Howard County is getting ready to flip the script on an old jail, formalize its interfaith outreach, and lock in new mixed-income housing in Columbia, all in one policy push.
On Thursday, county leaders moved to clear the way for three measures that would transform the shuttered Ellicott City jail, set up a permanent interfaith advisory panel, and approve a tax deal for a new housing project in Columbia. Officials are pitching the package as a blend of historic preservation, community infrastructure, and targeted affordability. County Executive Calvin Ball was expected to sign the measures that morning, shifting them from council approval into the implementation phase.
Ball was set to put pen to paper today, according to CBS Baltimore. The County Council’s public hearing agenda lists the measures as CB18-2026 (the jail lease), CB20-2026 (the interfaith commission), and CR39-2026 (the housing PILOT). Each was introduced at the executive’s request and appears on the council docket. The council had already approved the interfaith commission bill unanimously before sending it to Ball for his signature.
Historic jail plan
CB18-2026 would authorize a long-term lease that lets Preservation Maryland take on the rehabilitation of the former Howard County Jail at 1 Emory Street in Ellicott City. In October 2025, Preservation Maryland rolled out a plan to convert the site into its headquarters, with office and research space for the University of Maryland and community meeting rooms, according to Preservation Maryland and the UMD School of Architecture's announcement. Local reporting and project documents note that the building has sat vacant for years and that the redevelopment will explicitly acknowledge and address the jail’s difficult history as part of its new use.
Interfaith advisory commission
CB20-2026 would create a standing Interfaith Advisory Commission to counsel county leadership, coordinate religious services, and offer a regular forum for education and dialogue across traditions. As outlined by Howard County, the commission’s membership would include officials such as the superintendent of schools, the president of Howard Community College, and the director of the library system. It would also require at least ten appointed members, with no more than four from any single faith, and would include both public and student representatives. Supporters cast the body as a tool to advance the county’s Interfaith Action Plan and as a resource for residents in at-risk or vulnerable situations.
Affordable housing in Columbia
CR39-2026 signs off on a Payment In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT) agreement with Fall River Terrace LLC for a proposed 76-unit mixed-income community at 5551 Harpers Farm Road in Columbia. Under the resolution, 50 units must be reserved for households at or below 80% of the area median income, including 25 units at or below 50% AMI, while 26 units would be offered at market rate. The measure also authorizes a housing assistance contract for 25 project-based vouchers to help subsidize rents, according to the county’s legislation files. The document details how the PILOT will work financially and spells out the county’s reporting and compliance rights as the project moves through financing and construction.
What happens next
Once Ball signs the measures, the lease, the commission, and the PILOT all move into the execution lane. Lease documents for the jail site will be finalized, county staff will track compliance with the PILOT terms, and the developer will push ahead on financing and design. Preservation Maryland and its partners have already lined up a mix of state and federal support for the jail project, including bond initiative backing cited in state filings, which project teams say will help cover rehabilitation costs and program space. Residents who want to follow the progress can monitor implementation steps and upcoming hearings through the County Council’s website as the agreements are put into practice.
