HB1497 • 2026

Charles County - Rent Stabilization - Seniors

Housing

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Charles County Delegation
Last action: 2026-02-17
Official status: In the House - Hearing 3/12 at 1:00 p.m.
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Charles County - Rent Stabilization - Seniors

Requiring Charles County to establish a rent increase limit for units occupied by seniors that is no greater than the Consumer Price Index; and defining "senior" as an individual who is at least the age required to receive full Social Security retirement benefits.

What This Bill Does

Requiring Charles County to establish a rent increase limit for units occupied by seniors that is no greater than the Consumer Price Index; and defining "senior" as an individual who is at least the age required to receive full Social Security retirement benefits.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-02-17 House
Hearing 3/12 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-02-13 House
First Reading Economic Matters
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Charles County - Rent Stabilization - Seniors

Official Summary Text

Requiring Charles County to establish a rent increase limit for units occupied by seniors that is no greater than the Consumer Price Index; and defining "senior" as an individual who is at least the age required to receive full Social Security retirement benefits.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1497*

HOUSE BILL 1497
N1, C9 6lr3009
CF SB 953
By: Charles County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Economic Matters

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Charles County – Rent Stabilization – Seniors 2

FOR the purpose of requiring Charles County to establish a rent increase limit for units 3
occupied by seniors; and generally relating to rent stabilization for seniors in Charles 4
County. 5

BY adding to 6
Article – Real Property 7
Section 8–209.2 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12

Article – Real Property 13

8–209.2. 14

(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 15
INDICATED. 16

(2) “BASE RENT” MEANS THE RENT IN EFFECT UNDER THE CURRENT 17
LEASE. 18

(3) “CONSUMER PRICE INDEX” MEANS THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX 19
FOR ALL URBAN CONSUMERS FOR THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA, OR 20
ANY SUCCESSOR INDEX. 21

2 HOUSE BILL 1497

(4) “RENT INCREASE LIMIT ” MEANS THE MAXIMUM AL LOWABLE 1
AMOUNT THAT A LANDLORD MAY INCREASE THE RENT OF A RENTAL UNIT RELATIVE 2
TO THE BASE RENT. 3

(5) “SENIOR” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS AT LEAST THE AGE 4
REQUIRED TO RECEIVE FULL SOCIAL SECURITY RETIREMENT BENEFITS. 5

(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY IN CHARLES COUNTY. 6

(C) THE COUNTY SHALL ESTABLISH AN ANNUAL RENT INCREASE LIMIT FOR 7
RENTAL UNITS OCCUPIED BY A SENIOR THAT IS NO GREATER THAN THE CONSUMER 8
PRICE INDEX. 9

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 10
October 1, 2026. 11