The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work on housing and community development policy in the 2025 General Assembly session.
When advocating for the housing and community development needs of counties MACo supports legislation that bolsters the efforts of local governments to address public and affordable housing, bight, foreclosure, and community development.
Maryland’s 447th legislative session convened amidst a substantial concern over the State’s fiscal situation, with weakened revenues and cost increases for many services at every level of government. Despite the fiscal limitations, a wide range of policy issues received a full debate, with many resolutions arising from the 90-day annual process. MACo’s legislative committee guided the association’s positions on hundreds of bills, yielding many productive compromises and gains spanning counties’ uniquely wide portfolio.
Follow these links for more coverage on our Conduit Street blog and Legislative Database.
MACo supported HB 97/SB 409 – Economic Development – County or Municipal Corporation Economic Development Authority – Powers and Use of Proceeds. This bill would have expanded the scope of certain economic and industrial development authorities established by county governments. This bill did not pass the 2025 session.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
MACo supported SB 510 – Excess Ownership of Single-Family Residences Excise Tax (End Hedge Fund Control of Maryland Homes Act of 2025). This bill proposed a tax on certain organizations such as hedge funds that purchase or own a certain amount single-family homes in the state. This bill would have better protected counties from private companies owning a disproportionate amount of any one county’s housing supply. This bill did not pass the 2025 session.
MACo supported HB 93/SB 234 – Housing and Community Development – Homeless Shelter Certification Program – Establishment with amendments. This bill would have granted the Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD) the ability to regulate homeless shelters. Counties requested amendments to clarify the implementation process. This bill did not pass the 2025 session.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
MACo supported HB 90/SB 235 – Housing and Community Development – Project Restore Plan – Establishment. This bill would have established the Project Restore Program, providing counties with resources to tackle vacancy and revitalize many of Maryland’s historic business districts. This bill did not pass the 2025 session.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
MACo supported HB 1128 – Land Bank Authorities – Powers and Authority. This bill would have provided additional tools for county-established land banks, including new abilities to use in rem foreclosures to acquire vacant and abandoned properties. This bill did not pass the 2025 session.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
MACo supported HB 709/SB 651 – Landlord and Tenant – Residential Leases and Holdover Tenancies – Local Good Cause Termination (Good Cause Eviction) with amendments. This bill would have authorized counties to establish laws preventing landlords from failing to renew or terminating leases without just cause. This bill did not pass the 2025 session.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
MACo supported HB 1428/SB 582 – Sale of Residential Property – Taxes and Offers to Purchase (End Hedge Fund Control of Maryland Homes Act of 2025). This bill sought to establish commonsense guardrails on large hedge funds and other Wall Street-backed firms, to prevent them from purchasing a disproportionate amount of any one county’s housing supply. This bill did not pass the 2025 session.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage