March 9, 2025
By Zafar Shah in Center Maryland
Sandra is still homeless.1 She had to put her daughter in a friend’s care and live in her car. Nearly a year ago, she reached out to Maryland Legal Aid after her lease in Easton wasn’t renewed. The property manager told her she was being “uncooperative or argumentative,” but legally, no reason was required. Maryland is a “no cause” state, meaning landlords can refuse to renew a lease without justification. For Sandra and her daughter, that meant exile from their home and community.
After months of searching, Sandra kept hitting dead ends. Properties that accepted Section 8 vouchers were controlled by the same management that wanted her out. Other landlords required an income three times the rent. Maryland Legal Aid helped extend her housing voucher, but even in nearby counties, she couldn’t find a place. Her life unraveled. With no legal protection, we could only advise her to call the 988 Suicide and Crisis hotline.
Sandra’s story is not unique. For over 15 years, renters and advocates have pushed for Good Cause Eviction protections, which would require landlords to provide a valid reason—such as lease violations or plans to sell the property—before forcing a tenant out. In 2024, the Maryland House passed a version allowing local governments to adopt their own protections, but the bill stalled in the Senate. A promised workgroup never materialized, and renters like Sandra remain vulnerable.
Read the full op-ed in Center Maryland.
1Sandra is a pseudonym of a Maryland Legal Aid client who allowed us to share her story.