DHCD: Baltimore County has more approved VCA units than interim goal but construction and leasing remain a challenge
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Summary
DHCD staff told the Human Relations Commission the county has 1,102 units approved under its Voluntary Compliance Agreement with HUD (surpassing a 2024 interim goal of 970), but cautioned that approval does not equal construction or leasing amid higher costs and supply issues; DHCD also outlined testing and contractor activity.
Deputy Director Sylvia Bolivar and DHCD policy staff told the Human Relations Commission that Baltimore County is progressing under its Voluntary Compliance Agreement (VCA) with HUD but faces development and enforcement challenges.
"The VCA ends in March 2028," Milana Beyer, DHCD policy director, said, and the county must meet interim goals annually through 2027. Beyer reported the county had an interim goal of 970 units for 2024 and said DHCD currently shows 1,102 approved units. "Approved just means they have been approved for financing for funding. That is just the first step in the development process," Beyer said.
DHCD staff said development bottlenecks remain: rising construction and labor costs, supply-chain delays and projects with new funding gaps. Beyer described the VCA as "a floor, not a ceiling," noting the county has additional housing needs beyond the VCA obligations.
DHCD also summarized enforcement and outreach work: Economic Action Maryland, a DHCD contractor, reported serving 180 tenant households (about 431 residents) in the July 2024—6June 2025 reporting period. The Equal Rights Center conducted 46 rental, sales and lending tests focusing on source-of-income, disability, race and criminal-record issues; DHCD said it will meet quarterly with contractors and pursue a more data-driven intake and referral process.
On federal guidance, DHCD staff said recent HUD changes have narrowed enforcement priorities to "clear cases" of discrimination and rescinded guidance on some criminal background and source-of-income testing; local laws such as the HOME Act and state statutes may still enable testing or enforcement in Maryland.
DHCD staff offered to share the regional five-year plan and to provide aggregate testing data at future meetings; commissioners asked for the presentation slides and for DHCD to follow up on intake-data sharing.
