# Division 6. Group Residential Facilities

Codified through Bill No. CB-018-2026, adopted May 12, 2026, effective July 24, 2026. Source: Municode, Supplement 2026 Update 2. Editorial notes and legislative history omitted.

## Division 6. Group Residential Facilities

### Sec. 13-200. Intent of legislation

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-200 (2026)

(a) It is specifically intended that this Division shall:

  (1) Provide regulations governing the use of Group Residential Facilities for groups of exceptional persons who need supportive environments;

  (2) Encourage the establishment of such facilities while ensuring their compatibility with residential neighborhoods within the County;

  (3) Ensure the quality of Group Residential Facility Programs; and

  (4) Provide an integrated County administrative process concerning such facilities.

### Sec. 13-201. Definitions

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-201 (2026)

(a) For the purposes of this Division the following words and phrases shall have the meaning respectively ascribed to them by this Section.

  (1) Applicant shall mean a person applying for a Group Residential Facility certificate or renewal thereof.

  (2) Certificate shall mean any certification in writing, issued by the Commission which authorizes the operation of a Group Residential Facility.

  (3) Commission shall mean the Commission of Group Residential Facilities.

  (4) Foster Home shall mean a residential dwelling unit where one performs the duties of a parent to the child(ren) of another by rearing said child(ren) as guardian.

  (5) Grantee shall mean any person to whom a Group Residential Facility certificate has been issued in accordance with the provisions of this Division.

  (6) Group Residential Care shall mean the provision of shelter, board, facility resources for daily living, personal guidance and direction and related supportive activities within a residential home environment.

  (7) Group Residential Facility shall mean a residential dwelling unit or foster home operated, pursuant to a Group Residential Facility certificate by a person with a program designed to provide a supportive living arrangement for either a temporary or extended period, for five (5) or more individuals, unrelated to the operator(s) or foster parent(s) by blood or marriage, who, because of age, emotional, mental, physical, familial or social differences have a need for supervision or assisted community living. Group Residential Facility shall not mean a foster home where there are four (4) or less persons unrelated by blood or marriage to their foster parent(s) who receive foster care; a foster home where there are no more than six (6) foster children unrelated to their foster parents, provided that said foster children are related by blood or marriage to each other; a hospital, ward, convalescent or nursing home, rest home or infirmary defined and licensed respectively, according to the provisions of Title 19, Subtitle 13, Health-General Article, Annotated Code of Maryland; a hospital, ward or institution operated by the State of Maryland or Prince George's County, or congregate living facility for the elderly or physically handicapped.

  (8) Group Residential Facility Program shall mean the goals and objectives, policies, the means to accomplish such goals, and the operating methods designed by the person responsible for a Group Residential Facility's creation, sponsorship, permit application, and operation within the terms of the Group Residential Facility certificate.

  (9) Person shall mean and include any individual, firm, corporation, association, partnership, or government agency that creates, sponsors, or applies for a Group Residential Facility certificate, controls the operation of a Group Residential Facility program and undertakes the Group Residential Facility's financing, policy, and legal obligations.

  (10) Program Effectiveness shall mean that the Group Residential Care Facility operations are or promise to be effective in terms of achieving the objectives set forth in the program statement.

  (11) Program Statement shall mean a document that describes the program's goals and objectives, the means to accomplish such goals, the numbers and characteristics of the residents to be served, operating methods and procedures and other aspects appropriate to the program. Each program statement shall include specific elements, both qualitative and quantitative, against which actual operations will subsequently be evaluated.

### Sec. 13-202. Group Residential Facility Commission; composition

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-202 (2026)

(a) There is hereby established the Prince George's County Group Residential Facility Commission which shall consist of five (5) members that are residents of the County, appointed by the County Executive for terms coterminous with his own and confirmed by the Council. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term in the manner of original appointment. Each member shall serve until his successor is appointed and qualifies. One (1) of said members shall be a social worker with practical and educational experience in the field of Group Residential Care; one (1) of said members shall be a representative of the Group Residential Care Industry; three (3) of said members shall be of the public-at-large, provided that one (1) of the three (3) shall be a representative of the County Municipal Association.

