Dive Brief:
- Maryland Gov. Wes Moore last week signed an executive order aimed at increasing housing development in the state, which faces a 96,000 housing-unit shortfall.
- The Housing Starts Here order tasks state agencies with identifying state-owned properties for transit-oriented development and reducing permitting timelines. It also establishes housing production targets for localities with planning and zoning authority and a state housing ombudsman to ensure developments are not delayed.
- “We need to move faster to build new homes, move faster to make housing more affordable, and move faster to create a housing market that is more competitive,” Moore stated in a Sept. 3 press release.
Dive Insight:
By one estimate, the U.S. is short as many as 3.7 million housing units.
As cities and counties grapple with a national housing shortage and affordability crisis, more states are stepping up to address the issue. Executive orders related to streamlining housing development have been issued in several states in recent years, including Colorado, Utah, New York and Hawai’i.
In some states, there has been pushback. Colorado was hit with a lawsuit from localities alleging state overreach over its housing reform policies.
In Maryland, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball issued a statement of support for Moore’s executive order.
“In Howard County, we believe that affordable and attainable housing is a policy priority,” Ball stated. “With strong partnerships and shared commitment, we can create a future where every Marylander has the stability and opportunity to thrive.”
Per the order, production targets for localities in the state will be published January 2026 and updated every five years.
The order also establishes the Maryland Housing Leadership Awards to recognize municipalities making progress toward housing goals. The recognition gives jurisdictions a leg up when applying for funding programs through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.
