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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1436*
HOUSE BILL 1436
C9, N1, P1 6lr2172
By: Delegate Buckel
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Economic Matters
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Office of the Attorney General – Federal– and State–Assisted Housing Programs 2
– Grievance Process 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Office of the Attorney General to investigate certain 4
grievances and mediate certain resoluti ons between the clients and providers of 5
certain federal– and State–assisted housing programs; establishing procedures for 6
the filing, review, and investigation of certain grievances; requiring the Office to 7
inform a grievant of certain legal services and provide assistance to certain legal 8
service providers in relationship to a grievance; requiring providers to provide notice 9
of the Office’s grievance process to clients in a certain manner; authorizing the Office 10
to bring a certain action under certain circumstances; requiring a provider to take 11
certain steps to make a client whole under certain circumstances ; and generally 12
relating to the establishment of a grievance process for the clients of federal– and 13
State–assisted housing programs. 14
BY adding to 15
Article – Housing and Community Development 16
Section 5.5 –101 through 5.5 –105 to be under the new title “Title 5.5. Assisted 17
Housing Program Grievances” 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 20
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 21
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 22
Article – Housing and Community Development 23
TITLE 5.5. ASSISTED HOUSING PROGRAM GRIEVANCES. 24
5.5–101. 25
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(A) IN THIS TITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
INDICATED. 2
(B) (1) “ASSISTED HOUSING PROGRAM” MEANS ANY FEDERALLY FUNDED 3
OR STATE–FUNDED PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES HOUSING ASSISTANCE. 4
(2) “ASSISTED HOUSING PROGRAM” INCLUDES: 5
(I) PUBLIC HOUSING; 6
(II) THE FEDERAL HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM; AND 7
(III) AN EMERGENCY SHELTER PROGRAM. 8
(C) “CLIENT” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING ASSISTANCE THROUGH AN 9
ASSISTED HOUSING PROGRAM. 10
(D) “OFFICE” MEANS THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. 11
(E) (1) “PROVIDER” MEANS A PERSON WHO PROVIDE S HOUSING TO A 12
CLIENT UNDER AN ASSISTED HOUSING PROGRAM. 13
(2) “PROVIDER” INCLUDES: 14
(I) A LANDLORD; 15
(II) A HOUSING AUTHORITY; AND 16
(III) A CONTINUUM OF CARE AS DEFINED IN § 4–2101 OF THIS 17
ARTICLE. 18
5.5–102. 19
(A) THE OFFICE SHALL: 20
(1) INVESTIGATE GRIEVANCES FILED UNDER THIS TITLE; AND 21
(2) MEDIATE RESOLUTIONS BETWEEN AGGRIEVED CLIENTS A ND 22
PROVIDERS. 23
(B) TO CARRY OUT THIS TITLE, THE OFFICE MAY: 24
HOUSE BILL 1436 3
(1) USE THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER PROTECTION ESTABLISHE D 1
UNDER TITLE 13 OF THE COMMERCIAL LAW ARTICLE; 2
(2) USE ANOTHER EXISTING UNIT OF THE OFFICE; OR 3
(3) CREATE A NEW UNIT WITHIN THE OFFICE. 4
5.5–103. 5
(A) (1) A CLIENT IN AN ASSISTED HOUSING PROGRAM MAY FILE A 6