(b) The Municipal Association nominee shall be chosen by the County Executive from a list of three (3) persons submitted by the Municipal Association. The Chairman of the Commission shall be one of the public members, other than the representative of the Municipal Association, who shall be designated by the County Executive pursuant to Section 322 of the Charter. A member of the Commission may be removed by the County Executive pursuant to Section 507 of the Charter. Any member who ceases to reside within the County shall immediately forfeit his office.

### Sec. 13-203. Same; meetings

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-203 (2026)

The members of the Commission shall meet at the call of the Chairman or by a majority of the Commissioners as frequently as required to perform its duties. Three (3) members shall constitute a quorum at any meeting.

### Sec. 13-204. Same; secretary

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-204 (2026)

The Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement, Prince George's County, shall appoint and provide an individual other than a Commission member to serve as its nonvoting secretary. It shall be the duty of the secretary to preserve the minutes of Commission proceedings, meetings, and a record of denial or approval of applications for certification, and attend to the routine business of the Commission.

### Sec. 13-205. Same; powers and duties

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-205 (2026)

(a) The Commission shall have the power, duty and authority to approve or disapprove applications for a Group Residential Facility certificate after having conducted a public hearing in the neighborhood of the proposed facility as hereinafter provided by Section 13-206, into the nature, purposes and objectives of the proposed program; the background and experience of the person sponsoring the Group Residential Facility and the experience and qualifications of the professional personnel to be involved in operating the facility, and such other relevant items of information as the Commission deems necessary to carry out the purposes and objectives of this Division.

(b) The Commission shall have the authority to suspend or revoke any Group Residential Facility certificate pursuant to the provisions of Section 13-211 of this Division.

(c) The Commission shall have the authority to carry out any other duties and responsibilities as prescribed by this Division, provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall be construed to prohibit the Director of the Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement from suspending or revoking any Group Residential Facility certificate in an emergency situation threatening the health, safety, and welfare of any resident or other person involved in a program administered by a Group Residential Facility and proceeding to abate that threat directly by injunction or other appropriate remedy at law or equity.

### Sec. 13-206. Procedure for certification and review

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-206 (2026)

(a) Any person that wishes to establish a Group Residential Facility shall file an application in writing with the Commission in a manner and on a form prescribed by it. The applicant shall be the owner of the Group Residential Facility or the person legally designated by the owner as having complete responsibility for the administration and business of the facility.

(b) Every application for certification or renewal thereof shall be accompanied by, but not limited to, the following proofs and documents:

  (1) A statement of the ownership of the facility, including the names and addresses of all owners; and, in the case of corporations, the corporate name, the corporate promoters, the president, vice president, if any, secretary, treasurer, and the names and addresses of all members of the board of directors; and proof of compliance relating to the filing and registration requirements of the Corporations and Associations Article, Annotated Code of Maryland;

  (2) A financial report of the Group Residential Facility and, in the case of a new facility, evidence of its financial capability to operate for at least six (6) months;

  (3) A statement describing the facility's personnel policies;

  (4) Evidence of access to emergency medical and mental health services for the residents;

  (5) Evidence of access to schools for the provision of any necessary services;

  (6) A certificate from the Prince George's Health Department that the facility is in compliance with statutes and local ordinances regarding water supply, sewage system, garbage disposal, lighting and ventilation, laundry, and food storage and preparation; or, a statement from the County Health Officer providing approval and indicating that the health of the residents would not be endangered by or in the facility;

  (7) A certificate from the Office of the Chief Building Inspector and the Fire Inspector that the facility complies with all local ordinances and regulations pertaining to the maintenance and safety of structures, edifices, and buildings;

  (8) A certificate from the Chief Zoning Inspector that the facility complies with all applicable ordinances and regulations pertaining to land use and zoning. In the event that an application for a special exception to the land use provisions of Subtitle 27 of this Code for a Group Residential Facility is required, the Commission shall complete processing of the application and may either provisionally approve the application, subject to approval of the special exception, or deny the application;

  (9) Evidence satisfactory to the Commission of ability to provide an admission, progress, and termination program for every resident of the Group Residential Facility, as well as evidence of ability to provide periodic review of the progress of every resident of the Group Residential Facility;

  (10) A program statement as defined in Section 13-201(11);

  (11) The grantee shall demonstrate a program of initial and continuing community education regarding the operation of the facility;

  (12) The requirements of paragraphs two (2), six (6) and seven (7) may be waived at the time of application provided that the applicant provides any necessary plans or copies of pending applications to demonstrate his intent to comply with these requirements. A provisional certificate may be issued by the Commission pending compliance by the applicant with the requirements of these paragraphs provided that such certificate shall not be deemed finally approved until such requirements are met.

