MARYLAND NEEDS MORE HOUSING. RIGHT NOW.
Tell us about some of the challenges you’ve faced finding affordable housing in Maryland.
BREAKING NEWS: Double Digit Increase in Concerns about Housing Availability & Affordability In Maryland
Maryland is at a crossroads
Our state needs an additional 590,186 housing units to serve our current and future population. Only we aren’t adding nearly enough homes. In fact, we would need to increase our current housing production by over 70% to even come close.
What’s standing in the way? The biggest reasons include restrictive land use policies and zoning regulations that make housing larger, more expensive, and scarce.
It’s time to act.
Over 70% of Maryland residents think elected officials are not doing enough to address the housing crisis. This shortage is costing our state billions in lost economic activity and tax revenue – and Maryland’s residents are paying the price.
We have a chance to change that.
The General Assembly can vote to make housing more accessible and more affordable for our workforce, for our seniors, and for our families.
Maryland can’t wait any longer.
State leaders must act. Because Maryland’s Future Begins at Home.
Maryland’s Housing Action Plan
Reform Zoning to Promote Housing
Local zoning laws dictate what can be built and where. Too often, these regulations only allow large single-family homes on large lots, and prohibit smaller, more attainable housing types. State officials should enact legislation that expands middle housing options, like townhomes, duplexes, and cottage homes, so that more Marylanders can find housing that meets their needs.
Incentivize Housing Production
Quantifying Maryland’s housing shortfall is a necessary step toward closing the gap between the housing we have and the housing we need. Our elected officials must be held accountable for producing housing within their jurisdictions until those shortages are eliminated, and those that do should be rewarded for their efforts.
Reduce Barriers to Housing Construction
Even where housing is allowed to be built, there can be obstacles that prevent new developments from moving forward. These include convoluted permitting processes and unpredictable project approval timelines. It can also include the misuse of regulations intended to match growth with infrastructure improvements, which are made so onerous they stop housing altogether. The General Assembly should pass legislation to provide an orderly, predictable, and affordable development approval process to speed up housing production.
Address Housing Affordability
Increasing Maryland’s housing supply will reduce the costs of rentals and ownership units. However, low- and extremely low-income residents will still require additional assistance to afford housing within their budgets. Maryland officials should consider measures targeted to this population, including expanding the Renters’ and Homeowners’ tax credit programs, and addressing the steep rise in property tax assessments for rental properties not covered by the state’s homestead exemption.