Policy and Advocacy

Maryland Issues, Legislation and Information

The 2010 General Assembly Session began Wednesday, January 13, 2010, and runs until April 12, 2010. During that time, as many as 1,000 pieces of legislation may be introduced. Many will have an impact on low-wealth communities or individuals, and the agencies that serve them. For that reason, our Policy Committee conducts weekly reviews of legislative action to identify potential impacts on asset building and community development. We notify our members regularly of pending actions that my affect them.

Going into the annual session, there are bills that we know we want to follow and perhaps take action. Our efforts may include supporting specific bills – or occasionally opposing them. The issues we have identified for early support for the 2010 legislative session are:

Community Land Trusts
Community Land Trusts have been created throughout the United States to offer permanent affordable homeownership opportunities to citizens. Not currently allowed in Maryland, we hope legislation will pass in 2010 that will define, allow, and regulate the creation of this important nonprofit resource for Marylanders.

Reauthorization of Heritage Tax Credits
The Heritage Tax Credit program has leveraged millions of dollars of investment in urban areas and small towns throughout Maryland, eliminating blight and creating jobs. It is a vital tool for redevelopment, and should be reauthorized to continue to serve Maryland communities in the years to come.

Restoring funding for the Maryland Housing Trust Fund
The Maryland Affordable Housing Trust Fund provides the flexible gap funding necessary to create both large and small scale affordable housing developments throughout the State. Its dedicated funding source is drying up because of the devastation of the housing market in recent years. As a result, it is half the size it has historically been just at the time when the financing is most needed. We support selling bonds to fund the Trust Fund at its historic levels.

Supporting Financial Literacy and Housing Counseling
We support financial literacy programs in all communities, particularly those with low wealth. We support mandatory financial literacy courses in public schools, and all efforts to bring resources to the underserved. A critical aspect of financial literacy is homeowners (and those wishing to become homeowners) understanding mortgages and mortgage products. Nonprofit housing counselors are the best wya to accomplish this goal.

Supporting efforts to help those facing foreclosure
We support helping those facing foreclosure, including efforts to develop an effective foreclosure mediation program in Maryland based on successful models in other states.

Adding source of income as a protected class under Maryland’s fair housing laws
We support effort to amend Maryland’s fair housing laws to include source of income as a protected class. Such legislation would help our citizens realize fuller housing choice options, deconcentrate poverty, and promote opportunity for all.