(c) With respect to the documents listed under paragraph (b) of this Section which must accompany an application for certification, the Commission shall accept as valid a copy of any such document as may have been filed with a State regulatory agency for the same purpose by the person making application for the certificate hereunder, unless the Commission shall have reasonable grounds to believe that any such document is outdated or inaccurate.

(d) Before the Commission shall certify any facility, or renew any certificate, it shall cause a notice of such application to be published two (2) successive times in the County's newspapers of record, at least fourteen (14) days but not more than thirty (30) days, prior to the date of the public hearing. The notice shall specify the name of the applicant, the kind of certificate applied for, the location of the Group Residential Facility proposed for certification, and the time and place fixed by the Commission for the hearing upon the application. Upon receipt of an application for certification of a Group Residential Facility located within the boundaries of an incorporated municipality, the Commission shall notify the municipality of the pending application and, in addition, shall provide the municipality with notice of the public hearing at least thirty (30) days prior thereto. If the Commission determines that the applicant is not fit to receive such certification applied for, or has made a material false statement in his application, or has practiced fraud in connection with said application, or that the operations of a Group Residential Facility, if certification is granted, will adversely affect the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the neighborhood in which the Group Residential Facility is to be located or that the applicant does not demonstrate an ability to comply with the provisions of this Division, then the application shall be disapproved and certification refused. If no such finding is made by the Commission, then the application shall be approved and certification shall be granted. All findings and conclusions of the Commission as to the issuance or denial of a certificate shall be presented to the applicant within ninety (90) days of the submission of the initial application to the Commission for certification, with copies of such conclusions sent to all parties of record. If the application is approved and certification is granted, the Commission shall issue its certificate of approval for presentation to the Director of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement or his designee, and the Director or his designee shall issue the certificate applied for upon presentation of said certificate and payment of the fee required. The Director of the Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement or his designee shall maintain a record of certificates issued. In addition, if the applicant is not a nonprofit corporation, no certificate shall be issued by the Director of the Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement or his designee unless and until there is presented to him a certificate issued by the County Treasurer showing that there are no unpaid taxes on the real property or the taxable tangible business personal property of the applicant due to the State of Maryland or the County.

(e) For assistance in reaching its decision relative to application for a Group Residential Facility certificate, the Commission may request technical service, advice, data or factual evidence from the agencies of County government.

(f) Approval of any application for a Group Residential Facility to be located within an incorporated municipality for which such municipality has recommended denial shall require four (4) votes of the Commission. All other such action by the Commission as to the approval or denial of a Group Residential application shall require a majority vote of the full Commission.

### Sec. 13-207. Expiration date of certificate

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-207 (2026)

A certificate of approval is valid for one (1) year from the date of issuance unless revoked, suspended or made probationary, and shall be renewed from year to year upon application and payment of the annual fee.

### Sec. 13-208. Fee

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-208 (2026)

Applicants for certificates and renewals thereof shall pay to the Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement, Prince George's County, a fee to be established and revised from time to time by the Director of the Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement or his designee, which amount shall not exceed the cost of inspecting, administering and enforcing the program.

### Sec. 13-209. Visits by commission members

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-209 (2026)

Any member of the Commission may, at any reasonable time, visit and inspect any Group Residential Facility certified pursuant to the provisions of this Division, to determine whether such facility is being operated in compliance with this Division and with other regulations promulgated by the Commission; provided, however, that access to confidential records and the like shall not be provided individual members of the Commission, absent the authority to review such given by a majority of the Commission members.

