MarylandMaryland law opens housing support for school employee homes
Starting July 1, 2026, school boards may count affordable homes for school employees as a school purpose, and housing projects may qualify for state support.
What it does
County school boards may count affordable homes reserved for teachers and other school employees as a school purpose.
State housing loans, grants, and tax credits may support affordable homes reserved for school employees. Those employees also count as a specified group in certain federal housing programs.
Municipal corporations and school boards may seek housing pilot loans. Projects setting aside homes for school employees can qualify, and nonprofits may propose educator housing for community assistance.
Argument forState housing support could help developers build affordable homes for school employees, who may have more options near their jobs.
Argument againstSetting aside homes for school employees could leave fewer units available for other households, especially in projects with limited housing.
More detail
County boards of education may consider providing educator workforce housing a school purpose. This applies to county boards of education in Maryland. The homes must be affordable and reserved for teachers or other local school employees, excluding administrators responsible for running the school system or a public school. This provision takes effect July 1, 2026.
The law makes educator workforce housing eligible for certain state housing support and treats school employees as a specified group in certain federal housing programs. Educator workforce housing is affordable housing reserved for teachers or other local school employees, excluding administrators responsible for running the school system or a public school. The state support must come through a Department program that can fund affordable housing. More specific rules for a program still apply. The Department need not notify applicants about this eligible use when the program does not focus on housing. These provisions take effect July 1, 2026.
The law adds municipal corporations and county school boards to housing pilot programs and lets nonprofits propose educator housing projects for community assistance. The pilot program changes cover municipal corporations and county boards of education as well as existing eligible participants. The community assistance provision covers nonprofit proposals for projects in priority funding areas. The Housing Innovation Fund provides low- or no-interest loans through the pilot program, subject to the state budget and available funds. A pilot project may qualify if any portion of its homes is set aside for educator workforce housing; the Department must prioritize projects that include such a set-aside. A nonprofit may propose an educator housing project under the Neighborhood and Community Assistance Program. The Department's approval process applies, but the supplied text has a malformed clause about notice and approval for these projects. These provisions take effect July 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 26Approved by the Governor Wes Moore - Chapter 678Became Law
- Apr 13Passed EnrolledTo Governor
- Apr 13Third Reading PassedMajor
- Apr 13House Concurs Senate Amendments
- Apr 13Third Reading PassedPassed Senate
- Apr 13Second Reading Passed with Amendments
- Apr 13Favorable with Amendments {Minor
- Apr 13Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentMinor
- Apr 2
- Vote recorded On Third Reading and Final Passage (Hse concurred). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 26
- Vote recorded On Third Reading (Amend). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 20Hearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m.
- Mar 19Referred Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentMinor
- Mar 18Third Reading PassedPassed House
- Mar 17Second Reading Passed with Amendments
- Mar 17Favorable with Amendments {Minor
- Mar 16Favorable with Amendments Report by Economic MattersMinor
- Mar 5
- Vote recorded On Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 19Hearing 2/05 at 1:00 p.m.
- Jan 14First Reading Economic MattersMinor
- 2025
- Oct 7Pre-filedIntroduced
HousingEducation