Published in Greater Greater Washington
February 10, 2025
By Mike English
If someone is renting a home, has followed the rules of the lease, paid their rent, and their landlord intends to continue renting the unit on the open market when the lease is up, should that same tenant be offered first dibs on continuing to rent there?
If like me you said “yes, of course” just now in your head, congratulations! You support good cause eviction, which could be coming to Maryland. For several years, state delegate Jheanelle Wilkins, who represents part of Montgomery County, has introduced several iterations of a good cause bill. Finally, in 2024, the House of Delegates passed an enabling bill allowing counties and cities to pass their own good cause laws, but it died in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee last year. This winter, the Senate will consider this year’s version of the bill, which is called Senate Bill 651, and House Bill 709 in the House.