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Keeping Marylanders in Their Homes is Essential to Protect Public Health and Support Economic Recovery

February 18, 2021 by Taneeka Richardson in 2021 session, Blog, Economic Opportunity, The COVID-19 Pandemic and Maryland's Economy

In recent months, it has become clear that preserving housing stability is critical to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and allow people to safely quarantine in their homes. This notion was the driving force behind the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention taking unprecedented action by issuing the national moratorium on evictions that took effect Sept. 4.

However, Governor Hogan’s decision to allow eviction filings to continue as part of the stage 4 reopening has, for Marylanders, transformed the CDC’s order into an affirmative defense in court rather than preventing landlords from filing eviction cases while the order is an effect. Moreover, if a person is successful at arguing a defense in court, the CDC moratorium does not wipe out the debt that tenants owe to their landlords. If this wasn’t complicated enough, not everyone qualifies for the CDC eviction moratorium and there are barriers in place that makes qualifying for the protection difficult. Despite the various moratoriums in place, an estimated 117,000 eviction cases have been filed statewide and over 2,500 Marylanders have been evicted since July 2020.

It’s reported that 30% of Maryland households with income less than $50,000 could not pay their rent last month and about 10% of those earning $75,000 couldn’t pay their rent. These challenges are not shared equally as 36% of Black households reported difficulty in paying their rent compared to just 14% of White households. This data suggests that communities with larger Black and Brown communities will be hit harder by the upcoming wave of evictions.

This is not a new development. Prior to the pandemic, eviction removals were three times higher for Black households in Baltimore City compared to White households. The  disparity is even greater for Black women.

The COVID-19 crisis has spotlighted the reality that Maryland’s current eviction process is by design a race to displace Marylanders. Every year, there are more eviction cases filed in Baltimore City then there are available rental units, which suggests landlords are making repeated eviction filings on the same units.

We also know that 99% of renters face eviction proceedings without the assistance of a lawyer. When a family receives an eviction judgement, it means the loss of their home, their possessions, school, community, employment, mental and physical health, and the ability to secure a new place to live. The current housing crisis has created even greater urgency for our elected leaders to take action. Policymakers should:

  • Stop displacement by eviction and foreclosure so Maryland households have a home in which to social-distance, work from home, and school from home during this emergency.
  • Reform the eviction process to prioritize early steps to obtain rental assistance, to provide renters and landlords alternatives to eviction, and to achieve fair hearings.
  • Eliminate predatory mortgage repayment terms as Maryland households recover.

MDCEP joins the many local and state housing advocates who are urging the General Assembly to pass the five bills in the 2021 Housing Justice Package this legislative session. If passed, it will grant much-needed relief to struggling Marylanders and increase housing and economic security for years to come. Maryland can build back better if we prioritize stability over displacement.