Housing Legislation and Budget

• 2005 initiated support for legislation establishing specific policies for real estate tax assessments for Low Income Housing Tax Credit rental communities and after adoption of the legislation worked with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation to develop implementation policies and procedures
• 2006 initiated a campaign to encourage the Governor to increase the budget for DHCD rental housing programs resulting in an increase in general funds of $3 million for rental housing and $500,000 for Community Legacy; worked with DHCD and the legislature to secure approval of the increased budget
• 2006 secured legislative support of a Bond Bill to provide $1 million in additional funds to the Maryland Affordable Housing Trust
• 2007 Worked with Governor O'Malley's office and DHCD to add additional funds to the DHCD budget after the budget was announced. This corrected an unintended mistake which budgeted $3 million less for rental housing than the prior year. Governor O'Malley restored the $3 million and added another $1 million to homeownership programs.
• 2007 initiated and secured approval of legislation to enable local governments to implement broad incentives for affordable housing on the local level without submitting individual requests to the legislature (SB 7109 and HB 784). Locally authority now includes--establishing trust funds, enacting inclusionary zoning ordinances, providing land or property, and offering payments in lieu of taxes
• 2007 initiated and supported The Maryland Affordable Investment Fund (SB 644 and HB 486) to create a dedicated revenue source to fund a State and local housing trust fund. The legislation was not adopted. MAHC is continuing to work to secure approval of this legislation in 2008.

• The Development Process (a presentation to CDA staff by developers)
• Housing Preservation
• Refinancing Section 202 Housing Communities
• Low Income Housing Tax Credit Compliance Monitoring Workshop
• Nuts and Bolts of Working with CDA

• January - Annual Meeting, breakfast meeting featuring a keynote speaker, update on MAHC activities and initiatives, and presentation of the Housing Advocate of the Year award
• February - Housing Day in Annapolis (2007 Housing Day was attended by over 200 individuals and co-sponsored by 50 organizations. For the first time in the history of Housing Day, the Governor attended Housing Day and announced restoration of funds to the housing budget.)
• September - Membership Mixer, social event
• Each calendar quarter the MAHC Program Committee meets with key DHCD staff to discuss issues, program improvements, new policies and other matters beneficial to MAHC's membership