EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1302*
HOUSE BILL 1302
C9 5lr2292
By: Delegates Rosenberg and Ruff
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Housing and Community Development – Housing Counseling 2
FOR the purpose of requiring a recipient of certain funding from the Department of 3
Housing and Community Development to offer housing counseling services to certain 4
prospective residents; and generally relating to housing counseling services. 5
BY adding to 6
Article – Housing and Community Development 7
Section 2–304 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 10
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12
Article – Housing and Community Development 13
2–304. 14
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 15
INDICATED. 16
(2) “APPROVED HOUSING COUN SELING AGENCY ” MEANS AN 17
ORGANIZATION THAT IS APPROVED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND 18
URBAN DEVELOPMENT TO PROVID E HOUSING COUNSELING SERVICES DIRECTLY OR 19
THROUGH AFFILIATES O R BRANCHES. 20
(3) “HOUSING COUNSELING ” MEANS COUNSELOR –TO–CLIENT 21
ASSISTANCE THAT ADDR ESSES UNIQUE FINANCI AL CIRCUMSTANCES OR HOUSING 22 2 HOUSE BILL 1302
ISSUES AND FOCUSES O N WAYS OF OVERCOMING SPECIFIC OBSTACLES T O 1
ACHIEVING A HOUSING GOAL. 2
(B) AS A CONDITION ON THE RECEIPT OF FUNDING FROM THE 3
DEPARTMENT FOR ANY PROJECT TO CONSTRUCT , ACQUIRE, OR REHABILITATE 4
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY FOR USE AS HOUSING , A FUNDING RECIPIENT SHALL 5
AGREE TO OFFER HOUSING COUNSELING SERVICES TO PROSPECTIVE RESIDENTS . 6
(C) HOUSING COUNSELING SE RVICES OFFERED UNDER SUBSECTION (B) OF 7
THIS SECTION SHALL BE PRO VIDED BY HOUSING COU NSELORS CERTIFIED BY THE 8
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLO YED BY AN 9
APPROVED HOUSING COU NSELING AGENCY . 10
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 11
1, 2025. 12