[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6387642,"mediaKeyId","2116109-60d7ee2b5a032bd7face22caccbafb81","parentId",2116109,"title","Landlords warn rent-stabilization and building-energy rules could chill investment and raise operating costs","audioSeconds",1448,"startMs",5228000,"endMs",6676000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2116109-60d7ee2b5a032bd7face22caccbafb81&start=5228&end=6676","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2116109-60d7ee2b5a032bd7face22caccbafb81/thumbnail_5228000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6387642/Maryland/Landlords-warn-rent-stabilization-and-building-energy-rules-could-chill-investment-and-raise-operating-costs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387642-1441e6522f5f076b6ed3b3f8fc34dff8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433972&Signature=H0NNRzBxMAUdA4vFmEJDn8l5Gpvbu51CrI4Er0RpYkJDlKf1i9QQyoTD1psJ1qJw8uE6cyn~vnEphAF13s6n-SqneDDCDTO0CIeP0n0sDvpBnEnIFH3MHklDhgHzFdZ8lQ1yesDWvfJ2Yvs6wPWatCO2V4CTlDOwr5Oy1s0r9Ess0To-YVT0k-XaciQAIWw1aYYph3lVCCTPf1cqVWYpaFDnFi1L2M49CDGPem7uRAqDhOSkpj~952hEZOkRtr1x6qlKMd1lYmeCkueMtJQD4ixxpxfRIoBjoBa4G9diIYDiR56~SamTQhR2YUFAdBGZzsk3fsIqBPlzRDspzT89Kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Maryland General Assembly - Environment and Transportation","date","2025-01-14T00:00:00Z","article","Representatives of the Maryland Multi-Housing Association and the Apartment and Office Building Association (AOBA) told the committee that regulatory changes—particularly Montgomery and Prince George's counties' rent‑stabilization laws with vacancy control—and proposed building-energy performance standards (BEPS) may be reducing multifamily investment and could raise operating costs for older buildings.

\"Vacancy control is indeed a very real thing,\" an AOBA speaker said, explaining that vacancy control caps rents even between tenancies and, industry witnesses argued, reduces the ability to reset rents to market as units turn over.

Industry presenters summarized market data from CoStar: statewide inventory of about 566,473 multifamily units, a vacancy rate of roughly 7.3% (above a five‑year average of about 5.7%), recent deliveries above the five‑year average (about 12,300 units) but a decline in units under construction (roughly 9,074). They reported a lower year‑over‑year multifamily sales volume in Maryland (about $1.89 billion reported for the year compared with a five‑year average of roughly $4.47 billion) and a lower sale price per unit (about $161,834).

The industry witnesses tied some local market effects to county rent‑stabilization rules. They said Prince George's County multifamily transactions fell to three in 2023 and five in 2024 and said those declines reduced recordation and property‑tax revenue. The industry also presented an internal monthly survey designed to track effects of the elimination of a two‑month security-deposit option; in an initial sample covering 18,769 units they reported 395 denials and said 176 of those denials (44.56% of denials in the sample) would have been approved if a two‑month security deposit had been permitted to qualify the applicant.

On climate and building rules, AOBA presented case-study estimates that complying with BEPS could raise marginal capital costs for some mid‑century multifamily buildings far above standard replacements, once work such as electrical “heavy-up,” building retrofits and financing costs are included. AOBA estimated alternative‑compliance fees and retrofit costs could translate into annual rent increases in some portfolios of roughly 3–6% unless offset by rebates, incentives or other funding. Industry witnesses urged lawmakers to align climate goals with funding and to assess how BEPS and local rent caps interact.

Committee members pressed industry witnesses for the underlying data and noted national trends—particularly interest rates—that also affect sales and construction. Industry representatives said they would supply detailed case studies and follow-up numbers to the committee.

