Housing and Community Development Archives

Housing and Community Development / Taxes and Revenues

Baltimore City Launches Property Tax Payment Plan Program

Baltimore City is introducing a new option for homeowners with past-due property taxes, allowing eligible residents to enroll in monthly payment plans rather than facing an all-or-nothing deadline. The program, now open for enrollment through May 12, offers a structured path for residents to catch up on delinquent taxes and avoid tax sale. From the press release: "Overdue property tax bills should never be the reason that any Baltimorean - especially a legacy resident -…

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April 30, 2026

Housing and Community Development / Planning and Zoning

Rent Growth Slows in Major Maryland Metros

A new report from Zillow shows that rent growth is slowing nationally, including in Marylands largest metropolitan areas. Rents are still rising nationally, but the pace has slowed to its weakest level in several years. According to a new report from Zillow, the typical U.S. rent reached $1,910 in March, up 1.8% from the prior year. The slowdown appears tied to more rental supply coming onto the market, softer post-pandemic demand, and affordability pressures limiting…

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April 27, 2026

County News / Energy / Environment / Housing and Community Development

Frederick County Uses Libraries To Advance Sustainability Goals

Frederick County is using its library system as a platform to advance sustainability goals, combining energy-efficiency upgrades with expanded access to electric-vehicle infrastructure. Recent projects at libraries in Thurmont, Urbana, and Middletown highlight how everyday public spaces can support broader county priorities around energy use, emissions reduction, and cost savings. At the Thurmont and Urbana Regional libraries, lighting systems were upgraded to energy-efficient LED fixtures, a change expected to deliver both environmental and financial benefits.…

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April 23, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Education / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations

3 Takeaways on Counties, Policy, and Power

Most of the services people rely on every day, from roads and schools to public health and recycling, don’t come from Washington. They come from counties. That idea sits at the center of a recent conversation between Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman and Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) Executive Director Michael Sanderson, who joined the Pittman and Friends podcast to talk through how state policy decisions play out at the local level. The discussion…

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April 22, 2026

County News / Finance and Procurement / Housing and Community Development

Pro-Housing Measure Broadens County Options for Public Improvement Bonds

As housing affordability and development costs remain top concerns across Maryland, state lawmakers have advanced a measure to give counties greater flexibility in how they support new development. During the 2026 legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly passed HB 1216 – Insurance – Certificates of Guarantee for County Bond Requirements – All Counties, a MACo-supported bill that expands an existing tool for satisfying local bonding requirements. Under current law, only a limited number of counties…

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April 22, 2026

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2026 Session: Recap and Wrap-Ups

Catch up on all of the latest outcomes of the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session with wrap-ups on important county-related bills in each policy area. Maryland’s 448th legislative session unfolded under significant fiscal pressure. Lawmakers closed the fiscal 2027 gap, preserved reserves, and fully funded principal commitments, such as the Blueprint, but did not resolve the larger structural deficits projected for the years ahead. That budget pressure shaped debates across nearly every policy area, from…

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April 17, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Education / Elections / Energy / Environment / General Assembly News / Housing and Community Development / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections / Transportation and Public Works

Conduit Street Podcast: 90 Days Later — Sine Die Recap

This Week on the Conduit Street Podcast, we bring you an episode fresh from Sine Die to break down the 2026 legislative session from start to finish. Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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April 17, 2026

County News / Housing and Community Development / MACo Testimony

2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Housing and Community Development

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work on housing and community development policy in the 2026 General Assembly session. Counties are on the front lines of Maryland’s housing challenges—working to expand affordability, revitalize communities, and respond to persistent issues like vacancy, blight, and displacement. Through its advocacy, MACo supports policies that strengthen local capacity to deliver housing solutions, invest in community development, and address the full continuum of housing needs. In the…

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April 15, 2026

Housing and Community Development / MACo Testimony

Preserving Critical Functionality of Local Common Ownership Communities

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…

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April 8, 2026

Housing and Community Development / MACo Testimony

MACo Backs Minimum Air Conditioning Standards For Residential Rental Units

On April 2, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic Butchko submitted written testimony to the Economic Matters Committee in support of SB 12 – Residential Rental Apartments - Air-Conditioning Requirement with amendments. This bill establishes state minimum air conditioning requirements for apartment buildings of 10 units or greater. Recognizing that housing challenges are complex and interconnected, counties continue to advance “all-of-the-above” strategies to improve housing quality and expand supply statewide. While MACo supports the bill’s intent…

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April 8, 2026