Gov. Moore Signs Affordable Housing Executive Order
MARYLAND – Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order yesterday aimed at tackling the state’s growing housing shortage and making homes more affordable.
“When we talk about housing that’s more affordable, we’re not just talking about building shelter; we’re talking about building a legacy,” said Governor Moore. “That’s why we need to move faster to build new homes, move faster to make housing more affordable, and move faster to create a housing market that is more competitive. That’s the vision of this executive order, and our success will be felt for generations to come.”
The order, titled, “Housing Starts Here,” consists of four main objectives to incentivize homebuilding: accelerating development on state-owned land, streamlining state permitting processes, setting housing production targets for local governments, and incentivizing jurisdictions that meet or exceed these goals. Further, it places pressure on the Departments of General Services, Housing & Community Development, and Transportation to prioritize the use of available state-owned land while removing unnecessary permitting delays. Agencies are also required to digitize applications and streamline approvals by early next year.
Additionally, the order directs the Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development to work with local jurisdictions to create housing production targets for the state, each county, and each municipality with planning/zoning authority. The production targets are to be published in January 2026 and updated every five years.
The order comes at an opportune time, as Maryland is experiencing an estimated shortfall of 96,000 homes. “More housing is the key to a more affordable Maryland,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day. “Governor Moore’s executive order will spur housing growth and means more people can live, work and raise their families in our great towns and cities.”
The signing of this executive order builds off of the Moore-Miller Administration’s 2024 legislative housing package, and also comes less than two months after Governor Moore announced $50 million in grant awards to support vacant property reduction efforts in Baltimore City.
