Smart Growth Maryland

03/19/2026

We collaborated on a blog with HousingForward Virginia on the topic of YIGBY. As Maryland continues to build a case, the Virginia General Assembly just passed bills in both chambers.

Image attributed to: Brendan Lynch/Axios, originally in the article posted here. FWD #253 • 816 words The Faith in Housing...

02/26/2026

Check out our latest research on YIGBY: Yes in Gods Back Yard for Maryland.

Maryland’s history as a proprietary colony founded for religious freedom contributes to its rich collection of historic religious sites. Today, faith-owned properties dot the Maryland (MD) landscape to the tune of […]

01/22/2026

Our thoughts on the data center debate.

You’ve probably seen the headlines and driven past some road signs. “Data centers bring huge opportunity” or “Say no to data centers.” The Maryland legislature just overturned Governor Moore’s veto of the data […]

12/16/2025

We are excited for the Mapping Main Streets project, made possible by funding from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, benefitting Maryland Main Street communities! Seeking a qualified firm to help make this possible.

Preservation Maryland is soliciting lump sum quotes from qualified firms not to exceed $40,000 for consulting services to complete a two-phase project, to include a rapid mobile field survey of […]

10/10/2025

We had a blast exploring historic Easton, MD for the Maryland Main Street conference and connecting with so many local leaders from across the state. Preservation Maryland President & CEO Nick Redding gave a powerful TedX-style talk on Repositioning Preservation, our Revitalization Policy Analyst Briana Paxton presented on the history of zoning and historic real estate development, and Programs and Outreach Manager Christiana Limniatis shared resources at our sponsor table.

09/15/2025

Smart Growth Maryland had a fantastic time at the conference hosted by DesegregateCT and Regional Plan Association! 💡

From presenting and networking to learning from housing advocates across the country, we left feeling energized and inspried. Plus, exploring the historic missing middle housing in CT was a highlight.

Always powerful to connect with others committed to more economic and sustainable communities. 🏡

07/29/2025

“A structure may have reached the end of its life, but its parts and pieces could help extend the lives of dozens of other local structures,” said Stephanie Phillips, of the City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation.

Great article by the Chesapeake Bay Journal on our recent Deconstruction Summit where we brought together municipal staff, community organizations, and building industry folks to discuss deconstruction.

Advocates in Baltimore want to salvage an idea from the dustbin of recent history to reduce how much demolition debris ends up in the city’s landfill or its air-fouling incinerator.

06/24/2025

In order for our Main Streets to be vibrant, they need to utilize their upper stories. Fire suppression systems are essential for this. Read Preservation Maryland's latest blog and new report featuring lessons from Downtown Frederick Partnership, Maryland on the importance of fire suppression systems in historic buildings.

📖 Read it here: https://preservationmaryland.org/five-things-to-know-about-fire-safety-historic-buildings/

06/09/2025

This week its and . As the 9th smallest state and the gateway to the nation's largest estuary, Maryland's land use choices shape the health of our waterways. 🌎💧

Smarter land use—like mixed-use compact development, adaptive reuse, and protecting open space—means less polluted runoff, healthier streams, and a cleaner Chesapeake Bay.

At Smart Growth Maryland, we advocate an environmentally and economically sustainable future that creates opportunities for all Marylanders through better development patterns. Let’s make land use decisions that protect what flows downstream.

05/14/2025

Join us for our upcoming Maryland Deconstruction Summit. The convening, which is co-hosted by Preservation Maryland/Smart Growth Maryland and Our Zero Waste Future, will take place on Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Downtown Baltimore from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The event is free, lunch and refreshments provided, but we ask that you register. You can get all the details and register here: https://secure.everyaction.com/HRlMx_B7o0an-eS8anHHPg2?nvep=&hmac=&emci=a43b4104-920e-f011-90cd-0022482a9fb7&emdi=ea000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&ceid=

This gathering will bring together community leaders, businesses, policymakers, and advocates to explore how deconstruction, material reuse, and the circular economy can help build a more sustainable and economically vibrant Maryland. Space is limited to 50 people, register soon!

05/05/2025

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy's Owen Bailey presented on this subject at our 2024 Smart Growth Workshop.

As a land trust, ESLC knows the value of our natural lands. For each easement we create to protect our unique rural landscape in perpetuity we calculate that value as justification for the easement and the return on that investment. But how do we calculate the value of our built environment like our towns and villages? How do we calculate the return on those investments?

Check out Owen Bailey's recent blog post on the many collective benefits of aiming for high-VPA developments that build and grow towns on a human scale: https://www.eslc.org/building-on-a-human-scale/