Housing (Land Use)

SB 36 (Starter and Silver Homes Act of 2026) prohibits local governments in Maryland from enforcing zoning restrictions on lot size, setbacks, design rules, or subdivision rules for specific housing types. It directly affects counties and cities by overriding their local zoning laws to allow "starter homes" (for first-time buyers) and "silver homes" (for seniors) as single-family homes or attached townhouses on individual lots. The bill requires local jurisdictions to permit these housing types in zones where they are currently restricted, removing barriers to building smaller or more affordable single-family properties. This changes local zoning authority by mandating that communities cannot ban these specific housing options in certain areas.

HB 548, the Maryland Housing Certainty Act, requires local governments to approve housing development projects based solely on land-use laws and regulations in effect when a developer submits a "substantially complete" application. It grants developers "vested rights" to build under those original rules for a set period, protecting projects from future regulatory changes. The bill also prohibits localities from collecting development excise taxes or impact fees until a project is fully completed. This directly affects housing developers and local planning authorities across Maryland, streamlining approvals for new housing while limiting fee collection during construction.