Maryland Gov. Wes Moore swung for the fences Wednesday with a sprawling executive order that incentivizes building more homes across the state, an attempt to juice up his record on housing policy as he stares down the final General Assembly session of his first term.

The executive order hits four corners: developing housing on state-owned land; streamlining permitting procedures among state agencies; creating local housing production targets; and rewarding county-level leaders who meet or exceed those goals.

But it’s unclear how many more units the governor’s executive order would induce, and to what extent it fills the gap of what’s needed to bring home costs down. It also wasn’t immediately clear what would happen if localities failed to adopt or ignored their production targets.

Wednesday’s executive order, titled “Housing Starts Here,” calls on the state’s Department of General Services and the Department of Transportation to prioritize the use of their available land for housing and maintain a database of parcels that would be suitable to be converted. It asks the general services department to accelerate land awards to developers and requests that it reduce land costs, utilize government subsidies and use “governmental immunity” from local zoning rules when possible.

Meanwhile, it instructs all state agencies that use permits related to housing construction to designate a “senior permit coordinator” and draft plans to beef up their procedures by the beginning of next year. They have been asked to digitize all permit applications and fee payments by March, and “reduce processing times and increase transparency whenever possible.” The Department of Housing and Community Development will designate an ombudsman to act as a liaison between government and those seeking permits.

Local jurisdictions — starting in January — will be asked to help set housing production targets every five years, and publish an annual report every year that assesses the progress. Government entities that work to meet or beat those targets can be submitted for the new “Maryland Housing Leadership Awards” and also receive extra consideration in funding applications.

The governor gave remarks Wednesday outside Columbia’s Legacy at Twin Rivers apartment complex, a mixed-income community which received state funds. Moore spoke of his personal connection to housing — his grandparents took equity out of their house to send him to military school — and reiterated his commitment to the pro-housing movement and speeding the development of new homes.

“Gone are the days when we are a state of ‘no’ and ‘slow,’” Moore said. “We will be the state of ‘yes’ and ‘now.’”

Housing production has slowed dramatically across the country, a trend that started following the Great Recession; not one state has enough supply. It’s evolved into a top priority for Maryland voters, who have reported to pollsters that they are feeling pinched by high home costs, rents and utility bills. It’s estimated Maryland could be short a minimum of 96,000 homes or as many as 150,000.

The Moore administration has embraced housing as a priority despite its complex politics. In 2024, Moore shepherded a three-pronged housing package into law that aimed to ease prices and empower renters.

But the administration fell short this past General Assembly session. A series of policies, including one that would have reduced how much sway local jurisdictions could wield over housing development in certain areas, fell apart just days before the clock ran out on the 90-day sprint.

Maryland housing secretary Jake Day acknowledged after session that the state’s internal budget woes and the uncertainty generated by President Donald Trump’s Washington left little room for progress.

“It’s hard to have a big conversation when you’re watching a tsunami,” Day said at the time.

At an online fundraiser for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign organized by housing advocates last year, Moore said he would strike a balance between lowering home costs and placating angry neighbors, a challenge that has tanked several of his policy goals.

“There are places that we should not build, and we understand that,” Moore told the Zoom audience. “But in places that we can and should, we will.”

Members of the Maryland Just Power Alliance, an interfaith community organization that advocates for housing and other social issues, crowded the governor’s event Wednesday morning, some waving signs and posters in support of more housing production.

Pastor Tyrone P. Jones IV, of the First Baptist Church in Guilford, said there is no issue more important to parishioners and community members than housing affordability, and the need for increased subsidy, stability and supply.

“Put simply,” he said, “we need more housing.”