HB 391 authorizes Maryland to issue $1.824 billion in state debt through a "Consolidated Capital Bond Loan of 2026" to fund state capital projects. The bill directs proceeds toward building, renovating, and equipping state facilities, acquiring real estate, and providing grants to local governments and organizations for development projects. It requires matching funds from grantees, sets deadlines for project spending, and amends prior bond loan laws (2015-2025) to clarify funding rules and project requirements. The bill does not create new policies but establishes the financial mechanism for state capital investment.
SB 47 repeals a requirement that political subdivisions (like cities or counties) must approve business development applications before the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development can approve them. This change directly affects small businesses, nonprofits, and microenterprises seeking financial assistance under the Neighborhood Business Development Program. The key provision removes the need for local government approval, streamlining the application process by allowing the Department to approve projects if no response is received within 45 days. The bill does not alter funding amounts, eligibility criteria, or existing requirements for food desert projects or sustainable communities.
HB 691 requires Maryland state agencies that issue housing construction permits to create streamlined permitting processes. Key provisions include allowing multiple permits to be handled simultaneously where possible, establishing predictable sequencing for approvals, and creating clear pathways for faster reviews. The State Housing Ombudsman must ensure consistency across different agencies’ processes and facilitate coordination with local governments. This bill directly affects state agencies, local governments (through potential delegation of permit tasks), and developers seeking housing construction permits, with implementation required by October 2026 and a reporting deadline for the Ombudsman in December 2027.
HB 453 establishes the Insufficient Condominium Reserve Account Grant Fund to provide grants to low-income condominium owners (defined as households earning ≤80% of area median income) who face increased assessments needed to meet reserve account requirements. The fund, which automatically earns interest and continues year-to-year, covers these costs directly and prioritizes applicants aged 65 or older. Condominium associations must report annual reserve balance updates to the Department of Housing and Community Development for grant recipients. This policy change directly affects qualifying condominium residents and associations in Maryland, ensuring financial assistance without replacing other funding sources.
HB 243 modifies Maryland's requirements for local governments' comprehensive and general plans. It adds new mandatory elements like Resilience, Place, and Ecology while replacing older terms (e.g., "Water Resources" becomes "Equity"). The bill requires charter counties and other local jurisdictions to include these updated elements in their plans, detailing goals for economic, social, and environmental development. State agencies must also provide data and guidance to help local governments meet these new standards. This affects how local governments structure long-term planning for land use, housing, transportation, and community facilities.
SB 36 (Starter and Silver Homes Act of 2026) prohibits local governments in Maryland from enforcing zoning restrictions on lot size, setbacks, design rules, or subdivision rules for specific housing types. It directly affects counties and cities by overriding their local zoning laws to allow "starter homes" (for first-time buyers) and "silver homes" (for seniors) as single-family homes or attached townhouses on individual lots. The bill requires local jurisdictions to permit these housing types in zones where they are currently restricted, removing barriers to building smaller or more affordable single-family properties. This changes local zoning authority by mandating that communities cannot ban these specific housing options in certain areas.
SB 31 requires Maryland county boards of education to annually submit detailed school zone and student capacity reports to state agencies starting in 2026. These reports must include school boundary maps, student residence locations, and school capacity metrics. The bill also restricts counties from delaying housing subdivision approvals based on school capacity but allows delays for final permits only. This directly affects county planning departments, school districts, and housing developers by standardizing school data reporting and clarifying housing development timelines. The law aims to balance school planning needs with housing development efficiency.
HB 548, the Maryland Housing Certainty Act, requires local governments to approve housing development projects based solely on land-use laws and regulations in effect when a developer submits a "substantially complete" application. It grants developers "vested rights" to build under those original rules for a set period, protecting projects from future regulatory changes. The bill also prohibits localities from collecting development excise taxes or impact fees until a project is fully completed. This directly affects housing developers and local planning authorities across Maryland, streamlining approvals for new housing while limiting fee collection during construction.
HB 511 increases Maryland's catalytic revitalization tax credit rate from 20% to 25% of eligible rehabilitation costs for qualifying projects and raises the annual credit cap from $15 million to $35 million, with annual inflation adjustments based on the Washington metropolitan area's consumer price index. It defines eligible projects as the rehabilitation of historic properties formerly owned by government or large, substantially vacant commercial properties (minimum 250,000 square feet and $50 million investment) in designated economic development areas like Main Street Maryland communities. The credit applies to individuals, nonprofits, and businesses for four consecutive years (for single-phase projects) or in full upon completion (for phased projects). This directly affects property owners and developers seeking to revitalize underutilized commercial or historic properties in targeted communities.
HB 5 establishes Maryland's New Markets Development Program, administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development. It allows businesses to claim tax credits against certain state insurance taxes (like premium receipts tax) for equity investments in qualifying community development entities that serve low-income areas. The credit equals 0% of the investment amount for the first three years and 12.5% for the next four years, applicable to investments made on or after July 1, 2026. This directly affects investors in qualifying community development entities and businesses meeting the "qualified active low-income community business" criteria, including those relocating operations to Maryland.
