EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0964*
HOUSE BILL 964
N1 5lr1034
By: Montgomery County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2025
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 6, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Montgomery County – Task Force on the Displacement of Residents of Emory 2
Grove 3
MC 5–25 4
FOR the purpose of establishing the Task Force on the Displacement of Residents of Emory 5
Grove to study how urban renewal caused the displacement of residents from the 6
Emory Grove community and make recommendations on potential remedies for 7
those who were displaced by urban renewal; and generally relating to the Task Force 8
on the Displacement of Residents of Emory Grove. 9
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 10
That: 11
(a) There is a Task Force on the Displacement of Residents of Emory Grove. 12
(b) The Task Force consists of the following members: 13
(1) the Director of the Montgomery County Office of Human Rights; 14
(2) the Chair of the Montgomery County Planning Board, or the Chair’s 15
designee; 16
(3) (i) the Executive Director of the Housing Opportunities Commission 17
of Montgomery County; or 18 2 HOUSE BILL 964
(ii) a member of the Board of Commissioners, designated by the 1
Executive Director; 2
(4) one member of the Montgomery County Historical Society, designated 3
by the Society; 4
(5) one member who has professional experience in issues of discrimination 5
or housing, appointed by the Montgomery County Council; 6
(6) one member who has professional experience in issues of discrimination 7
or housing, appointed by the Montgomery County Executive; 8
(7) one member of the Montgomery County Racial Equity and Social 9
Justice Advisory Committee, designated by the Committee; 10
(8) the Pastor of the Emory Grove United Methodist Church; and 11
(9) one member who is a former resident of the Emory Grove community 12
and lived in the community at any time between 1960 and 1985, designated by the Pastor 13
of the Emory Grove United Methodist Church. 14
(c) The Director of the Montgomery County Office of Human Rights shall serve 15
as the chair of the Task Force. 16
(d) The Montgomery County Office of Human Rights shall provide staff for the 17
Task Force. 18
(e) (1) The Task Force shall hold its first meeting not later than July 1, 2025, 19
and meet at least quarterly thereafter. 20
(2) The Task Force may hold additional meetings as determined necessary 21
by the chair. 22
(f) A member of the Task Force: 23
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Task Force; but 24
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 25
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 26
(g) The Task Force shall: 27
(1) review and analyze the displacement of residents of Emory Grove under 28
the urban renewal program carried out from 1960 through 1985 in order to: 29
HOUSE BILL 964 3
(i) determine the basis for the development of the Emory Grove 1
urban renewal program and the guidelines and execution of the program, including how 2
property was acquired or purchased from landowners; 3
(ii) analyze the way urban renewal was administered in Emory 4
Grove; 5
(iii) analyze the decisions to use the urban renewal program in 6
Emory Grove and the equity impacts of the program; 7
(iv) analyze the guidelines and execution of the urban renewal 8
program in Emory Grove, including the purchase of property from landowners and the 9
demolition of homes; 10
(v) determine the basis for the purchase of property from 11
landowners in Emory Grove and identify the details of land purchases, including the 12
purchase prices and purchase agreements; and 13
(vi) analyze the plan for providing replacement properties or new 14
homeownership for the displaced residents of Emory Grove and the equity impacts of the 15
plan, including proposed dates to provide new replacement properties and incentives or 16
benefits for previous landowners; and 17
(2) if deemed appropriate by the Task Force, recommend remedies for past 18
inequities in the purchase of land by Montgomery County through the urban renewal 19
program in Emory Grove from 1960 to 1985, including methods for determining eligibility 20
and providing compensation, such as benefits for former landowners and incentives for 21
construction projects. 22
(h) (1) On or before December 15, 2025, the Task Force shall submit an interim 23
report of its findings and recommendations to the Montgomery County Cou ncil, the 24
Montgomery County Executive, and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government 25
Article, the Montgomery County delegation to the General Assembly. 26
(2) On or before December 15, 2026, the Task Force shall submit a final 27
report of its findings and recommendations to the Montgomery County Council, the 28
Montgomery County Executive, and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government 29
Article, the Montgomery County delegation to the General Assembly. 30
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 31
1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 2 years and 1 month and, at the end of June 32
30, 2027, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 33
abrogated and of no further force and effect. 34