On Tuesday, February 10, Councilmember Will Jawando introduced legislation aimed at prohibiting price-fixing and collusion practices that can lead to higher rents in Montgomery County.
The bill, known as the Anti-Algorithmic Price Fixing Act (Bill 8-26), would ban the use of algorithmic tools to set rents or rental terms, prohibit coordinated pricing among landlords, and establish enforcement mechanisms. A public hearing is scheduled for March 10 at 1:30 pm, with Councilmembers Shebra Evans and Kristin Mink listed as cosponsors.
The proposal follows national and state-level legal actions addressing similar concerns, including litigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and a 2025 lawsuit filed by Anthony G. Brown alleging that price-setting algorithms were used to unlawfully increase rents for Maryland residents. Similar legislation is being considered in other jurisdictions, and parallel measures have been reintroduced at the state level by Maryland lawmakers, as local officials continue to examine regulatory responses to rising housing costs.
