Property Tax Credit - Disabled Public Safety and Judicial Officers, Surviving Spouses, and Cohabitants - Eligibility
Summary
HB1302 would add a new section to Maryland’s Housing and Community Development law requiring certain recipients of Department of Housing and Community Development funding to provide housing counseling services to prospective residents. The requirement applies to projects that receive department funding to construct, acquire, or rehabilitate residential property for housing. As a condition of receiving that funding, the recipient must agree to offer counseling services to people who may live in the housing project.
The bill defines “approved housing counseling agency” by reference to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approval, and it requires that counseling be provided by HUD-certified housing counselors employed by such an agency. The bill is scheduled to take effect July 1, 2025. In practical terms, it would tie state housing development assistance to a resident-support service intended to help prospective residents navigate financial or housing-related barriers.
Impact
HB1302 would amend the Maryland Code by adding Section 2-304 to the Housing and Community Development Article. It would not create a new grant program, but it would impose a new condition on recipients of certain DHCD funding for residential projects, effectively requiring housing counseling as part of the terms of state-supported housing development. The affected parties would include developers, nonprofits, and other funding recipients undertaking construction, acquisition, or rehabilitation of housing with department support, as well as HUD-approved counseling agencies and certified housing counselors who would provide the services.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the limited available context, the bill appears to be framed as a consumer-support and housing-access measure rather than a controversial regulatory change. No committee transcript or recorded votes were provided, so there is no evidence of formal opposition or support in the available record. The overall tone of the proposal suggests a policy preference for pairing housing investment with resident counseling and stability services.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the added compliance burden on recipients of DHCD funding, who would need to arrange and potentially pay for counseling services as a condition of receiving state support. Some stakeholders may view this as an appropriate resident-protection measure, while others may see it as an administrative or financial requirement that could complicate housing development projects. Another possible issue is the reliance on HUD-certified counselors and approved agencies, which could raise questions about availability, capacity, and implementation in different parts of the state.