Bill > HB548

This bill, known as the Maryland Housing Certainty Act, aims to streamline and stabilize the housing development permitting process by establishing clearer rules for local authorities and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (referred to as the "Commission"). Key provisions include requiring that the approval of a housing development project application be judged solely by the laws and regulations in effect when a "complete application" is submitted, which is defined as an application with all necessary information for review, even if minor errors exist. Furthermore, once a housing development project receives all necessary approvals, the developer gains "vested rights," meaning they are guaranteed the right to proceed with that specific use and development for at least five years, or a longer period determined by the local authority or Commission. The bill also clarifies that each distinct phase of a larger housing development project, if planned and built sequentially with at least 25 housing units, will be treated as its own project for permitting purposes. Additionally, it modifies the collection of development excise taxes and development impact fees (taxes or fees imposed by local governments to fund public works needed for new construction) on residential projects, generally allowing them to be collected only after construction is complete and occupancy requirements are met, with specific exceptions for financing pre-existing county debt and for final inspections.

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https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0548?ys=2026RS