​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​As mandated by the passage of HB1097 of the 2022 legislative session​, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development established the Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity in October 2023, which will meet monthly until June 2024. The purpose of the task force is to address the persistent misvaluation and undervaluation of property owned by minorities. This task force shall accomplish this objective through two activities. First, it will study strategies and actions that will:

• Help ensure that governmental oversight and industry standards and practices further valuation equity
• Increase training of appraisers to combat valuation bias
• Remove barriers to entry into the appraisal profession by minorities
• Assist in the development of a model for a meaningful reconsideration of value process
• Reduce or eliminate bias related to automated valuation models and alternative property valuation methods

Second, the task force will identify legislative or other policy recommendations that will provide a comprehensive and coordinated approach for reducing bias in valuations, through enforcement, compliance, or other methods.

On or before July 1, 2024 the task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly.