News & Press

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has issued a final rule under the Fair Housing Act, which became effective on October 14th, 2016, clarifying that discriminatory actions by non-agents of the landlord, such as other tenants, are the landlord's responsibility; even if the... Continue Reading

After hearing two business group leaders dump on the paid sick leave proposal from last session, Sen. Ed Kasemeyer, chair of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, told a Howard County Chamber of Commerce breakfast Wednesday that the paid sick leave bill was bound to pass this term, and... Continue Reading

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) expanded the protections of The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 2013 and finalized a new rule to protect the housing of survivors of domestic abuse, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Housing providers that... Continue Reading

Last week in the U.S District Court for the Eastern District of New York, the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) filed a statement of interest arguing that the Fair Housing Act (FHA) requires that landlords who consider criminal records in evaluating prospective tenants do not use overly broad... Continue Reading

For Immediate ReleaseOctober 19th, 2016 The Maryland Multi-Housing Association Announces Officers for 2017 MMHA is a professional trade association established in 1996, whose membership consists of owners and managers of more than 178,288 rental housing homes in more than 705 apartment... Continue Reading

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was very active in 2016 when it came to the Fair Housing Laws. The below chronologically highlights HUD's actions in the Fair Housing arena this this past year: In April, HUD issued guidance on the use of criminal records in real... Continue Reading

On October 1st, the landscape of Maryland’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Law changed. Employers should carefully review this bill and update their employment policies. Before the October 1st amendments became law, Maryland's Equal Pay for Equal Work law required that an employer, regardless of... Continue Reading

Beginning this Saturday, October 1st, a security deposit receipt, and it’s 7 required points of notification, MUST be included in the written lease. This requirement reflects a change to Real Property Article 8-203 that was passed during the 2016 legislative session in Annapolis. The 7... Continue Reading

Beginning October 1st, the maximum fee that a condominium association or home owners association (HOA) may charge a unit owner for providing a resale package will be $250. This figure may be CPI-U adjusted every 2 years, but as of October 1, 2016 the maximum fee will be $250. Condominium... Continue Reading

New OSHA guidelines, effective immediately, state that OSHA will not approve settlement agreements that prohibit or restrict employees from “participating in protected activity.” In this regard, OSHA is particularly focused on the inclusion of confidentiality or “gag”... Continue Reading

With the cost of housing squeezing family budgets across the country, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released draft legislation that would create a new tax credit to spur the development of rental homes affordable to Americans with moderate incomes. The new incentive,... Continue Reading

Maryland Legal Aid releases a "study" on Maryland's rent court system claiming 1. failure of due process at all levels of the summary ejectmet proceedings and 2. inadequate record keeping by the court system on summary ejectment cases. The "study" blames the landlords and the court system for... Continue Reading