ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today unveiled his housing growth and affordability agenda during a joint development announcement at Metro’s Capitol Heights station in Prince George’s County. The agenda includes three pieces of legislation that will help break down barriers to buying and building housing across the state, with a focus on transit-oriented development to expedite the revitalization of communities around transit stations to create housing, grow the economy, and increase transit ridership.
“Finding an affordable place to live is one of the greatest barriers Marylanders face to being successful and choosing to stay in Maryland,” said Gov. Moore. “My housing growth and affordability agenda accelerates our administration’s momentum to move faster in building new homes, lowering costs, and creating a housing market that Leaves No One Behind.”
The governor’s Maryland Transit & Housing Opportunity Act of 2026 addresses zoning and financing barriers to create more jobs and housing near transit. The legislation would eliminate minimum parking requirements for certain transit-oriented developments, promote mixed-use development around key stations, and give the State more authority over the development of land adjacent to transit stations. To address economic barriers to implementing more projects, the legislation expands existing financial incentives for projects located near high-quality transit stations.
The Maryland Transit & Housing Opportunity Act will also unlock more than 300 acres of State-owned land adjacent to existing transit stations for transit-oriented development, resulting in more than 7,000 housing units and almost $1.4 billion in tax revenue for the State and its communities, leveraging the state’s multi-billion-dollar transit investments by speeding up the development process while generating a strong economic output, creating housing, and increasing transit ridership.
“The Maryland Transit & Housing Opportunity Act will help the Maryland Department of Transportation expedite our work in transforming underutilized land around transit stations into dense, thriving, and inclusive developments that will better connect our communities and grow our economy,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle. “We are breaking down barriers in deploying MDOT’s state-owned land to provide economic mobility for families across our state.”
During the event, Governor Moore also highlighted two other critical pieces of upcoming housing legislation: the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Starter and Silver Homes Act of 2026, and Senator Malcolm Augustine and Delegate Dylan Behler’s Housing Certainty Act of 2026.
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Starter and Silver Homes Act of 2026 proposes actions to increase housing options by allowing smaller, more affordable homes. The legislation allows for smaller single-family homes on smaller lots and townhouses in residential areas statewide.
“With fewer homes available and high interest rates locking out new generations of homebuyers, too many young families and seniors are left with few viable options to call Maryland home,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day. “The Starter and Silver Homes Act of 2026 would expand housing choices by enabling homes that are up to 30 percent less expensive than what’s currently available, unlocking homeownership for more Maryland families.”
The governor also expressed strong support for the Housing Certainty Act of 2026, sponsored by Senator Malcolm Augustine and Delegate Dylan Behler, to address regulatory uncertainty, delays and impact fees that drive up the cost of housing and prevent important projects from being implemented.
“The Housing Certainty Act ensures that once a housing project is approved, the rules can't change and derail it, forcing Marylanders to pay the price with higher housing costs,” said Senator Malcolm Augustine. “This bill creates the certainty needed to address the state's housing shortage and improve affordability.”
“Marylanders are struggling – and we must do everything we can to bring down the cost of Housing in the State. The Housing Certainty Act will ensure that housing can be built as approved, preventing delays, rising project costs, and the cancellation of already approved projects,” said Delegate Dylan Behler. “By ensuring rules can’t change after construction is approved, and streamlining the fee collection process, we can reduce the cost of housing to make it more affordable for families to live and work in Maryland.”
The Governor’s Housing Growth and Affordability Agenda builds on his Housing Starts Here Executive Order to increase housing production and address the housing shortage across the state. Taken together, these measures will help to revitalize areas around transit, leverage State-owned land for economic development and housing growth, and create more opportunities for new housing options for more Marylanders. The Moore-Miller Administration looks forward to working with the Maryland General Assembly and local stakeholders to implement these critical bills.
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