state fair housing laws.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Housing

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passed both · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 523: Real Property - Residential Foreclosures - Commencement Restrictions

HB 523 (Real Property - Residential Foreclosures - Commencement Restrictions) delays foreclosure actions on residential properties by requiring a 90-day waiting period after a default or notice of intent to foreclose, whichever is later. It directly affects homeowners facing foreclosure and mortgage lenders by adding this waiting period, with limited exceptions for fraud, no payments, property destruction, bankruptcy, or vacant properties. Key provisions include mandatory affidavits verifying default details and notice accuracy, a $450 filing fee, and requirements for loss mitigation documentation. The bill modifies Maryland's foreclosure law to provide additional time for homeowners to seek alternatives before a foreclosure case can proceed.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingDelays residential foreclosures by 90 days, protecting homeowners from rapid housing loss and strengthening tenant/homeowner security during financial hardship.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Housing

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passed both · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 389: Land Use - Transit-Oriented Development - Alterations (Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act)

SB 389, the Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act, automatically designates transit-oriented development (TOD) areas near rail stations with hourly weekday service (8 a.m.-6 p.m.) as enterprise zones - bypassing normal limits on such designations. It requires Maryland’s development corporation to prioritize loans for projects redeveloping state-owned land near rail stations and delays development taxes/fees for qualifying residential projects. The bill also adds project labor agreements as a scoring factor for TOD funding and adjusts local land-use regulations to support transit-focused development. Directly affecting developers, local governments, and communities near transit hubs, it aims to accelerate housing and infrastructure near rail corridors.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesDelays development taxes/fees for qualifying residential projects, providing tax incentive to promote transit-oriented development90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingDesignates TOD areas as enterprise zones, prioritizes loans for state land redevelopment, and delays fees for residential projects - all advancing housing development near transit.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires project labor agreements for transit development projects, ensuring fair wages and union standards in construction labor.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationDesignates TOD areas near rail stations, prioritizes transit-oriented projects, delays fees for housing near transit - directly advancing public transit infrastructure and sustainable transportation access.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Housing

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passed both · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 274: Fair Housing and Housing Discrimination - Regulations and Discriminatory Effect

SB 274 updates Maryland's fair housing laws to address discriminatory practices regardless of intent. It defines "discriminatory effect" as actions creating segregated housing patterns based on protected characteristics like race, disability, or sexual orientation, even without malicious intent. The bill requires housing authorities and political subdivisions to actively "affirmatively further fair housing" and prohibits practices with disparate impacts on protected groups. These changes apply to all housing providers, landlords, and government entities involved in housing decisions. The law removes intent as a defense for discriminatory housing practices, aligning enforcement with federal standards.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingPrevents housing discrimination by defining discriminatory effect and requiring affirmative fair housing action, strengthening tenant protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Housing

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 10, 2026

HB 1353: Homeless Individuals - Fee and Examination Exemptions

HB 1353 exempts homeless individuals in Maryland from specific fees and requirements. It prohibits the Maryland Department of Health from charging for vital records (like birth or death certificates) issued to homeless people, waives vehicle registration fees for vehicles owned by homeless individuals, and eliminates driver’s license fees for homeless applicants. The bill also allows unaccompanied homeless youth under 18 to take certain driver’s license exams sooner and exempts homeless individuals from mandatory vehicle emissions inspections. Homeless individuals must provide a written statement proving their homelessness to access these exemptions.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts homeless individuals from state fees (vital records, vehicle registration, driver's licenses), reducing government revenue and providing fiscal relief for low-income residents.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingExempts homeless individuals from fees for vital records, vehicle registration, and driver's licenses, directly addressing homelessness to improve housing access and stability.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Housing

Track

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 7, 2026

HB 774: Landlord and Tenant - Residential Leases and Holdover Tenancies - Local Good Cause Termination (Good Cause Eviction)

HB 774 allows counties in Maryland to adopt local laws requiring landlords to have a valid reason (like nonpayment of rent or lease violations) to terminate residential leases or evict tenants who remain after their lease ends ("holdover tenancies"). Landlords in counties with such laws must disclose whether they are subject to these rules in lease agreements and provide specific ownership details (including how many properties they own) if claiming an exemption. The bill also requires the state housing office to create standardized forms for this disclosure and to clarify when landlords must prove "good cause" in court. This directly affects landlords and tenants in counties that implement these local good cause eviction protections.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires landlords to have valid reasons for eviction, protecting tenants from arbitrary displacement - directly strengthens tenant rights in housing.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Housing

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 25, 2026

HB 989: State Assistance for the Elderly - Study on Calculation of Income

HB 989 modifies how income is calculated for elderly individuals seeking state assistance. It prohibits including rental income from a portion of an individual's primary residence (e.g., renting a room) when determining eligibility for state tax credits, housing assistance, or medical assistance programs. The Department of Aging must review all relevant programs to confirm applicability and notify administering agencies if the rule applies. This change directly affects elderly Marylanders who rely on state assistance programs with income-based eligibility requirements. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExcludes rental income from eligibility calculations for state assistance programs, expanding access to benefits without increasing taxes, directly supporting elderly fiscal assistance programs.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExcludes rental income from income calculation for medical assistance eligibility, expanding access to healthcare for elderly residents.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingExcludes rental income from primary residence for housing assistance eligibility, increasing access to programs for elderly residents without reducing benefits.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Housing

Track

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 25, 2026

HB 402: Common Ownership Communities - Oversight, Governing Document Database, and Local Commissions

HB 402 establishes a Common Ownership Community Ombudsman Unit within Maryland's Attorney General's Office to handle complaints from residents of homeowners associations (HOAs), condominiums, and cooperative housing communities about final adverse decisions made by their governing bodies. The unit will monitor relevant laws, provide members with information and referrals to dispute resolution services, and either make determinations about whether decisions violate laws or refer complaints to local county commissions. The bill also requires all common ownership communities to file governing documents with the Department of Housing and Community Development and mandates the department to create a public database of these documents. Annual reports on the unit's activities, including complaint volumes and actions taken, must be submitted to the department and the General Assembly.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingEstablishes ombudsman unit to resolve disputes in HOAs/condos, strengthening tenant protections against unfair governance decisions85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Housing

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 24, 2026

HB 313: Landlord and Tenant - Residential Housing - Rental Applications and Tenant Screening

HB 313 prohibits landlords in Maryland from charging application or screening fees unless a rental unit is immediately available or will become available within 30 days. Landlords must provide written disclosures about screening criteria, fees, and reporting agencies before collecting any fees, and must give prospective tenants specific reasons, copies of screening reports, and the right to dispute inaccuracies if denying an application. The bill also bans landlords from considering sealed court records or failure-to-pay rent proceedings in screening decisions. Violations are treated as consumer protection law violations under Maryland law, subject to enforcement and penalties.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticePrevents landlords from using sealed criminal records in tenant screening, protecting individuals with rehabilitated histories and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProhibits unfair landlord fees and mandates transparency in tenant screening, strengthening tenant protections under housing policy.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Housing

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