GRIEVANCE WITH THE OFFICE FOR MATTERS REGARDING: 7
(I) A PROVIDER’S ACTIONS OR INACTIO NS CONCERNING THE 8
CLIENT’S HOUSING CONDITIONS; 9
(II) LEASE VIOLATIONS; OR 10
(III) ADHERENCE TO THE RULES OF AN ASSISTED HOUSI NG 11
PROGRAM. 12
(2) THE OFFICE SHALL CREATE AND MAK E READILY AVAILABLE 13
ONLINE AND IN PHYSIC AL OFFICE LOCATION S A STANDARD FORM THAT MAY BE 14
USED FOR FILING A GRIEVANCE. 15
(3) THE OFFICE SHALL ESTABLISH A TOLL –FREE HOTLINE TO 16
PROVIDE INFORMATION ON FILING A GRIEVANCE. 17
(B) (1) ON RECEIVING A GRIEVANCE, THE OFFICE SHALL: 18
(I) REVIEW THE GRIEVANCE; 19
(II) INVESTIGATE THE GRIEVANCE; AND 20
(III) MEDIATE A RESOLUTION BETWEEN THE CLIENT A ND THE 21
PROVIDER. 22
(2) (I) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS 23
PARAGRAPH, THE OFFICE MAY COORDINATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OR THE U.S. 24
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT DURING AN 25
INVESTIGATION. 26
(II) THE OFFICE MAY NOT COORDINATE IN THE INVESTIGATION 27
OF A GRIEVANCE WITH ANY AGENCY THAT IS NAMED IN THE GRIEVANCE. 28
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(3) IF THE GRIEVANCE IS NOT RESOLVED THROUGH MEDIATION, THE 1
OFFICE SHALL INFORM T HE GRIEVANT OF ADDIT IONAL RELEVANT LEGAL 2
SERVICES, INCLUDING THE SERVICES OF THE LEGAL AID BUREAUS. 3
(4) THE OFFICE SHALL ASSIST THE LEGAL AID BUREAUS AND OTHER 4
RELEVANT LEGAL S ERVICE PROVIDERS IN ACCESSING RESOURC ES, PROVIDING 5
GUIDANCE, AND OFFERING LEGAL OVERSIGHT FOR ANY CASES BROUGHT TO TRIAL 6
IN THE STATE AS THE RESULT OF A GRIEVANCE SUBMITTED UNDER THIS TITLE. 7
(C) (1) A PROVIDER SHALL: 8
(I) ATTACH A NOTICE OF T HE OFFICE’S GRIEVANCE PROCESS 9
TO EACH LEASE AGREEMENT AND CLIENT PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT ON INITIAL 10
PROGRAM ENTRY; AND 11
(II) DISTRIBUTE A NOTICE OF THE OFFICE’S GRIEVANCE 12
PROCESS TO EXISTING CLIENTS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. 13
(2) A NOTICE PROVIDED UNDE R THIS SUBSECTION SHALL INCLUDE 14
THE OFFICE’S CONTACT INFORMATIO N, INCLUDING THE WEBSIT E ADDRESS AND 15
HOTLINE NUMBER. 16
5.5–104. 17
(A) THE OFFICE MAY BRING AN A CTION FOR INJUNCTIVE RELIE F, 18
DAMAGES, OR OTHER RELIEF IF: 19
(1) A PROVIDER FAILS TO COOPERATE WITH AN INVESTIGATION OR 20
MEDIATION UNDER THIS TITLE; OR 21
(2) THE OFFICE IDENTIFIES A VIOLATION OF STATE OR FEDERAL 22
HOUSING LAW DURING THE COURSE OF AN INVESTIGATION UNDER THIS TITLE. 23
(B) IF A PROVIDER IS FOUN D TO BE IN VIOLATION OF STATE OR FEDERAL 24
HOUSING LAW , AND THE VIOLATION HA S RESULTED IN HARM TO A CLIENT , THE 25
PROVIDER SHALL TAKE ALL NECESSARY M EASURES WITHIN THE PROVIDER’S 26
PURVIEW TO MAKE THE CLIENT WHOLE. 27
5.5–105. 28
(A) THE OFFICE MAY ADOPT REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THIS TITLE. 29
HOUSE BILL 1436 5
(B) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1 EACH YEAR, THE OFFICE SHALL SUBMIT A 1
REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE 2
STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, ON THE NUMBER OF GRIEVANCES RECEIVED UNDER 3
THIS TITLE , THE REASON FOR EACH GRIEVANCE, AND THE OUTCOME OF EACH 4
GRIEVANCE DURING THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING FISCAL YEAR. 5
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 6
1, 2026. 7