On April 2, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko submitted written testimony to the Judicial Proceedings Committee in support of HB 402 – Common Ownership Communities – Oversight, Governing Document Database, and Local Commissions with amendments.
This bill would establish the Common Ownership Community Oversight Division within the Department of Housing and Community Development to oversee common ownership communities, handle complaints, collect and publish community governance documents, and set standards for local oversight commissions. As drafted, HB 402 would preempt existing Common Ownership Community Commissions.
Common Ownership Communities (COCs) play a central role in Maryland’s housing landscape. These communities (including condominiums, cooperatives, and homeowners associations) are a cornerstone of suburban development and local governance.
While the bill offers a valuable framework to enhance how counties assist COCs, concerns remain that, as drafted, it could unintentionally preempt existing local commissions that are already functioning effectively. To address this, MACo proposes a clarifying amendment to preserve current structures while allowing new commissions to benefit from the updated framework moving forward.
Broadly, Common Ownership Communities (COCs) are often thought of as
a group of homes with their own governments and binding rules – namely condominium associations, cooperative housing corporations, and homeowner associations. COCs can be found in all 24 counties and have become a quintessential part of Maryland’s largely suburban development. As drafted, counties have concerns that HB 402 would preempt existing COC commission structures, especially where bodies are already functioning successfully.
