Dozens of renters and housing advocates packed into Lawyers' Mall outside the Maryland State House in Annapolis yesterday, pushing state lawmakers to sign off on a 'good cause' eviction law aimed at stopping abrupt, no-cause lease nonrenewals. Tenants stepped to the mic with stories of last-minute nonrenewals and sudden moves, while local officials pitched the proposal as a way to keep families rooted in their communities. Organizers say the change would let counties and Baltimore City write rules that block landlords from ending tenancies without a valid reason.
Baltimore City Councilwoman Odette Ramos joined the rally, telling the crowd that "Housing is a right" and urging legislators to move the bill. Renters described what they called predatory tactics and nonrenewals that left families scrambling to find a new place to live, as reported by WMAR2 News.
Where the bills stand in Annapolis
The fight centers on companion bills this session, Senate Bill 462 and House Bill 774, which would let local governments adopt their own 'good cause' termination rules, but that are currently bottled up in committee. Legislative records show SB462 was sent to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee for a mid-February hearing, and the House version went to the Economic Matters Committee later that month. Neither has made it out of committee. According to LegiScan, both hearings took place in February, and the bills have not advanced since.
Advocates note this is hardly a new push. A similar measure cleared the House in 2024 but died in the Senate, and supporters say building more housing is not enough without legal protections to keep existing tenants from being displaced. Tenant groups and local officials have returned to Annapolis repeatedly this session to make that case, according to Progressive Maryland.
What the bills would require
The proposed law would allow counties to pass ordinances that require landlords to state a qualifying good cause for a non-renewal or a holdover termination. It would also require landlords to use standardized disclosure forms and submit ownership information when they claim an exemption. The bills spell out specific good-cause reasons and assign the Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs a role in creating the forms and handling enforcement. As detailed by the Maryland General Assembly, the proposal also sets out notice timelines and court pleading standards that would apply when a landlord relies on a good-cause claim.
What's next
Advocates say they plan to keep working the halls of the State House, bringing tenant testimony back to committee members as they consider amendments and possible next steps this month. Renters United Maryland and allied groups have labeled the legislation a top priority for city and county leaders and are continuing to organize in hopes of getting a committee report out before key crossover deadlines, according to Renters United Maryland.
