Cal. Civ. Code § 8-219

Md. Code Ann., Real Property Art. Title 8 — Landlord and Tenant

In Force
Verified 10/26/2026 · Next check 11/2/2026
effective 10/12/2026MarylandLease Requirements

Operative Text

Cal. Civ. Code § 8-219
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

(2) (i) “Apartment facility” means an apartment building or complex that contains four or more individual dwelling units that a common landlord rents for residential purposes, including all common areas available for use by a tenant.

(ii) “Apartment facility” does not include:

1. A single–family house, regardless of the number of individual dwelling units into which the house is subdivided;

2. A condominium organized under Title 11 of this article; or

3. A cooperative project organized under Title 5, Subtitle 6B of the Corporations and Associations Article.

(3) “Dwelling unit” means that portion of a building that is designated, intended, or arranged for use or occupancy as a residence by one or more persons.

(4) “Tenant organization” means an incorporated or unincorporated organization of three or more tenants who reside in an apartment facility formed for the purpose of improving the living conditions, contractual position, or community experiences of the residents of the apartment facility that:

(i) Meets regularly;

(ii) Operates democratically; and

(iii) Is independent of the owners or management of the apartment facility and their representatives.

(b) (1) Subject to subsection (c) of this section, a tenant organization shall have the right to assemble in a meeting room within an apartment facility designated for use by tenants for events and community gatherings during reasonable hours and on reasonable notice to the landlord to conduct tenant organization meetings.

(2) (i) The landlord may impose reasonable terms and conditions on the use of a meeting room, provided that the terms and conditions do not undermine the purposes of this section.

(ii) The landlord may require an individual participating in a tenant organization meeting who is not a resident of the apartment facility to sign a waiver of liability for injuries sustained while on the property.

(3) A tenant organization shall:

(i) Designate at least two but not more than five members who are authorized to schedule use of a meeting room on behalf of the tenant organization; and

(ii) Provide written notification to the landlord of the designees at least once per year.

(c) (1) A landlord may not charge a tenant organization a fee for the use of a meeting room for the first meeting of the tenant organization each month.

(2) A landlord may charge a reasonable fee for all other uses of a meeting room by the tenant organization within the same month provided that the fee does not exceed the regular schedule of fees charged to other groups or individuals for use of the meeting room.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Maryland Real Property § 8-219 establishes rights for tenant organizations in apartment facilities of four or more units to use on-site meeting rooms for their gatherings. The rule requires landlords to allow such access during reasonable hours with reasonable notice, while permitting landlords to set reasonable terms and conditions that do not undermine the law's purpose. Landlords may not charge a fee for the tenant organization's first meeting each month, though a reasonable fee—not exceeding what other groups pay—may be charged for additional meetings in the same month.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 14, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 8-219, operators of qualifying apartment facilities are generally expected to make a designated meeting room available to a recognized tenant organization on reasonable notice and during reasonable hours. Compliant operators typically establish written policies for room use that apply consistently to all groups, ensure any fee schedule for additional monthly meetings does not exceed what other users are charged, and may require non-resident attendees to sign a liability waiver. Landlords should also be prepared to receive annual written notification from the tenant organization identifying the two to five members authorized to schedule room use.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Section 8-219 of the Maryland Real Property Code gives tenant organizations in buildings with four or more units the right to meet in a designated on-site meeting room without being charged for the first meeting each month. A qualifying tenant organization must meet regularly, operate democratically, and be independent of ownership or management, and it must designate two to five members to handle scheduling and notify the landlord of those designees in writing at least once a year. Tenants who believe a landlord is improperly denying access or charging unlawful fees may consider documenting the issue, raising the violation in any relevant legal proceeding, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance on available options.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 12, 2026
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Related Rules

§ 244.280
Tenant to be given copy of lease
§ 151.35
SEVERABILITY
§ 165.12
SEVERABILITY

Source Information

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