Housing Justice 22
Find everything you need to know about Renters United Maryland’s Housing Justice 22 priorities for the 2022 Maryland General Assembly session.
News & Updates
Maryland legislators and advocates call on Gov. Hogan to fund Access to Counsel without delay
As FY 2023 budget decisions are made, we as elected officials, advocates for fair, affordable
housing, and legal services providers request that you allocate funding as soon as possible to
implement HB 18, Access to Counsel in eviction cases, which went into effect on October 1,
2021. HB 18 enacts a proven, cost-effective model for preventing the disruptive displacement of
families in eviction cases by leveling the playing field between landlord and tenant and ensuring
that income-qualified tenants can enforce existing legal protections.
GGW: Federal rental assistance is finally flowing in Maryland, but it may not be in enough time for some
Trent Leon Lierman, who helps tenants and landlords in Prince George’s County apply for rental relief as part of his work at the non-profit CASA, told me the County’s program “got off the ground a full month and a half before Montgomery County.” He said the extra time was important because “we are all racing against a ticking time bomb.”
TDR: Maryland lawyers anticipate eviction surge but uncertainties remain
Jessica Quincosa, the executive director of CLSPGC, said some of the eviction hearings move faster than the distribution of the funds, meaning people who are eligible for the assistance could still face eviction.
Maryland Matters: As End of Eviction Protections Loom, Housing Advocates Urge Changes to Court Procedures
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.
As Maryland Becomes Second State in the Nation Enacting Right-to-Counsel to Protect Renters Facing Eviction, All Eyes Turn to Governor Hogan to Fund It
Governor Hogan announced on May 28, 2021, that HB 18, Access to Counsel in Evictions, will become law without his signature. With the bill’s passage, Maryland becomes the second state in the nation to promise legal representation to renters in eviction cases. HB 18 sets the blueprint for ensuring that all income-eligible renters have access to free legal representation in evictions and subsidy terminations by 2025.
Maryland Renters Still Have Protections Against Eviction While Appeal of Federal District Court Ruling on CDC Order Is Pending
For Immediate Release: Contact: Matt Losak, 301-588-3987; Zafar Shah, (410) 625-9409 x 237 Maryland–Today’s announcement that a federal district court vacated the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Order temporarily halting evictions is deeply troubling for the nation, especially in states that have yet to issue their own… Read More »Maryland Renters Still Have Protections Against Eviction While Appeal of Federal District Court Ruling on CDC Order Is Pending
Maryland Matters: In Wake Of Failed Bills, Housing Advocates Say Relief Funding Alone Won’t Stop Evictions
Several tenant relief efforts failed in the last hours of the 2021 legislative session Monday, drawing condemnation from fair housing advocates who say the state isn’t doing enough to stop evictions — particularly during the pandemic.
Maryland General Assembly Fails to Act to Protect Renters during the Pandemic
The MGA failed to pass the emergency House Bill 1312 (Landlord and Tenant – Eviction Actions – Catastrophic Health Emergencies) that would have protected Maryland renters from a well-documented lease non-renewal loophole in the Centers for Disease Control eviction “moratorium” and Governor Hogan’s Executive Order on evictions.
Recap on key renter protections in MDGA21
Amid a groundswell of support for renters struggling through COVID-19 and the state’s economic recovery, the GA passed only 3 bills that targeted eviction.