The presenters requested policy attention to balance tenant protections with preserving capital flows for rehabilitation and new supply, and urged clearer rebate and financing pathways for electrification and BEPS compliance.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","ENT Committee Session, 1/14/2025 #1","oneSentenceSummary","Industry groups told lawmakers that recent county rent-stabilization ordinances and proposed building energy performance standards (BEPS) are altering investment incentives, reducing multifamily transactions in counties with vacancy control and could increase costs for many older rental properties.","taxTitle","Environment and Transportation Committee, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Maryland","taxId",15060,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6387646,"Tenant advocates say Maryland faces an eviction crisis; praise access-to-counsel and tenant safety law",912,4068000,4980000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2116109-60d7ee2b5a032bd7face22caccbafb81&start=4068&end=4980","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2116109-60d7ee2b5a032bd7face22caccbafb81/thumbnail_4068000.jpg","/articles/6387646/Maryland/Tenant-advocates-say-Maryland-faces-an-eviction-crisis-praise-access-to-counsel-and-tenant-safety-law","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387646-5980341879da4ea6722b23536fe072d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433972&Signature=TqzdDXVxMrEqz-peAp4WAnktVPfpg-RarEUaR-H8oPBFpa83iH8RC~diIuTFTL4rLCn0TrlSm2BRCbo1OWxGcXgvVmU~2l5RFrtljAEHtu4SJe~zOCCIbLSsUftHEHP5AGezuA29Wf4KpHCMgjWogwfd9MlQofrxZd7fZeaG~9f5Sa1rwvTVDbEBzXtgSakmrrAyQ1ktjdjJGNTlm6pBvPK8nR4WFlTtMhcqPfE3m~Uqh-tc29Kfyz9MhdrjjwwRBZbO3-20YO-em6BRIocGGAch00by2Ldc0juiZbG7N5QYqgE5JRBnXsLVZQUZ9g96xkNGyDvbFyT2yRx6VgdK0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Speakers from Maryland Legal Aid, Renters United Maryland, NAACP and CASA told the Environment and Transportation Committee that eviction filings are widespread, disproportionately affect Black renters and that recent tenant protections and legal aid investments have shown measurable results.

\"Maryland unfortunately is experiencing an eviction crisis,\" Zafar Shah, advocacy director for the Human Right to Housing program at Maryland Legal Aid, said during the panel. He cited litigation and market forces that put additional pressure on renters, including a Department of Justice complaint involving commercial pricing software used by some owners.

Data presented to the committee included a DHCD figure cited by advocates that more than 255,000 eviction warrants were filed between October 2023 and September 2024 and nearly 16,000 executed evictions during that period. David Wheaton of the NAACP’s testimony highlighted racial disparities: neighborhoods with higher shares of Black renters saw significantly higher rates of no-cause eviction warrants and executed no-cause evictions.

Advocates pointed to the Access to Counsel and Evictions (ACE) program evaluation: the panel reported that 88% of tenants who obtained counsel and wanted to remain in their homes were able to do so in ACE-covered cases, and the program generated estimated net fiscal benefits by reducing shelter and other costs. They warned, however, that ACE funding is scheduled to sunset in fiscal 2027 and urged lawmakers to maintain or extend support (House Bill 103 was cited as a vehicle to lift the sunset).

CASA described early, concrete uses of the Tenant Safety Act (effective Oct. 1) to consolidate rent‑escrow proceedings for groups of tenants in shared buildings. CASA said its legal team consolidated cases for tenants at a Riverdale property and for 29 tenants at Parkside Landing in Rockville; many of those tenants have filed in rent escrow and, CASA said, subsequently received lease nonrenewals or eviction notices while proceedings continue.

Advocates urged the committee to consider maintaining eviction prevention funding, extending ACE support, monitoring the impact of increased filing fees and considering statutes such as good-cause eviction proposals that several speakers and written commenters recommended for 2025.

