The availability and affordability of housing is a significant issue facing Marylanders today. The high cost of housing is largely driven by our lack of supply, as Maryland has a 96,000 housing-unit deficit. For prices to decrease, we need to reduce barriers to build, balancing the dire need to create more affordable housing with the imperatives of protecting our most vulnerable renters. As Chairman of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, I have led efforts to end housing discrimination, protect renters and provide incentives to invest in and create more affordable housing throughout our state.