Read more about the article The Briefing Room: Why Housing Costs More Than Ever
County Budgets / Economic Development / Housing and Community Development / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
The Briefing Room: Why Housing Costs More Than Ever

Housing projects do not rise or fall only on land, design, or political will. They also rise or fall with the cost of capital, aka the capital stack. 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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July 7, 2026
Read more about the article Maryland Expands Supportive Housing Program for Medicaid Participants
County News / Health and Human Services / Housing and Community Development
Maryland Expands Supportive Housing Program for Medicaid Participants

Stable housing can be a key factor in improving health outcomes, and Maryland is expanding a Medicaid program designed to help more residents achieve both. In a WYPR article, the Maryland Department of Health is expanding its Assistance in Community Integration Services program, adding 1,070 participant spaces to help more Medicaid recipients experiencing or at risk of homelessness access stable housing and healthcare support. The program serves Medicaid participants with at least two chronic health…

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July 2, 2026
Read more about the article The Briefing Room: Before the Bricks, the Financial Realities of Housing
County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Housing and Community Development
The Briefing Room: Before the Bricks, the Financial Realities of Housing

After wrapping our series on Maryland’s energy future, The Briefing Room turns to another defining challenge for counties: housing.   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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June 30, 2026
Read more about the article States Explore Relaxing Building Codes to Help Housing Affordability
Housing and Community Development / Planning and Zoning / Summer Conference
States Explore Relaxing Building Codes to Help Housing Affordability

As housing affordability continues to be a national issue, states are export how certain building may be relaxed in the name of affordability.  States and local governments are increasingly looking at building and fire code changes as one way to lower construction costs and make smaller multifamily projects more feasible. Some of the most debated proposals involve allowing certain apartment buildings to be built with a single stairway, easing elevator requirements, pausing code update cycles,…

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June 30, 2026
Read more about the article Conduit Street Podcast: From Maryland to Missouri, County Issues Align
County Budgets / County Government and Structure / County News / Economic Development / Education / Emergency Management / Energy / Environment / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations / Taxes and Revenues
Conduit Street Podcast: From Maryland to Missouri, County Issues Align

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson is joined by Steve Hobbs, Executive Director of the Missouri Association of Counties, for a conversation on the issues shaping county government across state lines.   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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June 26, 2026
Read more about the article The Briefing Room Energy Bundle in One Place
County News / Economic Development / Energy / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations
The Briefing Room Energy Bundle in One Place

Over the past few weeks, The Briefing Room has taken a deep dive into one of the most important and complex policy issues facing Maryland: energy. From who controls the grid to where Maryland gets its power, from how data centers are changing demand to what lawmakers are doing in Annapolis, this special Conduit Street Podcast series explored the systems, pressures, and policy decisions shaping Maryland’s energy future. Energy has quickly become one of the…

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June 18, 2026
Read more about the article HUD Opens Grants for Automated Permits to Boost Housing Construction
Housing and Community Development / Planning and Zoning
HUD Opens Grants for Automated Permits to Boost Housing Construction

HUD is awarding grants for counties looking to implement automated permitting as part of their housing strategy. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), has opened a new funding opportunity offering grants between $300,000 and $1,500,000 for jurisdictions that will deploy automated building code permitting systems and partner with HUD to evaluate their applicability and effectiveness within real-world operating conditions. Applications are due July 13, 2026, at 11:59 PM EDT. The Automated Permitting…

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June 16, 2026
Read more about the article Conduit Street Podcast: Different States, Similar County Challenges
County Budgets / County Government and Structure / County News / Economic Development / Education / Energy / Housing and Community Development / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations / News You Can Use / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Conduit Street Podcast: Different States, Similar County Challenges

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Dominic Butchko and Kevin Kinnally record from the Conference of Southern County Associations (CSCA) in Williamsburg, Virginia, joined by county leaders and policy experts from across the South for a discussion on the issues shaping local government today. 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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June 12, 2026
Read more about the article Rural Maryland Council Seeks Input on Community Needs and Priorities
Agriculture / Broadband / County News / Economic Development / Environment / Health and Human Services / Housing and Community Development
Rural Maryland Council Seeks Input on Community Needs and Priorities

The Rural Maryland Council (RMC) invites residents, business owners, community leaders, and other stakeholders to participate in a survey to help shape future investments and policy priorities for rural communities across the state. The survey, which takes approximately 10 minutes to complete, will help inform RMC's legislative advocacy efforts, program priorities, and future funding decisions. Feedback will also support planning for the Rural Maryland Capacity Building Fund and two key grant programs: the Maryland Agricultural…

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June 11, 2026
Read more about the article Worcester County Budget Maintains Tax Rates, Boosts School, and Public Safety Funding
County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Education / Health and Human Services / Housing and Community Development / Public Safety and Corrections / School Construction and Capital Budgets / Taxes and Revenues
Worcester County Budget Maintains Tax Rates, Boosts School, and Public Safety Funding

Worcester County has approved its Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget, maintaining both its property tax and local income tax rates while increasing investments in education, public safety, employee compensation, and county reserves. The approved $300.2 million spending plan keeps the County's property tax rate at 81.5 cents per $100 of assessed value and maintains its local income tax rate at 2.25%, which County officials note remains among the lowest in Maryland. County leaders described the…

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June 4, 2026
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