Bill > HB778

This bill mandates that local jurisdictions must actively create housing opportunities by assessing vacant, unused, or underutilized commercial or industrial land for its suitability for housing development, and by January 1, 2027, their comprehensive plans must include an assessment of this land and recommendations for legal changes to allow housing on suitable sites, particularly in areas with existing public water and sewer systems. Additionally, the bill requires local jurisdictions to establish policies and adopt laws to promote and encourage the building of "middle housing," which includes duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, cottage clusters (groups of at least four small detached homes per acre), and townhouses, on land zoned for single-family residential use, by allowing this type of housing by right on certain lots and in new subdivisions, while also setting limitations on things like setbacks and lot size requirements for middle housing to ensure it is not unreasonably restricted.

Business and Industry

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0778?ys=2026RS