Maryland officials have released the state’s first-ever Housing Production Targets, setting clear goals for how many homes local governments must approve through 2030.
The report, part of Gov. Wes Moore’s Housing Starts Here executive order, will guide state funding decisions and come with annual reports tracking whether communities are keeping pace.
Currently, the state approves about 18,000 housing permits a year, according to the Department of Planning, a figure officials say falls short of demand.
The new targets call for almost doubling that number, reaching 39,041 permits annually by 2030. That works out to about 16 new homes for every thousand households.
The targets are broken down by jurisdictions with zoning authority. Municipalities that meet or exceed their goals can earn additional points when applying for housing funds from the state.
The policy push comes as housing costs weigh heavily on residents. U.S. Census data shows that one in three Maryland households spend more than 30% of their monthly income on housing.
A separate report from the Comptroller’s Office in 2025 found Maryland has lost millions of residents to Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas and North Carolina, states that build more housing and have lower costs of living. Maryland is also among the top 10 states nationally for net domestic outmigration.
In addition to working with local governments, administration officials have said they plan to build housing on state-owned land and streamline permitting to meet the new targets. Part of that effort includes creating a housing ombudsman charged with cutting red tape. The position has not yet been filled.
