SB 657 establishes the Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA) Grant Program to provide financial assistance to minorities residing in historically redlined neighborhoods and underrepresented communities who aim to become real estate appraisers. The Maryland Higher Education Commission will administer the program, awarding grants to support individuals pursuing appraisal certification. The bill directly targets closing appraisal service gaps in underserved areas and aims to diversify the real estate appraisal profession. The program becomes effective July 1, 2026, with specific focus on communities historically excluded from equitable housing services.
SB 814 voids certain residential service agreements entered before June 1, 2023, if the service provider is deemed "defunct" (not in good standing with Maryland’s Department of Assessments and Taxation) on or after June 1, 2026. It specifically invalidates agreements that attempt to bind future property owners, create liens on homes, or allow unapproved transfers of service rights. Homeowners affected can seek court declarations that such agreements are void, along with damages and legal fees. The bill amends Maryland’s real property code to establish this automatic voiding mechanism, effective June 1, 2026. It directly impacts homeowners with outdated service contracts tied to providers who lost state authorization.
SB 941 requires Maryland's Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), working with the Attorney General, to create a plan identifying rental properties with chronic health and safety violations (like repeated code failures, unsafe conditions, or negligent landlords). The plan must establish methods for reporting such properties (via tenants, local agencies, or tenant groups) and outline specific interventions, including fines, legal actions, tenant escrow accounts, required repair deadlines, and temporary relocation for unsafe units. It mandates DHCD submit this plan and recommendations to the Governor and legislature by August 31, 2027. The bill directly affects tenants living in unsafe housing and landlords operating noncompliant properties.
HB 753 would require Maryland's State Tax Sale Ombudsman to create a process allowing homeowners to designate family members or representatives to handle tax sale matters on their behalf. It mandates that dwellings be withheld from tax sale if the homeowner has a physician-documented terminal illness or medical hardship. The bill also increases the maximum home value eligible for the Homeowner Protection Program and grants priority enrollment in the program to homeowners with terminal illness or medical hardship. These changes directly affect Maryland homeowners facing tax sale proceedings, particularly those with serious health conditions or limited capacity to navigate the process.
HB 783 requires Washington County and its municipalities to grant a 100% property tax credit against county and municipal taxes for real property owned by Platoon 22, Incorporated, provided the property is used to provide housing for veterans. The bill directly affects Platoon 22, a nonprofit organization, by eliminating property tax liability on qualifying housing properties. Key provisions mandate this tax credit be implemented through local law, applying to all taxable years beginning after June 30, 2026. This is a targeted tax exemption for a specific organization’s veteran housing operations, not a broad policy change.
HB 805, the Building Homes Act, creates a property tax credit for affordable homes in Maryland. It allows Baltimore City or county/municipal governments to offer tax credits against property taxes for dwellings with mortgages from nonprofit lenders and a 20-year agreement ensuring affordable pricing (including resale restrictions). The credit equals the difference between taxes on the home's full value and the portion covered by the homeowner's first mortgage. This directly affects homeowners in nonprofit-managed affordable housing units, reducing their annual property tax burden starting June 1, 2026.
SB 501 requires Washington County and its municipalities to grant a 100% property tax credit for real property owned by Platoon 22, Incorporated, specifically when that property is used to provide housing for veterans. The bill amends Maryland's tax code to mandate this credit by law, directly affecting only Platoon 22's taxable property within Washington County. The credit covers the full amount of county and municipal property tax on qualifying veteran housing properties. This policy change applies to all taxable years beginning after June 30, 2026.
HB 1218 requires Maryland's Department of Housing and Community Development (specifically its Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs) to develop a plan identifying rental properties with repeated health and safety violations (like chronic code failures, severe distress, or unaddressed hazards) and to outline interventions for landlords. The plan must establish how to identify these properties (via tenant reports, local agencies, or tenant groups), detail specific actions like fines, corrective deadlines, mandatory repairs, pest control, and temporary tenant relocation, and include recommendations for legal changes. It mandates the department submit this plan to the Governor and General Assembly by August 31, 2027, after which the bill expires on December 31, 2027. This directly affects tenants living in unsafe housing and negligent landlords of multi-unit rentals.
HB 1466 expands Maryland's Appraisal Gap From Historic Redlining Financial Assistance Program by redefining "qualified property" to include homes in neighborhoods **historically redlined or affected by urban renewal**, in addition to existing criteria. This change directly affects **homebuyers and developers** seeking affordable housing in these specific areas by allowing them to access financial assistance to cover appraisal gaps. The program helps address undervaluation of homes in historically redlined neighborhoods - where appraisals often fall below market value due to systemic bias - by providing funds to bridge that difference. The bill amends Maryland Code, Housing and Community Development Article, Section 4-2801(h), effective July 1, 2026.
This bill authorizes Wicomico County or its municipalities to grant a property tax credit against local property taxes for real estate owned by Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. (SNHS), specifically for properties SNHS intends to transfer to private owners within a near future. The credit applies only to properties used for development, rehabilitation, and transfer to private owners, excluding administrative or warehouse buildings owned by SNHS. SNHS must submit annual reports detailing all its property holdings and transactions in the jurisdiction granting the credit. The credit becomes effective for taxable years beginning after June 30, 2026.