The panel combined data on filings and evictions, case outcomes from ACE and legal-service case studies to show both the scale of displacement risk and the short-term effectiveness of legal assistance and consolidated rent-escrow remedies.","Legal aid, NAACP and community organizers told the committee that eviction filings remain high, that access-to-counsel programs show strong results and that the tenant safety law’s rent‑escrow consolidation is already being used in cases.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6387650,"County and municipal officials tell committee infrastructure, permitting and local differences limit housing production",577,2639000,3216000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2116109-60d7ee2b5a032bd7face22caccbafb81&start=2639&end=3216","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2116109-60d7ee2b5a032bd7face22caccbafb81/thumbnail_2639000.jpg","/articles/6387650/Maryland/County-and-municipal-officials-tell-committee-infrastructure-permitting-and-local-differences-limit-housing-production","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387650-1ec7f18f8d7a596307dc42d208de1e7a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433972&Signature=Eb3h9vjwrB80kS1zpCwAiJTqs3Gvh1VTHXU8WltW8wWVMHzGVvHIbQkupWVo4RtbjxPPjkE46sq-jUX-ZTDeEs6ZKTijvW5So1BPdtsBh1pq2pW~XfsaOBkbzZ00vX2BM6g7~R~dD8r8Dj-2M~xNVMA83J2FWTlPouFQTwRJ8cmOkTHADGiRMAsQzuCEMxFlrXmdZR~rdAjwe5XpKOGL6dqruEsNT2~-QTgYqqKyRBAI97y9y7FaQsGI-UBdLCpKKvCvxAFJT~oUSAV~8WOkrJT1vjJr1Mb1wLbhUWnSHEU9k4d6TqCnvtDUUXwlPHioSZh6In0XWLkDWutXVpYlsw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Speakers from the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) and the Maryland Municipal League (MML) told the Environment and Transportation Committee that infrastructure limits, permitting timelines and wide differences among local jurisdictions are major constraints on housing production.

\"Counties and municipalities, we are the closest level of government to our mutual constituents,\" Dawn Butchka of MACo said, urging the committee to consider local infrastructure needs in statewide policy.

The local officials listed concrete infrastructure constraints that can block development: Queen Anne's County has reached wastewater treatment capacity and must invest roughly $1,000,000 to expand facilities; parts of Calvert County lack sewer in several town centers; and much of Wicomico County relies on septic systems, limiting new development unless sewer service is extended. Representatives warned that classroom capacity, emergency services and broadband also must be considered when sites are rezoned or densified.

Local leaders said the state's new Housing Expansion and Affordability Act (HEAA) presents varied reactions across jurisdictions. MACo and MML representatives said some counties are cooperating and others have taken additional local steps (for example, Carroll County passed conforming local legislation). They raised concerns that HEAA's \"unreasonable standards\" language could spur litigation and slow projects, though that standard had not yet been tested in court. The associations recommended coordinated technical assistance, predictable permitting and funding for infrastructure to make HEAA work in places with limited sewer or schools capacity.

Why it matters: county and municipal officials stressed that a single statewide rule will not work for Maryland's 23 counties and 160 municipalities. They urged state lawmakers to pair housing mandates or incentives with infrastructure funding and flexible implementation tools.

MACo and MML also urged careful monitoring of implementation and recommended avoiding rapid statutory changes while HEAA remains in early implementation to reduce confusion and delays for developers and local governments.

