April 22, 2026 Meeting Minutes - Real Estate Commission (MREC)

DATE: April 22, 2026

TIME: 10:30 A.M.

LOCATION: 100 S. Charles Street
Tower 1
Baltimore, MD 21201
(Teleconference via Google Meet)

MEMBERS PRESENT: Demetria Scott, Commissioner, Chair
Sandy Olson, Commissioner
Joe Wilson, Commissioner
Jackie Alexander, Commissioner
Hope Mims, Commissioner
Nea Maloo, Commissioner

MEMBERS ABSENT: Roxanne Alston, Commissioner
Kambon Williams, Commissioner

STAFF PRESENT: Robert Pambianco, Assistant Attorney General
Scott Lederer, Executive Director
Tenensia Matthews, Administrative Assistant
Christopher Morton, Paralegal
Aajah Harris, Policy Director
Japonica Kearney, Education Director
Allison Simpson, Education Assistant

PUBLIC PRESENT: Kathie Connelly
Kathleen Dartez
Andrew Friel
AJ Giglio
Deb Hutson
Marie Lagos
Jane Malone
Brenda Kasuva
Christa McGee
Kara Norcutt
David Politzer
Dave Stromberg
Bob Pettis
Stephanie Gones

Roll Call/Quorum Announced and Meeting Called to Order

Chair Scott called the meeting to order at 10:31 a.m. Executive Director Lederer conducted a roll call, confirming that a quorum was present.
The meeting was recorded and transcribed to ensure the accuracy of these minutes.

Approval of Report of Complaints/Administrative Dismissals for April

Motion (made by Commissioner Wilson, seconded by Commissioner Mims) to approve the Administrative Dismissals for April 2026. No discussion. Motion carried.

Approval of Minutes

Motion (made by Commissioner Wilson, seconded by Commissioner Mims) to approve the March 18, 2026, Business Meeting minutes without corrections. No discussion. Motion carried.

Committee Reports

Education - Commissioner Mims, Chair

The Education Committee met last month to discuss the advertising checklist, education providers, and upcoming initiatives.
- The advertising checklist has been approved and is now available on the MREC website. Committee members are encouraged to distribute to all relevant stakeholders for implementation and compliance updates.
- There is an ongoing concern regarding several schools with consistently low exam pass rates. The Committee is developing strategies to improve student performance and reduce exam retakes. The focus remains on ensuring that candidates are well-prepared to pass the PSI exam on the first attempt.
- The Committee will continue its efforts over the next several months to strengthen education outcomes and provider accountability.
- The Maryland Real Estate exam pass Rates are as follows:
  - Broker
    - National - 45.4%
    - State - 50%
  - Salesperson
    - National - 53.2%
    - State - 40.4%
  - Overall
    - 1,258 tested
    - 430 passed
    - 64.1% overall pass rate
- The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28th.

Legislative – Commissioner Alexander, Chair

The committee has been supplementing its monthly meetings for weekly Friday meetings at 9 a.m to discuss proposed or pending legislation. There were no meetings held in recent weeks due to limited bill activity impacting the department.
The Committee will review the outcomes of previously monitored legislative bills and continue work on fingerprinting and background-check initiatives.
Regular monthly meetings will resume starting Monday, April 27th, at 3 pm.

Comments from Executive Director Lederer

Mr. Lederer reported the license count for February as follows:
- Brokers: 3,868
- Associate Brokers: 2,967
- Salespersons: 36,914
The total number of complaints currently in process is approximately 260.
The Guaranty Fund balance as of February 28, 2026, is $1,202,859.68.
The Education Department processed 91 qualification letters for out-of-state licensees in March.
Since the previous meeting, the Commission has received over 3,800 emails and over 1,500 voicemails. Mr. Lederer congratulated the staff on the stellar job they did managing a high volume of communication.
Within the last month, Mr. Lederer has attended the following events:
- Carroll County Association of Realtors awards banquet
- Maryland Realtors Commercial Symposium
- Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors broker/manager meeting

Comments from Counsel Robert Pambianco

The following regulatory submissions have been approved by the Commission and cleared by the Secretary’s Office effective April 27th:
- CE Late Fee decreased to $75, and CE Course Approval Fee set at $25
The regulatory process for these items is complete, and website updates are currently underway to reflect the changes.
The Disclosure Disclaimer form was published in the Maryland Register, April 17th issue. Publication was delayed due to technical issues, and public comment has been extended through April 30th. Comments should be submitted to the Executive Director by April 30th. Depending on the comments received, the Commission may consider final action at the May meeting.

