2023 Maryland Statutes
State Government
Title 20 - Human Relations
Subtitle 7 - Discrimination in Housing
Section 20-710 - Powers and Duties of Commission

    (a)    The Commission shall:

        (1)    cooperate with and provide technical assistance to federal, State, local, and other governmental units or private agencies, organizations, and institutions that are formulating or carrying on programs to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices;

        (2)    conduct studies concerning the nature and extent of discriminatory housing practices in representative urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout the State; and

        (3)    publish and disseminate reports, recommendations, and information derived from studies conducted under item (2) of this subsection.

    (b)    The Commission may:

        (1)    cooperate with local units charged with the administration of local fair housing laws;

        (2)    with the consent of the local units, utilize the services and employees of the local units;

        (3)    enter into written agreements with local units to further cooperative efforts to carry out the purposes of this subtitle; and

        (4)    notwithstanding any other law, reimburse local units and their employees for services provided to assist in carrying out this subtitle.

    (c)    To further the purposes of this subtitle, the Commission may conduct educational and conciliatory activities, including:

        (1)    conferences to acquaint interested persons with the provisions of this subtitle and the plans for implementation of this subtitle;

        (2)    in consultation with interested persons, programs of voluntary compliance and of enforcement; and

        (3)    consultations with interested persons and State and local officials to learn:

            (i)    the extent, if any, to which housing discrimination exists in the State or local political subdivisions; and

            (ii)    how State or local enforcement programs may be used to combat housing discrimination in connection with, or instead of, the Commission’s enforcement of this subtitle.

    (d)    (1)    In accordance with Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article, the Commission may adopt regulations to implement this subtitle and Subtitle 10, Part II of this title.

        (2)    The Commission shall adopt regulations requiring local units that are certified as substantially equivalent by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under 42 U.S.C. § 3610 to file annual reports with the Commission containing the information specified by the Commission.