BRHP Policy Priorities
The Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership’s public policy agenda is guided by our founding and through the lens of equity and inclusion on behalf of the families we serve and the housing mobility movement. We focus on addressing inequalities and supporting policy efforts that will bring more equitable distributions of resources to our communities. Our policy priorities include but are not limited to the following:
Expanding Housing Choices for Our Families
The Housing Choice Voucher program is the nation’s largest rental assistance program and has been proven effective in addressing housing instability through administrators like BRHP. Unfortunately, insufficient voucher program funding leads to needs being unmet and seemingly interminable waitlists. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported that between 2011 and 2020, HCV agencies spent 99.9% of funding received.
Ensuring Protections for Low-Income Renters
Adopting laws and policies that better protect renters from unnecessary evictions, rent increases, unjust evictions laws, nuisance ordinances, and lack of affordable legal aid—can help reduce homelessness, family displacement and instability, and mitigate the current poverty crisis.
Promoting Inclusionary and Affordable Housing
Housing is the foundation of an individual’s and family’s well-being. Investing in affordable housing means investing in our community’s health, education, economic development, and safety.
Strengthening and Preserving Emergency Rental Assistance
The COVID-19 relief package was signed into law in December 2020 and allocated $25 billion towards Emergency Rental Assistance Programs for tenants with low-incomes and established the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). This has become a lifeline for families whose housing instability was exacerbated or initiated by the pandemic.
Deepening Housing and Health Collaborations
Healthier people are better able to maintain stable housing, and people with stable housing are better able to maintain their health. Expanding opportunities at the state, local, and organizational levels to forge collaborations between healthcare and housing providers will hopefully result in decreasing homelessness and housing instability in order to provide more effective and equitable healthcare and lower healthcare costs for vulnerable communities.
Using Housing Data to Inform Policy
Policy development and implementation can only be effective and equitable if transparency accountability, and accuracy are at the center of data collection and dissemination within all government agencies. Filling in housing research gaps can lead to smarter interventions that yield increased affordable housing production and to thwart housing insecurity.
Building A Stronger Baltimore Region
The Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership has a history of effectively weighing in with federal, state, and local legislators to promote equity in economic development, housing and community development, transportation, health, and education. It is our priority to support long-term, sustainable solutions that reduce longstanding disparities in Baltimore. Below are some causes that we are amplifying and supporting.
Letters to Legislators & Federal Agencies
State
House Bill 896, which seeks to protect recipients of housing assistance from exclusionary rental screening practices, is a necessary step to ensure that Maryland’s source-of-income discrimination law, the HOME Act, fulfills its purpose of preventing unjust barriers for low-income families seeking what all Marylanders want and deserve quality housing.
BRHP Support for SB 107 Fair Housing Testing – January 15, 2025
SB 107 would create a limited exception to Maryland’s all-party consent rule, permitting one-party consent for recording conversations when the recorder is a participant in the conversation as a fair housing tester for a fair testing program. This aligns Maryland with the majority of states and strengthens the tools available to expose and address discriminatory practices while encouraging property managers to prioritize fair housing training and ensure compliance with legal standards.
SB 154 would make permanent the funding for the Access to Counsel in Evictions Special Fund to support Marylanders’ right to access to legal representation in eviction proceedings, helping to ensure that tenants have a fair eviction proceeding and keeping more Maryland families in their homes.
SB 481 – Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024 Testimony
This legislation establishes the Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs in the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) tasked with ensuring that tenants have access to information about their legal rights and ability to report violations and instances of discrimination, including the publication of an annual Tenant’s Bill of Rights.
SB 483 – Housing and Community Development Financing Act of 2024 Testimony
This legislation establishes a community development entity called the Maryland Community Investment Corporation for the purpose of receiving and investing federal New Market Tax Credits to give Maryland more mission and policy control over federal funding opportunities to channel federal funds to invest and develop Maryland low-income communities.
