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MACo: recent state housing reforms aim to speed development near transit but leave local infrastructure concerns
Summary
MACo told Howard County council that recent housing reform legislation will fast‑track projects near rail and reduce certain paperwork barriers, but it stopped short of broadly removing local tools to address overcrowding and infrastructure capacity.
Michael Sanderson told the Howard County Council that the General Assembly passed a "pretty big and pretty broad housing reform package" intended to fast‑track projects near rail stations and reduce procedural barriers for state low‑income housing programs.
"It's gonna help fast track some projects that are near rail stations," Sanderson said, adding that the package "reduce[s] some sort of paperwork burdens" that had delayed projects. He emphasized that MACo opposed any broad removal of local planning tools that counties use to address overcrowding or lacking infrastructure.
Council members pressed MACo on whether the legislation had stripped local regulatory authority; Sanderson said the General Assembly "backed off on some things that were on the table that could have exacerbated difficulties" and credited MACo’s participation for helping shape the outcome. He said the conversation about housing reform is ongoing and MACo will continue to engage with legislators.
