State of Maryland Publishes Housing Production Targets for Jurisdictions

New report highlights levels of housing production needed to address Maryland’s statewide housing unit shortage

NEW CARROLLTON, MD (January 9, 2026) – The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development on December 31 published the 2030 Housing Production Targets for the State of Maryland report, which estimates the number of housing units needed to house every projected Maryland household in 2030. The report also establishes annual housing production benchmarks for jurisdictions that reflect both the severe and urgent need to address the state’s housing shortage and a realistic scaling of current production trends.

“Maryland’s housing shortage didn’t happen overnight, and it won’t be solved without clear goals and shared accountability,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day. “This report puts numbers to what families across the state are feeling every day – that costs are too high and there is not enough housing to meet demand. By setting transparent, achievable housing production targets, we are giving local leaders a common framework to strategize, invest, and work together to make Maryland more affordable for all.”

Under the Housing Starts Here Executive Order signed by Governor Moore in September 2025, the Department will publish housing production targets for the state, each county, and each municipality that exercises land use authority every five years. The Department will assess annually the progress of the State and each jurisdiction toward housing production targets.

A lack of available housing for sale and for rent increases housing prices in Maryland and has meaningful consequences for Maryland families, especially low-income households. The report builds on the Department’s work to make Maryland more affordable by supporting collaboration between the state and local governments in meeting Maryland’s housing needs.

Some key findings from the report include:

Maryland is projected to need an additional 184,784 housing units to house projected households. At current average permitting rates, the state is on track to produce only half of the needed amount (94,620 units), which would deepen Maryland’s severe housing affordability crisis..
To produce enough housing to house the number of Maryland households in 2030, the state would need to complete 36,957 housing units annually over the next five years, effectively double the current permitting rate.
While doubling the state’s housing permitting rate in the next year is not feasible, doubling it through sustained policy reform over the next five years is both achievable and imperative to address the devastating impact the current lack of housing availability has on Maryland households.
The statewide housing targets therefore reflect a five-year scaling up of production to approach the need. If the state meets its housing targets by 2030, 84% of estimated 2030 housing units needed will be approved for construction and the vast majority of those units will be occupiable by households in the following 6-36 months.

The report quantifies statewide housing production goals, creating a measurable public objective and making the consequences of housing underproduction apparent to help focus policy and investment decisions toward improving housing availability for Maryland households.

“Access to housing is a critical issue for Maryland families and key to our state’s economic competitiveness,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. “I strongly support efforts to expand homeownership opportunities that create generational wealth and economic mobility.”

“It’s important to note that housing is a critical issue, even for smaller towns and rural areas across the state,” said Megan Cook, Mayor of Easton. “The actionable targets laid out by the Governor’s office set the goals for our future into motion — with housing production through 2030 that will help not only low-income families, but also essential community workforce members such as firefighters, teachers, paramedics, and law enforcement.”

“Baltimore’s Renaissance is here, and we want to make sure all of our residents, especially those in areas that have borne the brunt of disinvestment, feel the benefits,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “Generations after the first redlining laws were signed here in Baltimore, building more affordable, high-quality housing is key to undoing the damage of intentional disinvestment.”

“I appreciate the state’s leadership to work together with counties and cities to establish new housing targets to address the housing affordability and economic needs of Maryland residents. Housing is not just about buildings—it’s about people, opportunity, and belonging,” said Monique Ashton, Mayor of Rockville. “Access to quality, affordable housing allows families to put down roots, strengthens neighborhoods, and ensures that our seniors have safe places to live. This report reinforces the urgency of addressing our housing shortage so that our state, counties, and cities remain inclusive and can thrive.”

Read the 2030 Maryland State Housing Targets Report on the Housing Starts Here webpage.