SB 484 – Housing Expansion and Affordability Act of 2024 Testimony
This legislation will increase the number of affordable homes in the state by requiring local jurisdictions to allow (1) new manufactured homes and modular dwellings in zones that allow single-family residential uses and (2) increased densities and uses in zoning areas for projects with designated affordable housing, with a particular focus on housing developed by nonprofits and near transit stations.
HB 477 – 2024 Just Cause Evictions Testimony
The 2024 Just Cause Evictions legislation would have given authority to Maryland counties and Baltimore City to determine the appropriate circumstances in which a lease can be non-renewed by implementing local just cause eviction ordinances, which require a landlord to provide a justifiable reason when deciding not to renew a lease and provide this cause in their non-renewal notice to the tenant.
HB 783 – Homeowners’ Assocation Prohibition Against Restricting Long-term Rentals Testimony
This legislation would have prohibited homeowners’ associations from banning long term rentals (defined as 6 months or longer), thereby unlocking additional housing stock that could otherwise be artificially suppressed and serving to promote the total number of units available to Maryland residents.
HB 1007 – Fair Share for Maryland Act of 2024 Testimony
This legislation sought to right-size our upside-down tax system and ensure wealthy businesses and individuals pay their fair share for the public services we all benefit from while lowering taxes for more than 1.3 million Marylanders through expansion of the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit.
In order to sustain our organization’s significant impact, we must advocate for legislation that will contribute to mitigating the historical symptoms of racial and economic inequalities that deprive our families of access to safe and affordable housing, full-service grocery stores, top-tier schools, employment opportunities, and much more that contribute to the ever-widening equity gap. Here are our policy priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session
FY23 DHCD Capital Budget Testimony
BRHP calls on legislators to support the Department of Housing and Community Capital Budget and take swift and bold action to achieve robust and equitable investments to address Maryland’s affordable housing shortage and homelessness crisis
BRHP urged legislators to add $175 million to DHCD’s operating budget to assist an estimated 20,000 Maryland families in avoiding eviction through ERAP.
SB315 Testimony – Housing Innovation Act
We support SB 315 because this legislation will build upon the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County’s innovative techniques and financial models to create and preserve affordable housing across Maryland.
HB341- Transportation Equity Testimony
We support HB 341 because it will help to ensure that transportation policies and projects are inclusive and equitable by requiring an equity analysis for each transportation project and how it may impact marginalized communities.
HB460- DHCD Equity Analysis Testimony
We support HB 460 because we have seen year-over-year that precious financial resources administered by the Department be allocated in a manner disproportionate to the need across the state.
SB 848- Statewide Vouchers Testimony
We support Senate Bill 848 because establishing a state-funded housing choice voucher program will help more low-income families access rental assistance and lift thousands of families out of poverty.
HB 151- Rent Increases Testimony
We support HB 151 because with uncontrolled rent increases, a household’s employment, schooling, access to healthcare, and familial/community connections become disrupted.
HB150-Adaptive Reuse Testimony
We support HB 150 because adaptive reuse is another mechanism to add to our state’s tool chest for building affordable housing quickly and cheaply.
Federal
BRHP Comments on HUD Proposed Rule FR 6362-P-0-1 Reducing Barriers to HUD Assisted Housing
As a voucher administrator that already uses allowable flexibility in screening to reduce barriers to assistance, BRHP supports the implementation of this rule to make it easier for more people to access housing assistance.
Proposed Changes to the Methodology Used for Calculating Fair Market Rents
As a voucher administrator operating in a market that has seen steady and significant growth of rents over the years, we applaud HUD for these proposed changes to the FMR calculation methodology. BRHP supports both of the changes outlined in the notice, the redefinition of “recent mover” and the inclusion of private sector rent data to update rent estimates.
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) revised
Our organization is the outcome of holding agencies accountable to their obligation to further fair housing and underscores the necessity of equipping our nation with an effective AFFH rule to defend communities against housing injustices.
