Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
House advances Housing for Jobs Act; lawmakers debate state targets, school-capacity and local control
Summary
The Maryland House of Delegates debated House Bill 503, the Housing for Jobs Act, on March 14 in Annapolis, advancing a version that establishes a HOME Commission and directs DHCD to work with local jurisdictions on 10‑year housing-production targets while rejecting amendments tied to school-capacity freezes and a Baltimore County exemption.
Annapolis, March 14 — The Maryland House of Delegates debated House Bill 503, the "Housing for Jobs Act," during floor session March 14, hearing competing views over whether the state should set housing-production targets and how much deference to give local governments.
The bill as amended establishes the HOME Commission (Housing Opportunities Made Equitable Commission), directs the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to work with counties and municipal corporations that exercise zoning authority to set housing-production targets beginning Jan. 1, 2026 and every 10 years after that, and requires DHCD to publish annual reports assessing jurisdictions' progress. Delegates said the targets are nonbinding and intended to support local planning.
Supporters argued the measure would create consistency across Maryland and help close a documented housing shortfall. "The intent of the bill is to strengthen local jurisdictions'…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
