On January 25, 2024, Associate Policy Director Dominic Butchko submitted written testimony to the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee in support
of SB 203- Housing Innovation Pilot Program and Housing Innovation Fund- Establishment (Housing Innovation Pilot Program Act of 2024). This bill calls for the establishment of the Housing Innovation Pilot Program to provide funds for mixed-income, cross-subsidized housing, and to facilitate an increase in the volume of housing production. In effect, SB 203 goes some way toward properly equipping counties with the necessary resources to develop their own cost-effective housing projects, at a critical juncture in the affordable housing crisis.
For the 2024 Maryland General Assembly Session, MACo has made it a priority – one of the Association’s four legislative initiatives – to Advance Comprehensive Housing Solutions. MACo is working with sponsors to cross-file legislation to target several components of this crisis: abandonment/blight disincentives, corporate owner transparency, and short-term rental oversight. Additionally, under this initiative, counties will be supporting other pro-housing legislation which helps to advance the conversation, balances local flexibility, and ensures more Marylanders can afford a place to call home.
The program would provide dollar-for-dollar matching funds for county housing projects meeting certain state criteria. These matching funds would take the form of either low- or no-interest loans, giving the State a renewable programmatic funding source and giving counties access to low-cost capital.
SB 203’s cross-file, HB 7, was heard on January 30, 2024 in the House Environment and Transportation Committee. Dominic Butchko testified in support of this bill.
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