HB1093, titled the Small Landlord Eviction Relief Act, changes Maryland’s landlord-tenant eviction procedures for certain residential properties. It provides that when a warrant of restitution is executed in a failure-to-pay-rent, holdover, or breach-of-lease case, a tenant’s personal property is deemed abandoned and may be placed in a public right-of-way abutting the property. The bill also defines “moving expenses” and “moving services,” and it bars counties and municipalities from requiring landlords to compensate tenants for those costs or to provide moving services or supplies in connection with an eviction.
The bill applies only to landlords who offer nine or fewer dwelling units, so it is targeted at small landlords rather than larger rental operators. It amends existing provisions in the Real Property Article governing repossession and eviction warrants, and adds a new section to create the abandoned-property rule and the local-preemption provision. The bill is prospective only and applies to repossession actions occurring on or after its effective date of July 1, 2025.
Impact
HB1093 would modify Maryland’s Real Property Article by expressly incorporating a new § 8-407 into the state’s eviction framework and by cross-referencing that section in the state’s failure-to-pay-rent, tenant holdover, and breach-of-lease repossession statutes. It changes how a tenant’s personal property is treated after an eviction warrant is executed and limits local governments’ ability to impose relocation-related obligations on small landlords. The bill would preempt county and municipal ordinances that require eviction-related moving expenses, moving services, or supplies in covered cases.
Sentiment
No committee transcript or recorded vote information was provided, so the available context does not show direct debate or a measured vote pattern. Based on the bill’s title and structure, the measure appears designed to provide relief to small landlords and to standardize eviction-related obligations statewide. The absence of discussion records makes it difficult to identify broader legislative sentiment beyond the bill’s clear policy direction.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the balance between landlord relief and tenant protections. Supporters would favor the bill’s limits on local mandates and its simplified treatment of abandoned property, especially for small landlords with nine or fewer units. Opponents would likely object that the bill reduces tenant protections by allowing personal property to be treated as abandoned and by preventing local governments from requiring landlords to help with moving costs or services after an eviction. The preemption of local ordinances is another likely flashpoint, since it restricts county and municipal flexibility.