The Electric Slide at #MACoCon

Maryland leaders examine how AI and data center growth is reshaping energy demand, infrastructure, affordability, and local economic development. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence and data centers is creating new economic opportunities while placing significant pressure on Maryland’s energy system, infrastructure, and local communities. At the 2026 MACo Summer Conference, Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo moderated a discussion with energy, utility, and consumer policy leaders on how rising electric demand could affect energy prices, grid capacity,…

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Moving at the Speed of Need at #MACoCon

State and county leaders examine how Maryland can make permitting more predictable and efficient while supporting responsible growth. Counties face growing pressure to move housing, commercial development, and critical infrastructure projects through the permitting process more efficiently, while still navigating complex regulatory requirements, public processes, and community priorities. At the 2026 MACo Summer Conference, Senator Benjamin Brooks moderated a discussion with state and county planning leaders on improving coordination, increasing predictability, and finding practical ways…

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From Need to New Units at #MACoCon

State and local housing leaders examine financing tools that can help Maryland counties support affordable housing development and homeownership. Turning the need for affordable housing into new units often depends on whether projects can secure workable financing. At the 2026 MACo Summer Conference, Delegate Lily Qi moderated a discussion with state, county, and housing leaders on the financing challenges facing rental development, starter homes, and homeownership opportunities, as well as the public programs and local…

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Read more about the article #MACoCon Recap: Making Parks and Recreation Dollars Go Further
Darius Stanton, Director of the M-NCPPC in Prince George's County
#MACoCon Recap: Making Parks and Recreation Dollars Go Further

Counties rely on parks and recreation funding to build new facilities, expand programs, and maintain the public spaces residents use every day. With limited dollars available, partnerships and long-term planning can help counties make those investments go further. At the 2026 MACo Summer Conference, The Funding of Fun focused on how counties pay for parks and recreation projects, from building partnerships and finding new resources to covering long-term operating and maintenance costs. Senator Mary Beth…

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Deep Dive: A Four-Year Review of Major Housing Bills

This article is part of MACo’s Policy Deep Dive series, where expert policy analysts explore and explain the top policy issues of the day. Every four years, the Department of Legislative Services (DLS) publishes its Major Issues Review, highlighting major policy debates and legislation enacted during the preceding legislative term. Few issues received greater attention during the 2023–2026 term than housing. Governor Wes Moore made housing affordability a central component of his first major legislative agenda…

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From Need to New Units: Financing Affordable Housing Development 

Hear how project financing can help unlock the production of more affordable units.  Affordable housing remains one of the most pressing challenges facing Maryland counties, but transforming community need into completed units often depends on whether projects can secure workable financing. Rising construction costs, interest rates, and funding gaps can make it difficult to move rental developments, starter homes, and homeownership opportunities from concept to completion. By focusing on financing tools, public programs, and locally…

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Seattle Limits Environmental Appeals to Streamline Housing Development

Seattle’s reforms offer lessons for streamlining housing reviews while preserving key safeguards. Seattle eliminated an administrative appeals process that had delayed major zoning reforms and housing development. Environmental reviews remain in place, but challenges must now proceed through the courts or the state’s growth management process. Supporters argue that the former system added months to project timelines while rarely producing meaningful changes, increasing costs and uncertainty as the city works to expand housing supply. Maryland…

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Exelon Cuts Data Center Demand Forecast After Stricter Review

Exelon sharply reduced its projected data center demand after applying stronger financial and contractual standards. Exelon reduced its estimate of highly probable data center demand from 18 GW to approximately 11 GW after applying stricter financial and contractual standards to proposed projects. The company’s broader data center interconnection pipeline also declined from about 43 GW to 25 GW, indicating that a significant portion of previously proposed demand may have been speculative or insufficiently developed. Transmission…

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Moving at the Speed of Need: Permitting for Maryland’s Future

Hear how the state and counties are working to improve permitting in Maryland. The pressure on counties to perfect permit review continues to grow as counties work to meet rising constituent expectations for housing, infrastructure, affordability, and responsive government services. Clear requirements, predictable timelines, and strong coordination across agencies can reduce delays, provide more certainty, and help projects move forward faster. At the same time, counties must carefully balance a complex mix of federal, state,…

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State Awards $1.2M for Local Parks and Recreation

Earlier this month, the Board of Public Works approved more than $1.18 million in grants to support parks, playgrounds, athletic fields, and recreational facilities in six counties through three Maryland Department of Natural Resources programs. The July 1 approvals include funding through Program Open Space - Local, the Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure Program, and the Community Parks and Playgrounds Program, helping counties and municipalities improve recreational amenities and expand outdoor opportunities for residents. Approximately…

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