Tax Sales - Homeowner Protection Program - Funding and Alterations

HB 953 strengthens Maryland's Homeowner Protection Program to prevent tax sales from displacing vulnerable residents. It requires tax collectors to display clear program information and application links on their websites, prohibits interest charges on unpaid taxes for enrolled homeowners, and mandates the State Tax Sale Ombudsman to actively boost program enrollment. The bill also establishes new funding mechanisms: the Governor must include annual appropriations for the Homeowner Protection Fund in the state budget, and county governments collectively must contribute a fixed amount each fiscal year. These changes aim to increase access to the program and ensure timely distribution of excess funds from tax sales. The bill alters reporting requirements for counties and updates state-level oversight of tax sale processes.