Link | Publication: Ray Strickland, WMAR | Date: March 25, 2021
Excerpt
“Increasingly we are seeing right now, landlords who are receiving federal bailout money are going forward with evictions,” Shah said.
The group is urging State Senate President Bill Ferguson and other lawmakers to quickly pass Senate Bill 910, which would require landlords to use rental assistance before seeking eviction. It will also prohibit landlords who received relief money from evicting their tenant without cause for at least 120 days.
“It is not unreasonable to expect that we would use the 800 million dollars that has come to Maryland to provide for rental assistance to ask landlord to take that money to continue to keep people housed just for the emergency, “ said Molly Amster with Jews United for Justice
The state legislature is also considering other housing bills that would provide additional protections for renters, including a right to counsel in all eviction cases.
The legislative session ends in less than three weeks.
Sen. Ferguson sent us a statement, saying “the Senate of Maryland is working diligently on this critical issue, and we are determined to pass legislation before adjourning at the end of Session.”