Maryland’s Other Housing Crisis: Permitting
Maryland is facing a severe housing shortage, with tens of thousands of affordable units needed to meet current and future demand. Yet despite ambitious goals and legislative efforts like the 2024 Housing Expansion and Affordability Act, the state’s permitting system remains a major bottleneck—delaying projects, driving up costs, and discouraging development. According to the Mercatus […]
No Controversy Here: Baltimore is Building a Better Future
On November 3, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott signed four groundbreaking housing bills into law, marking a significant step toward addressing some of the city’s most entrenched issues. Despite claims of being “controversial,” these necessary reforms are now serving as a powerful signal that the city is committed to growth and progress. Clearing the Way for […]
Montgomery County’s Masterclass in How Not to Build
Despite enacting a new Middle Housing bill, Montgomery County is quickly becoming a cautionary tale in housing policy. A recent article by Adam Pagnucco of Montgomery Perspective outlines why. During a recent meeting, County Executive Marc Elrich bluntly admitted that the county’s affordable housing program “kind of sucks.” Unfortunately, his proposed solutions—and the county’s broader […]
Where Will Maryland Find Half a Million New Homes?
New Housing Needs Assessment Quantifies State’s Shortfall The numbers are staggering: These were the conclusions reached in the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s 2025 update to the state’s Housing Needs Assessment, last conducted in 2020. The report shows not only how much our housing shortage has grown in those past five years, but […]
The Builders’ View
What can be done with new homes construction? We posed this question, and several others, to Lori Graf, Chief Executive Officer of the Maryland Building Industry Association (MBIA). The association’s goal is clear: to advocate for the building industry with a commitment to maximizing business opportunities for its members.