Fair Housing
2025 End of Session Report
Yesterday was the last day of the legislative session and although it was a cool, gray, rainy day, there were still moments when the rain stopped, and the sun burst through. This is an apt description of this year's legislative session as well. At a time when economic protections and policies to promote racial equity are being decimated, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is currently on life support, Maryland’s General Assembly passed some great bills, some good bills, and some very bad bills for working families. Below are some of the bills that Economic Action was thrilled to lead ...
Major Federal Housing Policy Changes
Below is information from the National Housing Resource Center about a series of significant policy changes recently announced by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). These changes impact mortgage eligibility, tenant protections, housing equity efforts, and fair lending requirements. FHA Changes – Effective May 25, 2025 Residency Requirement Update: Only U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents will be eligible for FHA-insured loans. Non-permanent residents will no longer qualify for FHA financing. Borrowers must provide valid documentation, such as a Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) Read the mortgagee letter here. (Link opens a PDF.) The ...
Post-Crossover Update: Heading To the Finish Line
Last Monday, March 17 wasn’t just St. Patrick’s Day. It was also ‘crossover day,’ the day by which a bill had to pass out of one chamber of the General Assembly in order to have a good chance of final passage by Sine Die, the last day of the 2025 legislative session on Monday, April 7. It wasn’t the luck of the Irish, it was the hard work of our policy team, our bill sponsors, our partners and supporters that led to 14 bills we’ve led and supported making it across this critical legislative hurdle. A few highlights include: HB268/SB981: ...
Strengthen Fair Housing in Maryland, Urge Your Legislators to Vote YES on HB392/SB107
Background In 2023, there were 198 fair housing complaints in the Baltimore Metro region. At Economic Action, we’ve received many fair housing complaints with a large number of complaints based on access to reasonable accommodations to assist residents with a disability. To determine whether housing providers are discriminating against Marylanders due to race, gender, ethnicity, how someone pays for their rent, or other protected reasons, fair housing organizations conduct tests to see if discrimination exists. The Problem In 39 states including Virginia and the District of Columbia, fair housing testers use an audio recording to accurately capture the conversation with ...
Fair Housing Fact Sheets
Here are several one-page Fair Housing fact sheets you can download, relevant to Maryland residents. Fact sheets are in PDF format. The HOME Act Disability Rights Fair Housing Program Fair Housing Protected Classes: Federal, State, and Local
Community Group Meeting or Training Request
If your Maryland community group, HOA, or neighborhood association is interested in having our Fair Housing Specialist hold a training, please fill out the form below. For assistance with housing discrimination complaints, please fill out our Fair Housing intake form.
Request a Housing Provider Training
We provide training to Maryland housing providers on Fair Housing. Please use this form to request a training for yourself or your staff. Â
Staff & Board
Meet Our Staff The Economic Action staff is a team of passionate advocates, committed to securing economic rights and equity for all. We work together to meet the needs of our Maryland communities through our diverse perspectives and skill-sets. We take great pride in providing immediate services to our Maryland community members in need while simultaneously fighting for systemic change policies that heal the system for good. Marceline White Jennifer Bevan-Dangel Francine Hyman Carol Ott Jamila Blake Zoe Gallagher LaToya McKay Emily Fader ...
Fair Housing
Fair Housing Economic Action's Fair Housing program works to root out discrimination in housing and assist Maryland residents with resolving housing discrimination complaints. To do this... we educate individuals and organizations about housing rights. we work to resolve housing discrimination complaints. we advocate on behalf of individuals and communities facing current and historic discrimination. we educate housing providers about their responsibilities. You can download a list of State, Federal, and local protected classes here, along with our program flyer and information on Maryland's HOME Act and Disability Rights. If you're looking for our Maryland landlord-tenant fact sheets, ...