September 12, 2025

Maryland’s (“MD”) Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order on September 3rd, 2025, that accelerates housing development by cutting through administrative red tape. “This executive order can be wrapped up in one word – speed,” he said. The order directs multiple state agencies to fast-track permitting, streamline approvals, create tracking systems, and make underused state-owned land near transit hubs available for residential construction. MD currently faces a shortfall of more than 96,000 housing units; this shortfall strains affordability across the state and may fuel concern about default risk for households already under pressure. By pushing MD agencies to act with urgency, the executive order seeks to unlock stalled projects and expand supply in a state where limited inventory continues to drive up costs.

The policy represents a significant pivot toward pro-housing governance and signals that affordability is now a top priority. Critics note that the order’s impact depends on implementation because permitting delays often originate at the local level and developers continue to face high construction costs and zoning barriers. The executive action, however, provides an important acknowledgment: boosting supply is critical for stabilizing prices and for reducing long-term foreclosure risk by easing the affordability pressures that push many households to the brink.