Builders and landlords warn rent control, vacancy control and new regulations are chilling Maryland investment
January 31, 2026 | Economic Matters Committee, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Maryland
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Annapolis — Representatives of Maryland’s building and rental-industry associations urged the Economic Matters Committee to weigh tenant protections against their potential effects on housing production and investor sentiment.
Josh Wooldridge, who leads development for the NRP Group and spoke for the Maryland Building Industry Association, said privately financed multifamily starts in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties have virtually halted since local rent stabilization measures took effect. "Don't bring your Maryland stuff," he said, reporting investor feedback at a national meeting that equity partners were not interested in Maryland projects under current local and state rules.
Industry witnesses presented data and case studies they said show a strong connection between regulatory uncertainty and declining private starts: one example cited was 387 homes built at White Oak that replaced an obsolete data center and did not require public subsidy, while affordable projects commonly require eight-figure taxpayer investments.
Speakers singled out Montgomery County's rolling exemption, vacancy control, and local eviction- and tenant-protection laws as major drivers of investor caution, and warned that measures such as building energy performance standards (BEPS) also carry large retrofitting costs. Gabrielle Duvall, president and CEO of Southern Management, said the company has shifted recent major investments to Virginia because of Maryland's regulatory and fiscal environment.
Industry witnesses and committee members agreed the policy challenge is balancing protections for renters with incentives for private production. Witnesses urged targeted investor-friendly reforms, clearer timelines and payment timing for impact fees to better align project cash flow with infrastructure costs.
No committee votes were taken; members signaled interest in further hearings and data-sharing to test industry claims about cause and effect.
Josh Wooldridge, who leads development for the NRP Group and spoke for the Maryland Building Industry Association, said privately financed multifamily starts in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties have virtually halted since local rent stabilization measures took effect. "Don't bring your Maryland stuff," he said, reporting investor feedback at a national meeting that equity partners were not interested in Maryland projects under current local and state rules.
Industry witnesses presented data and case studies they said show a strong connection between regulatory uncertainty and declining private starts: one example cited was 387 homes built at White Oak that replaced an obsolete data center and did not require public subsidy, while affordable projects commonly require eight-figure taxpayer investments.
Speakers singled out Montgomery County's rolling exemption, vacancy control, and local eviction- and tenant-protection laws as major drivers of investor caution, and warned that measures such as building energy performance standards (BEPS) also carry large retrofitting costs. Gabrielle Duvall, president and CEO of Southern Management, said the company has shifted recent major investments to Virginia because of Maryland's regulatory and fiscal environment.
Industry witnesses and committee members agreed the policy challenge is balancing protections for renters with incentives for private production. Witnesses urged targeted investor-friendly reforms, clearer timelines and payment timing for impact fees to better align project cash flow with infrastructure costs.
No committee votes were taken; members signaled interest in further hearings and data-sharing to test industry claims about cause and effect.
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