Katie Bunch examines the legal regulation of short-term rental platforms under municipal zoning law, analyzing how traditional land use classifications, varying ordinance language, and differing judicial interpretations influence the treatment of Airbnb and Vrbo properties. She evaluates how clearer statutory definitions and balancing approaches could reduce ambiguity and improve consistency in zoning enforcement.
Molly McInnis examines Maryland’s tenant protection laws through the lens of the recent $11.2 million Heather Hill tenant-landlord housing settlement. The case involved hundreds of tenants who, for years, were forced to live in unsanitary, unsafe, and unlicensed conditions while continuing to pay rent. She examines the current state of Maryland housing law and identifies the gaps in enforcement that may have allowed such conditions to persist. Taking a comparative approach, she evaluates tenant protection laws from other states and local jurisdictions and proposes policy reforms to help Maryland better address and close these gaps. She argues that adopting these reforms would not only strengthen tenant protections in Maryland but ensure accountability for future breaches of landlord duties and responsibilities.
