​​​​The Maryland Housing Leadership Awards recognize action by local counties and municipalities to reduce barriers to housing, improve affordability, and ensure all Maryl​anders have safe and stable homes. The first application round for counties and municipalities is now open.

Authorized under Governor Wes Moore's Housing Starts Here Executive Order, the Maryland Housing Leadership Awards serve to encourage local jurisdictions across the state to adopt policies aimed at addressing the state'​s serious housing supply and affordability crisis. These awards recognize and reward local governments that are taking pro-housing action and making progress towards meeting housing production targets​.

A​war​d Categories

Awards will be made to local jurisdictions in four different categories:

• ​Category 1: Housing Production Champion
• Available to applicants that are on track to meet or exceed their annual DHCD housing production target
• Progress toward targets will be measured by the first 9 months of building permit data in the relevant calendar year, extrapolated to generate a full-year estimate.
• Category 2: Housing Policy Leader Award
• Available to applicants that have implemented legislative, zoning, or other reforms in the previous 12 months that significantly ease restrictions on housing production or reduce timelines or costs, e.g., upzoning, removal/reduction of parking minimums, removal/reduction of impact fees, easing permitting requirements and/or shortening timelines.
• Category 3: Affordable Housing Leader Award
• Available to applicants that have demonstrated commitment to boosting affordability and/or adding affordable units in their jurisdictions in the previous 12 months, including adding/implementing local density bonuses or other incentives for affordable housing developments (or promoting density bonus use under the Housing Expansion and Affordability Act); approving/adding a significant number of affordable units in a high-need area; efforts to preserve naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH), etc.
• Category 4: Fair Housing Leader Award
• Available to applicants that have demonstrated commitment to affirmatively furthering fair housing in their jurisdictions in the previous 12 months; e.g., upzoning/density bonuses (especially in high-opportunity areas), supporting infrastructure/amenity improvements in underserved areas, or providing security deposit/down payment assistance

Benefits

Maryland Housing Leadership awardees will be eligible for bonus points on funding applications submitted in calendar year 2027 for State Revitalization Program grants and other grant opportunities for projects within the jurisdiction. Additionally, they will be recognized in the Department's annual Housing Production Targets report and will be invited to share stories and best practices at the Department's statewide housing convening, planned for early 2027.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit documentation in Word or PDF format to [email protected] that includes the following:

• Name of your jurisdiction
• Point of contact (e-mail + phone)
• Category/categories of Maryland Housing Leadership Award being applied for
• Documentation of the number of new housing units permitted in the jurisdiction from January 1, 2026 through September 30, 2026 (applicants may be asked to update this information if the initial application is submitted prior to September 30)
• A summary of any new housing-related legislation or other reforms or initiatives enacted by your jurisdiction between October 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026, such as zoning text amendments, adjustments to costs or fees, updates to permit application or review processes, or other activities, regardless of their intended or actual impact.
• A brief (no more than 2 pages) narrative detailing your jurisdiction's efforts in the following areas:
  • For Housing Policy Leader Award applicants, easing restrictions on housing production or reducing timelines or costs
  • For Affordable Housing Leader Award applicants, increasing housing affordability and/or the number of affordable units in the jurisdiction in the previous 12 months
  • For Fair Housing Leader Award applicants, commitment to affirmatively furthering fair housing in the jurisdiction in the previous 12 months

Applications must be signed by an individual or body with authority to act on the jurisdiction's behalf.

The deadline to submit a Maryland Housing Leadership Award application for this cycle is 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Announcements of award winners will be made in the first annual Housing Production Targets Report published in January 2027.