Maryland Housing Laws Address Housing Shortage, Establish Renter Protections

Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed several bills that aim to make housing more affordable and address concentrated poverty, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

One piece of legislation, the Housing Expansion and Affordability Act, “incentivizes the construction of new housing by removing barriers to development that have contributed to the current supply shortage,” modernizes land use law, and streamlines the approval process for transit-oriented development (TOD).

Another law supports the renovation of vacant homes and targets economic development investment in underserved communities. The Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act creates a Tenants Bill of Rights, limits security deposits, and “creates new pathways to homeownership by providing tenants the opportunity to purchase their homes.”