Housing

SB 31 requires Maryland county boards of education to annually submit detailed school zone and student capacity reports to state agencies starting in 2026. These reports must include school boundary maps, student residence locations, and school capacity metrics. The bill also restricts counties from delaying housing subdivision approvals based on school capacity but allows delays for final permits only. This directly affects county planning departments, school districts, and housing developers by standardizing school data reporting and clarifying housing development timelines. The law aims to balance school planning needs with housing development efficiency.

SB 455 establishes the Transformational Project Financing Program to help local governments fund large-scale development projects in designated areas. It allows counties or cities to apply to the Maryland Economic Development Corporation for "State-supported development district" status, requiring them to redirect property tax increases (tax increment) from these areas into a special fund instead of the general budget. This fund finances projects in priority areas like sustainable communities, transit-oriented developments, and designated enterprise zones. The bill creates new rules for calculating state revenue contributions and managing bond proceeds specifically for these designated districts.