LEGISLATIVE ALERT: Governor’s Housing Bill Weakened in Committee

This is an update on housing from Joe Harkins, Co-Chair of the PRA Housing Committee.

Governor Moore’s Housing for Jobs Act, HB 503, was recently overhauled and approved in the Maryland House of Delegates Committee on Environment and Transportation. PRA News previously reported on the potential for the bill, as originally drafted, to preempt county and local zoning and permitting requirements. At the urging of the Maryland Association of Counties, those provisions have now been removed. 

Instead, the committee draft now creates a housing commission to study the perceived housing crisis in the state and to make recommendations to increase affordable housing. The bill also provides for the Housing Secretary to set a 10-year target for housing production, including sub-targets by region. In addition, developers would be provided “vesting rights” such that, for five years after approval, projects must be governed by zoning and permitting requirements in effect at the time of application. An updated version of the Senate bill, SB 430, would have to be conformed to the House bill before final passage. 

Time may run out on any version of this legislation (by the April 7 end of session), but it would be unusual for a Governor’s Bill not to pass in some form, especially given the Democratic majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly.