Governor Wes Moore Signs Executive Order to Increase Housing Production in Maryland

Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order aimed at increasing housing production across the state, tackling the existing 96,000 unit housing shortage. The "Housing Starts Here" executive order aims to make housing more affordable, efficient, and competitive. Key features of the order include identifying state-owned properties for transit-oriented development, reducing state permitting timelines, and creating a new state housing ombudsman to assist in the permitting process.

Key Takeaways:

• The executive order directs the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and the Maryland Department of Transportation to identify state-owned properties for transit-oriented development.
• The order aims to reduce state permitting timelines, improving the transparency of jurisdictional housing production and bringing more homes to market faster.
• A new state housing ombudsman will be created to act as a liaison between the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and other state agencies, local governments, developers, local communities, and other stakeholders to assist in the permitting process.
• The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development will work with local jurisdictions to create housing production targets for the state, each county, and each municipality with planning/zoning authority.
• The production targets will be published in January 2026 and updated every five years.
• Annual Maryland Housing Leadership Awards will be established to recognize jurisdictions that make progress on their housing development goals, providing bonus points that increase their competitiveness when applying for funding programs.

Statistics:

• The state aims to tackle the existing 96,000 unit housing shortage.
• The executive order targets reducing state permitting timelines to increase housing production.
• The new state housing ombudsman will help facilitate the permitting process, ensuring development projects continue without delay.
• The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development will work with local jurisdictions to create housing production targets, which will be published in January 2026.
• The annual Maryland Housing Leadership Awards will recognize jurisdictions making progress on their housing development goals, providing incentive for increased competitiveness in funding programs.

Sources:

• "Governor Moore Signs Executive Order to Increase Housing Production Across the State." Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.
• Governor Wes Moore
• Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day
• Howard County Executive Calvin Ball