Howard County affordable housing bills fail to advance through council

A package of housing bills that would have eased the mounting cost burden on Howard County residents failed to advance through the County Council, effectively ending the county executive’s campaign for more affordable options in one of Maryland’s most expensive areas. Nicknamed the HOME Package, the policy bundle included local legislation meant to curb rent gouging in the county and expanded a Right to Purchase law that would have given nonprofit organizations and private companies the power to purchase and preserve existing rental units as affordable units.