### Sec. 13-210. Deficiency correction orders

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-210 (2026)

Whenever the Commission determines that the person operating a Group Residential Facility is not in compliance with this Division, the Commission may order that person to correct such deficiency. Every such correction order shall be in writing and shall include a statement of the deficiency found, the period within which the deficiency must be corrected and the provisions of this Division or regulations relied upon. Except when the Commission or the Director of the Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement finds an emergency dangerous to the health, safety or welfare of residents, or any person involved in a program administered by a Group Residential Facility, the grantee shall have not less than thirty (30) days from receipt of such order to correct such deficiency. Within seven (7) days of receipt, the person operating the Group Residential Facility may file a written request with the Commission for administrative reconsideration of the order or any portion thereof. The Commission shall grant or deny a written request within twenty-one (21) days of filing and shall notify the person operating the Group Residential Facility of such grant or denial. In the event that the person operating the Group Residential Facility fails to correct the deficiency within the period prescribed for correction, the Commission may enforce its order in accordance with the provisions of Section 13-211.

### Sec. 13-211. Suspension, revocation, and refusal to leave or renew certificates

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-211 (2026)

(a) After at least thirty (30) days notice to the certificate holder and any parties of record of the time and place of a hearing, and a hearing held thereon, the Commission may revoke, suspend, refuse to issue or refuse to renew a certificate if it finds any of the following:

  (1) The applicant or grantee failed to comply with any regulation contained in this Division or promulgated pursuant thereto, or any deficiency correction order;

  (2) The applicant or grantee furnished or made misleading or false statements on reports and written documents required under these regulations;

  (3) The applicant or grantee refused to submit any information or data required under these regulations;

  (4) The applicant or grantee refused to admit at a reasonable time any member of the Commission for purposes of investigation or inspection in accordance with these regulations.

### Sec. 13-212. Appeals

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-212 (2026)

(a) Any party of record aggrieved by a decision of the Commission with respect to the issuance, renewal, suspension, revocation or refusal to renew or issue a certificate shall have the right to appeal any such decision to the Board of Appeals for the County, within ten (10) days after receipt of notice of the issuance, renewal, suspension, revocation or refusal to renew or issue decision rendered by the Commission. Appeals to the Board of Appeals from the issuance, renewal, suspension, revocation or refusal to renew or issue decision of the Commission shall be on record of the hearing before the Commission.

(b) Any party of record aggrieved by a final decision by the Board of Appeals, whether such decision is affirmative or negative in form, is entitled to file an appeal to the Circuit Court of Prince George's County, Maryland. Such appeal shall be governed by the provisions of the Maryland Rules pertaining to administrative appeals.

### Sec. 13-213. Suspension in emergency

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-213 (2026)

The Commission may temporarily suspend any certificate or approval if failure of the person operating a Group Residential Facility to comply with any applicable regulation or the violation of any law, results in an emergency situation which threatens the health, safety, and welfare of any resident involved in a program administered by a Group Residential Facility. The Commission shall, prior to a temporary suspension, give the grantee at least twenty-four (24) hours notice of a hearing thereon and shall set forth in the notice the basis of such suspension and the time and place of the hearing.

### Sec. 13-214. Penalties

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-214 (2026)

Anyone who operates a Group Residential Facility without a certificate as required by this Division and anyone who operates a Group Residential Facility while such certificate is suspended or revoked shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be subject to a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) and for each subsequent violation within a thirty-six (36) month period from the first violation and costs. In addition to the remedies provided in Section 13-211, the County may seek enforcement of the provisions of this Division by injunction or other appropriate remedy at law or equity. Furthermore, nothing contained herein shall be construed to abridge or impair the right of the County or any resident involved in a program administered by a Group Residential Facility to seek in a Court of law, damages or other relief on account of injury to persons or property.

### Sec. 13-215. Posting of certificate

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-215 (2026)

Every grantee shall post in a conspicuous place about the facility any current certificate issued by the Commission.

### Sec. 13-216. Notification of legal proceedings

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-216 (2026)

Every grantee shall report, in writing, to the Commission any legal proceeding, within ten (10) days of notice of such proceeding, brought against him or any person employed by the facility if such proceeding arises out of circumstances related to the care of residents in the facility, or to the continued operation of the facility.

### Sec. 13-217. Change of name, ownership or location

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-217 (2026)

A certificate shall not be transferable from one grantee to another, from one facility to another, or from one location to another. The grantee shall provide prior notification in writing to the Commission of any change in ownership or per centum of the facility. Prior to any change in location of the facility, the grantee shall notify the Commission in writing and reapply for certification for the facility proposed to be operated in the new locality.

