# Housing and Community Development (GHS)

## Title 2. Department of Housing and Community Development

### Subtitle 1. Department Established

#### Section 2-101

There is a Department of Housing and Community Development, established as a principal department of State government.

#### Section 2-102

(a) The Department shall:

  (1) encourage and assist political subdivisions and public and private community organizations to develop mutual and cooperative solutions to their common problems;

  (2) serve as a clearinghouse for information and materials that may be pertinent to sound community assistance, including information on available federal, State, and private financial assistance and technical assistance;

  (3) implement model or demonstration programs and projects or otherwise provide a program of practical research in community assistance;

  (4) provide grants and loans for energy conservation and the use of solar energy in commercial and residential buildings;

  (5) provide advisory, consultative, training, and educational services, and technical assistance to any political subdivision, local public agency, or nonprofit organization for community assistance purposes;

  (6) contract for and accept a gift, grant, contribution, or loan of money, property, or other aid for community assistance from a governmental unit, the federal government, or another source and comply with the terms and conditions of that aid;

  (7) attach terms and conditions to financial assistance as the Secretary determines;

  (8) participate with political subdivisions, regional governments, organizations, and the federal government in developing, financing, and implementing a program to build the management capabilities of municipal corporations by supplying needed managerial expertise through circuit riding managers;

  (9) administer federal programs relating to community assistance; and

  (10) develop and implement a weatherization program in accordance with Title 4 of this article and administer the low-income weatherization component of the electric universal service program in accordance with Sec. 5-5A-08 of the Human Services Article.

(b) The Department may:

  (1) sell any mortgage or other obligation that the Department holds at public or private sale, with or without public bidding;

  (2) retain the servicing rights and charge servicing fees for any mortgage or other obligation that the Department sells; and

  (3) apply the proceeds from any sale and servicing fees earned to any of the funds established under Title 4, Subtitle 5 of this article.

#### Section 2-103

(a)

  (1) With the advice and consent of the Senate, the Governor shall appoint the Secretary.

  (2) The Secretary is the head of the Department.

(b) Before taking office, the Secretary shall take the oath required by Article I, Sec. 9 of the Maryland Constitution.

(c)

  (1) The Secretary serves at the pleasure of the Governor and is directly responsible to the Governor.

  (2) The Secretary shall counsel and advise the Governor on all matters assigned to the Department and is responsible for carrying out the Governor's policies on those matters.

(d) The Secretary is entitled to the compensation provided in the State budget.

#### Section 2-104

(a) The Secretary is responsible for the operation of the Department and shall establish guidelines and procedures to promote the orderly and efficient administration of the Department.

(b) The Secretary may establish, reorganize, or abolish areas of responsibility in the Office of the Secretary as necessary to fulfill the duties assigned to the Secretary.

#### Section 2-105

The Secretary shall have a seal.

#### Section 2-106

(a) With the approval of the Governor, the Secretary shall appoint a deputy secretary.

(b) The deputy secretary:

  (1) serves at the pleasure of the Secretary; and

  (2) is entitled to the compensation provided in the State budget.

(c) The deputy secretary shall have the duties provided by law or delegated by the Secretary.

#### Section 2-107

(a)

  (1) In the Office of the Secretary, the Secretary shall have assistants, professional consultants, and employees as provided in the State budget.

  (2) The Secretary may designate a staff assistant to be in charge of a particular area of responsibility within the Office of the Secretary.

(b) In the Office of the Secretary:

  (1) each staff assistant in charge of a particular area of responsibility and each professional consultant serves at the pleasure of the Secretary; and

  (2) except as otherwise provided by law, the Secretary shall appoint and may remove all other employees in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article.

#### Section 2-108

(a) The appointment or removal of personnel by a governmental unit in the Department is subject to the approval of the Secretary.

(b) The Secretary may delegate this power of approval to the head or governing body of the governmental unit.

#### Section 2-109

Each governmental unit in the Department shall report to the Secretary or the Secretary's designee as provided in regulations or written directives that the Secretary issues.

#### Section 2-110

Whenever law provides that an appointment is to be made by the Secretary with the approval of the Governor and the appointee is to serve at the pleasure of the Secretary, the Secretary may not remove the appointee without the prior approval of the Governor.

#### Section 2-111

(a) The Secretary is responsible for adopting regulations for the Office of the Secretary.

(b) The Secretary shall review and may approve, disapprove, or revise the regulations of each governmental unit in the Department.

#### Section 2-112

The Secretary is responsible for the budget of each governmental unit in the Department.

#### Section 2-113

(a) The Secretary is responsible for the coordination and direction of all planning initiatives of the Secretary.

(b) The Secretary shall keep apprised of and may approve, disapprove, or modify plans, proposals, and projects of the Department and its governmental units.

#### Section 2-114

The Secretary may call a special meeting of a governmental unit in the Department whenever the Secretary considers it necessary.

#### Section 2-115

The Secretary may exercise or perform any power, duty, responsibility, or function assigned to a governmental unit in the Department.

#### Section 2-116

(a) This section does not apply to a governmental unit in the Department to the extent that the governmental unit is authorized by law to employ its own legal adviser or counsel.

(b) The Attorney General is the legal adviser to the Department.

(c) The Attorney General shall assign to the Department the number of assistant Attorneys General authorized by law for the Department and its governmental units.

(d) An assistant Attorney General shall be a lawyer of the State in good standing.

(e) An assistant Attorney General is entitled to the compensation provided in the State budget.

(f)

  (1) The Attorney General shall designate one of the assistant Attorneys General as counsel to the Department and may not reassign the counsel without consulting the Secretary.

  (2) The counsel to the Department has no duty other than to:

    (i) give the legal aid, advice, and counsel that the Secretary and the other officials of the Department require; and

    (ii) supervise the other assistant Attorneys General assigned to the Department.

  (3) The counsel shall perform the duties specified in paragraph (2) of this subsection subject to the control and discretion of the Attorney General.

(g)

  (1) The counsel and the other assistant Attorneys General in the Department shall perform those duties that the Attorney General assigns.

  (2) The Attorney General may require an assistant Attorney General to perform, subject to the Attorney General's control and discretion, any duty for the Department required of the Attorney General by law.

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Md. Code Ann., Hous. & Cmty. Dev. (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)