On February 6, 2024, Executive Director Michael Sanderson testified before the House Environment and Transportation Committee in opposition to HB 279- Common Ownership Communities- Local Commissions- Requirements. This bill establishes requirements for a local common ownership commission.
While the bill language, as introduced, appeared to mandate counties to create these oversight bodies, the sponsor (Delegate Marvin Holmes) agreed to amendment language to clarify that the bill would enable, not mandate, counties to create the bodies, and that the tenets of the bill would apply to bodies created after the effective date of this new State law, but not those in place beforehand.
Given the “friendly” amendment tenor, Mr. Sanderson expressed thanks for the clarification, and withdrew MACo’s opposition. The homebuilders association similarly withdrew its concerns based on anticipated amendment language.
As drafted, counties have significant concerns that HB 279 would require each jurisdiction to create their own COC commissions, which would represent an extensive and burdensome unfunded mandate.
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