### Sec. 13-218. Program requirements

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-218 (2026)

(a) The program of supportive living arrangements is one of the characteristics that distinguishes a Group Residential Facility from other types of family or institutional living that are excluded from this Division. The responsible person therefore, shall prepare a program statement that describes the program's goals and objectives, the means to accomplish such goals, the nature of the occupants to be served, operating methods and procedures and other aspects appropriate to the program. Program statements shall include specific elements both qualitative and quantitative against which actual operations will subsequently be evaluated.

(b) Failure to maintain elements specified in the program statement shall be grounds for invoking the suspension procedures of Section 13-211 of this Division.

(c) In the event of a proposed significant change in the program, the responsible person shall notify the Commission of the proposed amendment to the program statement not less than thirty (30) days before inaugurating the change. The Commission shall acknowledge each notification within two (2) weeks and advise the responsible person of any actions required.

### Sec. 13-219. Program effectiveness

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-219 (2026)

(a) A Group Residential Facility certificate shall be issued for a Group Residential Facility that is, or promises to be, effective in terms of achieving the objectives of its program statement.

(b) In determining the effectiveness of a Group Residential Facility program, consideration shall be given but not limited to:

  (1) Actual operations as compared with the current program statement;

  (2) Administrative changes since the preceding certification issuance;

  (3) Program or facilities changes since the preceding certification;

  (4) Program or facilities changes proposed;

  (5) Conformity with any conditions required at the time of the preceding certification;

  (6) Interactions with the neighborhood, including neighborhood support or opposition;

  (7) Evidence of the extent to which the public purposes cited in the program statement as justification were achieved; and

  (8) Evidence of managerial and financial soundness.

### Sec. 13-220. Program evaluation

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-220 (2026)

(a) At least three (3) months prior to the expiration of a Group Residential Facility certification and an application for a renewal of the certificate, whichever event occurs first, the history of operations of each Group Residential Facility shall be evaluated for effectiveness against the goals, objectives, policies and procedures set forth in the program statement.

(b) The evaluation shall be inaugurated by the Commission. Such evaluation shall be accomplished by a team consisting of the Commission, members of the Citizens Advisory Boards and one representative of the certified facility under evaluation. A written record of the conclusions, recommendations, and minority opinions of the evaluation team shall be made and shall be publicly available.

(c) The privacy of the residents of the Group Residential Facility shall not be violated by the evaluation team nor by the written conclusions of the team. The evaluation shall not include the identity and history of individual residents.

### Sec. 13-221. Citizens Advisory Boards; creation and composition

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-221 (2026)

(a) The grantee with the confirmation of the Commission and at least sixty (60) days after the certificate is granted shall appoint a three (3) member Citizens Advisory Board from among the residents in the surrounding neighborhood of the Group Residential Facility.

(b) The grantee shall hold monthly meetings with the Citizen's Advisory Board, making readily and openly available a progress report of the implementation of the overall Group Residential Care Program. The grantee shall encourage and assist the Citizens Advisory Board members in developing broad community support for the Group Residential Facility and its functions.

### Sec. 13-222. Same; vacancies, compensation, removal

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-222 (2026)

Vacancies on the Citizens Advisory Board shall be filled promptly by appointment and confirmation of a majority of the Citizens Advisory Board. The members of the Citizens Advisory Board shall serve without compensation and shall only be removed for cause with the consent of the Commission.

### Sec. 13-223. Same; powers and duties

Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-223 (2026)

The grantee shall afford Citizens Advisory Board members an opportunity to visit the facility at reasonable times, provided, however, that Board members shall respect a resident's privacy and shall not interfere with the implementation of an individual program plan. The purposes of the Citizens Advisory Boards are to inform the public, provide the grantee an opportunity to make adjustments in response to neighborhood suggestions and to achieve neighborhood consensus and support. The grantee, along with the members of the Citizens Advisory Board shall institute a neighborhood grievance procedure to reconcile differences of opinion between the Group Residential Facility and the neighborhood. The grantee shall recognize the right of the public to be informed, shall provide for public participation and shall inaugurate and maintain communications with the neighbors of the Group Residential Facility.

### Sec. 13-224 through 13-229. Reserved

Prince George's County, Md., Code §§ 13-224–13-229 (2026)