The Maryland CAI Legislative Action Committee (LAC) needs your help! Tell the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee to OPPOSE HB 303 Real Property – Regulation of Common Ownership Community Managers. This bill will be heard on Thursday, March 27th at 1pm.

Much like legislation in past years, HB 303 would require the state to establish a Common Interest Community Association Board to regulate community association manager state licenses. This bill would also require community association managers to apply for a license at a cost through the state-run Board. Further, HB 303 would institute a registration for all Maryland community associations with an associated fee paid for by each community to help fund the manager licensing board. The bill has passed the House and is currently assigned to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, so it is critical that you voice your opposition as soon as possible.   

In addition to individual fees attached to each license and the community association registration fee, the Fiscal Notes for last year’s bill have already determined that establishing this Common Interest Community Association Board would cost Maryland taxpayers more than $100,000. What’s more, the costs of manager licensing would be passed on to individual homeowners in the form of higher management fees. These costs include licensing, insurance, training costs, lost productivity during training, and administrative costs. 

The current national best practice of community association managers is to earn national certification, participate in annual education training and invest in appropriate insurance coverage, which allows the community association industry to effectively self-regulate.  This bill creates an unnecessary, excessive, and redundant cost to taxpayers.  

The Maryland CAI LAC asks that you take 1-2 minutes to contact Senators on the Committee and urge them to oppose HB 303.