Comments from Chair Scott

Chair Scott, along with Mr. Lederer, attended the Maryland Real Estate Educators Association meeting. The meeting provided insight into school approval processes and regulatory roles, and included presentations from the Maryland Real Estate Commission and the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
Chair Scott and Mr. Lederer presented the updates on exam questions currently being field-tested with PSI. An ongoing evaluation of question performance is in progress. The next PSI review will be scheduled in the fall.
Chair Scott acknowledged Commissioners Alexander, Wilson, and Maloo for their active participation in the legislative session. She noted that the commission took a more proactive role in reviewing and commenting on the proposed legislation this session. She extended her appreciation to Aajah Harris for support and guidance.
As a reminder, unlicensed assistants can type contract forms at the direction and for the approval of licensees and supervisory brokers. Brokers and Team Leaders have an obligation to review these forms prior to sending them out. The most common forms that Chair Scott has received, and that other agents have commented on, are ratified contracts that are not ratified. These forms should be reviewed before sending. Chair Scott reminded everyone that it is a responsibility to supervise unlicensed assistants, as their actions may negatively impact clients.
Chair Scott reminded Commissioners that the financial disclosure forms are due by April 30th. Members should contact Mr. Lederer if they did not receive the link or need assistance.

Old Business

There was no old business.

New Business

Commissioner Wilson

Commissioner Wilson provided an overview of the ongoing short-term rental issue in Ocean City, noting that it is a long-standing, highly debated topic with strong opinions on both sides.
He explained that residents often raise concerns about noise, trash, parking, and overall neighborhood disruption, while property owners emphasize the economic benefits and ability to offset the cost of ownership.
He noted that short-term rentals are tied to Ocean City’s tourism economy and have existed in the form of weekly rentals since at least the 1970s.
He also referenced court guidance indicating that the length of stay does not determine whether a property is considered residential use.
He summarized recent policy changes from 2024 to 2025, including revised occupancy limits, a local contact requirement, enhanced enforcement through a three-strike system, and updated definitions and visitor hour rules.
He explained that proposed minimum stay requirements were ultimately overturned by voter referendum, and that a moratorium on new licenses was implemented, extended, and later repealed.
He stated that short-term rentals currently remain permitted in Ocean City, subject to existing regulations, and there is no minimum stay requirement in effect.
He concluded that while the issue remains sensitive and ongoing, recent actions have brought some temporary stabilization, and he provided the update as a balanced summary of the policy debate.

Public Comment

Brenda Kasuva

Ms. Kasuva thanked attendees for the meeting and noted the presentation was valuable.
She requested clarification regarding the disclaimer form comment period and whether it remained open until April 20th. Mr. Lederer confirmed that the public comment period has been extended and is now open until April 30th.
She raised a question about which types of comments are appropriate for submission, including whether specific scenario-based questions can be included. Counsel explained that comments may include any feedback on the proposed regulatory changes, including disagreement with language, suggested modifications, or concerns about the form. He further clarified that the comment period is part of the standard regulatory process, allowing public input before the Commission takes final action. The Commission will review all submitted comments prior to making a final decision on the proposed changes.

Christa McGee

Ms. McGee thanked Commissioner Wilson for the detailed background and recap of the Ocean City rental restriction issue. The presentation was noted as thorough and helpful in understanding the history of the matter.
Ms. McGee provided an update indicating a year-over-year membership change of approximately a 1% decrease compared to the previous month.

Adjournment

There being no further business.
Motion to adjourn the meeting (made by Commissioner Olson, seconded by Commissioner Maloo).
Motion carried.
Meeting adjourned at 11:14 a.m.
The next monthly business meeting is on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.

APPROVED AS PRESENTED ___________SIGNATURE ON FILE__________ Demetria Scott, Chairperson