Maryland Alliance for Supportive Housing
The Maryland Alliance for Supportive Housing (MASH) is a statewide, cross-sector coalition dedicated to expanding supportive housing in Maryland and improving access to affordable housing and services for people with disabilities who are at risk of homelessness and institutionalization.
Why Have a Maryland Alliance for Supportive Housing?
People with disabilities and others with complex housing and service needs often navigate multiple systems that are not designed to work together. As a result, many face unnecessary barriers to obtaining and maintaining stable housing.
MASH was created to bring stakeholders together across sectors to strengthen collaboration, align resources, and advance shared solutions. Convened by CSH, MASH brings together housing providers, service organizations, advocates, government partners, and community leaders to help ensure Marylanders with complex needs have the housing and services they need to thrive.
How Does the Coalition Work?
Through coordinated advocacy, education, and capacity-building, MASH aims to advance common-sense legislation and policy to strengthen supportive housing in Maryland. This work focuses on:
- Increasing state investments in rental assistance and operating subsidies
- Expanding access to Medicaid housing‑related services
- Strengthening local housing and service systems and provider infrastructure
- Promoting policies and capital investments to preserve existing affordable housing and help create more supportive housing.
MASH launched in February 2026 and engages members through regular meetings, training, and peer learning opportunities that promote collaboration across sectors and communities across Maryland.
Get Involved
We are actively looking for additional Maryland organizations and leaders to join the coalition and help us advance affordable housing and services. Get involved by participating in our monthly meetings.
The Need for Supportive Housing in Maryland
Supportive housing is a proven, cost-effective approach to help people with disabilities and complex needs achieve stability and live independently. By pairing affordable housing with support services, it helps individuals and families avoid homelessness, leave institutional settings, and build stable, thriving lives. According to a CSH national needs assessment, more than 1.125 million households nationwide need supportive housing, including over 16,700 households in Maryland.
Where We Are Now: The Supportive Housing Landscape in Maryland
The Moore-Miller Administration State Plan includes four priorities to make living in Maryland more affordable for all residents:
- Tackle the affordable housing shortage
- Revitalize disinvested communities
- House the most vulnerable
- Build wealth through homeownership
Two key goals are:
- Reducing homelessness across the state
- Ending chronic homelessness by 2035
To reach these goals and end chronic homelessness by 2035, Maryland needs to add 500–600 supportive housing units each year over the next decade.
Today, most of the state’s supportive housing is concentrated in a handful of urban communities that have made significant local investments and leveraged state and federal funding. Expanding supportive housing statewide will be critical to meeting future needs and ending chronic homelessness.
Maryland Policies for Housing & Services
Low Income-Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) program
The 2025 LIHTC program includes several incentives and policies designed to expand housing for people experiencing homelessness:
- Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Set-Aside: Up to $3 million in LIHTC funding is reserved for two developments that provide permanent supportive housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness.
- Housing Priority for People Experiencing Homelessness: All 9% LIHTC developments must reserve at least 15% of affordable units for people experiencing homelessness. These units must be affordable to households earning 30% or less of Area Median Income (AMI) and filled through approved referral partners.
- Fair Tenant Screening Policies: All developments must use tenant selection practices that promote fair access to housing, including balanced consideration of justice system involvement, eviction history, and credit records.
Medicaid-funded tenancy supports program
Maryland is also working to expand its Medicaid-funded tenancy supports program statewide. The ACIS program provides an eligible Medicaid member with access to services to support them in staying housed.
How MASH is Meeting the Moment
Supportive housing is a proven, cost-effective solution that helps people with disabilities and complex needs to live more independently. By combining stable housing with the appropriate services and supports, supportive housing reduces reliance on expensive crisis systems like emergency rooms, hospitals, shelters, and the justice system. It also helps people build stronger connections to their communities and achieve greater self-sufficiency.
MASH is working to strengthen and expand supportive housing across Maryland. Our goal is to make sure that people with disabilities who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and institutionalization have access to the housing and services they need to thrive.
Through advocacy, education, and capacity building, the coalition will:
- Increase state-funded investments in rental assistance and operating subsidies to ensure units are affordable for people with extremely low and fixed incomes.
- Increase investments in housing services, leveraging Medicaid to expand and align resources for tenancy support services.
- Invest in the infrastructure and capacity of local affordable housing systems and service providers to ensure supportive housing programs help people find housing and remain stably housed.
- Advance policies and capital investments that preserve existing housing and support the creation of more affordable and supportive housing.
Join the Movement
Join a statewide coalition working to strengthen supportive housing across the state of Maryland.
Together, we can make sure Maryland residents have the housing and services they need to thrive.
