Permanent Rent Stabilization and Protection Act (PRSA)
Prince George's County has passed the Permanent Rent Stabilization and Protection Act of 2024 (PRSA), a law designed to protect renters from excessive rent increases while ensuring landlords can maintain their properties.
This law sets clear limits on how much rent can increase annually for most rental units (regulated units), with special provisions for senior housing and exemptions for specific types of properties. This ensures that renters are protected from unreasonable rent hikes, offering stability and predictability in housing costs.
Prince George’s County is drafting regulations and creating policies and procedures to implement this new law and continues to seek the input of stakeholders and interested parties as it moves forward.
To view and comment on draft policies and procedures, visit the Permanent Rent Stabilization and Protection Act (PRSA) Policies and Procedures Comment Page. You are welcome to contact us with concerns, questions, or suggestions at the following email: PRSAInfo@co.pg.md.us.
Maximum Rent Increase
The table below provides an overview of the maximum rent increase allowed per year for units that are regulated under PRSA (“regulated units”).
October 17, 2024,
|
July 1, 2025,
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Regulated Units in Age-Restricted Senior Housing Facilities |
3.3% |
Pending* |
| Regulated Units Not in Age-Restricted Senior Housing Facilities |
6.0% |
Pending* |
| *The maximum rent increase allowed for regulated units from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, will be finalized and adopted prior to May 1, 2025, as required by PRSA. | ||
Rent increase limitations for regulated units as summarized above are based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers (“CPI-U”) published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For regulated units in Age-Restricted Senior Housing Facilities, rent increases cannot exceed 4.5 percent or CPI-U, whichever is lower.
For regulated units not in Age-Restricted Senior Housing Facilities, rent increases cannot exceed 6.0% or CPI-U plus 3 percent, whichever is lower.
Exemptions
The limits in the table above apply only to regulated units. Review the list of exemptions below to see if the law covers your unit.
Under PRSA, if any of the exemptions below apply, your rental unit is not regulated:
- A unit whose construction was completed on or after January 1, 2000
- A unit in a licensed facility if the primary purpose of the facility is the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, and treatment of illnesses
- A unit in a facility owned or leased by a 501(c)(3) IRS tax-exempt organization if the primary purpose of the organization is to provide temporary shelter to qualified clients
- Owner-occupied group homes
- Religious facilities, including churches, synagogues, parsonages, rectories, convents, and parish homes
- Hotels/motels that only serve transient residents
- School dormitories
- Licensed assisted living facilities or nursing homes
- A building originally designed and constructed to contain only two dwelling units, so long as the owner resides in one of the units as their primary residence (domicile)
- Accessory dwelling units
- Units subject to a regulatory agreement with a governmental agency or an agreement with a third-party entity that restricts occupancy of the unit to low- and moderate-income tenants
- A rental unit owned by a landlord who owns five (5) or fewer rental units within the County if the landlord is (1) a natural person or a living trust of a natural person, or (2) the trust or estate of a decedent
- A condominium unit owned by one or more persons domiciled in the County
- Any unit within or part of a cooperative
NOTE: The units/facilities listed above are only exempt from the PRSA for as long as the qualifying conditions exist. Once a condition ceases to exist, the unit/facility is no longer exempt.
For Landlords
To fully understand the law’s impact on your rental business, consult legal experts for advice.
Special Considerations
The law includes provisions for:
- Banked Rent Increases: Increases carried forward from previous years.
- Capital Improvements: Limited surcharges may be allowed for major renovations.
- Fair Return: Landlords may petition for a fair return on their investment, subject to DPIE approval.
Need Help?
Whether you're a tenant looking for stability or a landlord seeking to comply with the new regulations, we are here to help.
Email us at: PRSAInfo@co.pg.md.us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions | Spanish
Email PRSAInfo@co.pg.md.us with questions not addressed in the Frequently Asked Questions.