LINK | Publication: Maryland Matters, Bennett Leckrone | Date: June 17, 2021
Excerpt
William Roberts, the chair of the Montgomery County Renters Alliance, said he’s concerned about the “logistical nightmare” of getting aid to tenants in a timely fashion, and urged local and state officials to step up their efforts to help tenants before evictions ramp up.
“We need state and county governments to step on the gas with regard to the pace of processing rent relief applications, because we think that it’s quickly, if not already, going to be surpassed by the uptick in eviction filings the courts are open again,” he said.
Roberts said the best way for state and local officials to help landlords is to ensure that tenants are able to pay their rent. He added that millions in rent relief funding will be wasted if tenants don’t have time to apply and receive that funding.
“Money to a tenant to pay their landlords helps the landlord keep the lights on,” Roberts said. “People need to understand that aid to tenants helps landlords.”
An estimated 147,000 households are behind on rent in Maryland, according to the National Equity Atlas, which draws its data American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey and California’s Center for Economic and Social Research’s “Understanding Coronavirus in America” panel survey.
Of those renters behind on rent, an estimated 78% are people of color, 56% are unemployed and 71% make less than $50,000 per year, according to the National Equity Atlas.
Tenants may be unaware
With the CDC’s eviction order set to expire at the end of June, the Public Justice Center and other legal and housing advocates are calling on the Maryland District Court to reconsider its plans for working through delayed cases.
In a Wednesday letter to District Court of Maryland Chief Judge John Morrissey, several groups warned that the courts’ plan could mean tenants are evicted in backdated cases despite paying their rent. Signatories to the letter are the Public Justice Center, Maryland State Bar Association Delivery of Legal Services Section, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, Homeless Persons Representation Project, Disability Rights Maryland, Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County, Civil Justice, and CASA.