Maryland Publishes Nation’s First Statewide Tenants’ Bill of Rights
NEW CARROLLTON, MD (June 16, 2025) – Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day today announced that the State of Maryland has published the first statewide Tenants’ Bill of Rights in the nation. The department’s Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs has published the first version of the Maryland Tenants’ Bill of Rights as required by the passage of the Renters Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024. Secretary Day also announced the appointment of Alyce Thompson as the first director of the Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs.
“While we work to tackle Maryland’s housing shortage, we still need to protect vulnerable tenants in a challenging rental market. Therefore, Governor Moore worked with the Maryland General Assembly to pass the Renters Rights and Stabilization Act in 2024 to establish the Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs, which, with the appointment of Alyce Thompson as its first director, is now fully staffed and ready to serve Maryland renters,” said Secretary Day. “The Act also mandated the creation of the Maryland Tenants’ Bill of Rights, a new document that must be included with every lease to inform renters of their rights and protections, and I’m proud that Maryland is the first state in the nation to create and require such a lease attachment.”
The Maryland Tenants’ Bill of Rights must be included with all residential rental leases beginning July 1, 2025. Annually, the Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs will update and release a new Tenants’ Bill of Rights by September 1, with an effective date of October 1. This annual release will include any major changes to federal or state renter laws, as well as updates based on feedback from tenants and housing partners.
In addition to serving tenants, the Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs staff are available to train landlords, property managers, realtors, and other housing industry professionals on requirements for the Tenants’ Bill of Rights and Right of First Refusal law, which gives tenants of certain rental properties the first opportunity to purchase their home when an owner moves to sell the property.
Leading the annual revisions to the Tenants’ Bill of Rights and the other activities of the Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs will be Alyce Thompson, who will serve as the office’s first director. Before becoming director, Thompson served 12 years with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where she supervised a team of attorneys who advised housing and community development grant programs that funded states, local governments, tribes, and nonprofit organizations. She also played a key role in supporting the launch of multiple programs, including the Tribal Housing and Urban Development – Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing demonstration program for Native American veterans experiencing homelessness and the agency’s COVID-19 response programs. Originally from Decatur, GA, Alyce received her law degree and a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Michigan and an undergraduate degree in urban studies and sociology from Barnard College.
“Making sure tenants and landlords alike are well informed about their rights and responsibilities under state and federal law will go a long way towards helping families maintain stable housing, in turn strengthening communities across Maryland,” said Thompson. “I’m excited to be here at the inception of the Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs to work with partners across the state to achieve this vision for Maryland’s future.
For more information about the Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs or the Maryland Tenants’ Bill of Rights, visit the office’s website.
