Sustainable Communities Tax Credit Program

House Bill 1196 (Chapter 383, Acts of 2011)

This Act makes several changes to the Sustainable Communities Tax Credit program. This was a departmental bill introduced by the Maryland Department of Planning. The Act amends Section 5A-303 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.

The Act clarifies that the tax credits for high-performance buildings and certified rehabilitation structures apply to commercial rehabilitations only.

The Act increases the fee that the Maryland Historic Trust (MHT) can charge for certifying these structures from 1% to 3%. The Act also provides that if the fees paid in any fiscal year are less than the directly related administrative costs of operating the tax credit program, the funds in the reserve fund shall be used for the directly related administrative costs of the program. The Act further provides for how the fees are to be used and funds are to be estimated. The Act also expands MHT's reporting requirement to the Governor.

Effective Date: This Act will take effect July 1, 2011.