Both organizations said they are continuing discussions with the Department of Housing and Community Development and local planning agencies and offered to serve as implementation partners.","Representatives of the Maryland Association of Counties and Maryland Municipal League told the Environment and Transportation Committee that physical infrastructure, permitting complexity and local political realities constrain housing production and complicate implementation of new state housing laws.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6387654,"Maryland housing officials say state is underproducing homes, point to new laws and programs to expand supply",719,423000,1142000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2116109-60d7ee2b5a032bd7face22caccbafb81&start=423&end=1142","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2116109-60d7ee2b5a032bd7face22caccbafb81/thumbnail_423000.jpg","/articles/6387654/Maryland/Maryland-housing-officials-say-state-is-underproducing-homes-point-to-new-laws-and-programs-to-expand-supply","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387654-fba1cb62fdf253ff7c7c30636bcd3490/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433972&Signature=gGMGwpR9JesjJZMjpY2LweYAR-0Ht8jLyOc7yMhrsNPap~1yw80YUcRks2kpCnoy9O6HCdQc8CZpXjX3yeAZ-iJvXzbWKQI-YxRAi8uFV6A87ns1wIc5qqn6hajfcVC5oxvka00SwrRR4M2brE4DbG6hVh8O6IG5Cc26DVoM9ixtfgY-5a9SIHqbvL8dhWsBgZfTQIzX3GsHtj1EfuES8Wyx4FhtBGPXzomkdChEM8rvBFvmO01rvFYmaosxTuA49e4LSARbLc6Yv1z33Xn~ie~VR2fWdRowpPX~bXz0B1kqjEgqS3k9pfwpeun4EdVihgtNRzIHhuIxlBj3XUVxcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Secretary, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, told the Environment and Transportation Committee on the state of housing that rents are rising, housing supply is short and state programs are beginning to be implemented.

The briefing focused on why Maryland needs more housing, what the administration says it has done since last year and early signs of projects using newly authorized pathways. \"Rents continue to rise,\" the Secretary said, noting the latest median-rent figures show a double-digit real-term increase since the committee last met.

The presentation stressed the scale of the problem: since 2010 median home value rose from about $300,000 to $413,000 (a 37% increase) and median rents have risen about 46% in the same period. The Secretary cited a current average mortgage rate near 6.9% and said more than half of Maryland renters now spend more than 30% of income on housing; nearly a quarter are severely cost-burdened, paying more than 50% of income toward housing.

Why it matters: the department argued that housing shortage and high housing costs reduce residents' purchasing power, slow economic growth and push young workers out of the state. The Secretary said Maryland underproduces housing by an average of about 5,600 units per year and estimated the state needs roughly 96,000 additional units to meet current demand; the Baltimore–Washington region would need many tens of thousands more to match job growth.

What the administration highlighted as progress:
- Housing Community Development Financing Act: went into effect July 1; the board is seated and the agency reported hiring a CEO and obtaining U.S. Treasury certification as a community development entity to pursue new markets tax credits.
- Renter's Rights and Stabilization Act: goes into effect Oct. 1; the department said it has launched an online portal, hired two of three staff for the Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs and is developing a tenants' bill of rights under Attorney General review.
- Housing Expansion and Affordability Act (HEAA): the department said it has published implementation guidance (including a 19‑page FAQ), hosted webinars for local governments and identified projects in the permitting pipeline that plan to use HEAA density bonuses. The Secretary said nine of 13 recent low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) award winners are eligible for additional density under HEAA.

The Secretary said state grant programs remain an essential source of affordable housing production. He reported the department has a pipeline of roughly 85 LIHTC- or Rental Housing Works–funded projects awaiting financing and listed recent budget allocations the administration said support production: $88 million to Rental Housing Works, $10 million to a housing innovation fund and $6 million to the Partnership Rental Housing Program.

Committee members asked how quickly projects would materialize. The Secretary and department staff said most projects remain in design and permitting stages and could take years to deliver units; they promised to track and report specific project locations and impacts to the committee.

The department urged coordination with local governments on permitting, transit‑proximate development and targeted state investment. \"We know we have an incredible partner here in the General Assembly,\" the Secretary said, and asked legislators to continue supporting financing and permitting reforms.

The department's presentation laid out data and early implementation milestones but emphasized that realized unit production will depend on permitting timelines and local cooperation.","At a House Environment and Transportation Committee briefing, the state Department of Housing and Community Development described rising rents, housing cost burdens, and early implementation of last year's housing laws, and said dozens of affordable projects are in a state pipeline.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Landlords warn rent-stabilization and building-energy rules could chill investment and raise operating costs

Tenant advocates say Maryland faces an eviction crisis; praise access-to-counsel and tenant safety law

County and municipal officials tell committee infrastructure, permitting and local differences limit housing production

Maryland housing officials say state is underproducing homes, point to new laws and programs to expand supply