For Immediate Release: Tuesday, March 7, 2023
On Tuesday, the Montgomery County Council unanimously passed a resolution calling on Governor Wes Moore and the Maryland General Assembly to allocate $175 million in the FY24 budget. The funding would help an estimated 17,000 Maryland families avoid eviction and remain in their homes.
Governor Moore announced a $5 billion state surplus in this year’s budget. Montgomery County residents, along with all Marylanders, are facing an end to local rental assistance, in addition to reductions in SNAP benefits, imposing hardship on many families.
“Higher housing costs and the looming end of assistance payments to renters could lead to a new eviction crisis,” said Council President Evan Glass. “With over 130,000 households in Montgomery County struggling to make rent every month, this funding will not only help those at risk of being evicted but is a vital step towards a more equitable, sustainable housing economy.”
In early 2020, to protect residents who were at risk of losing their homes during the pandemic, Councilmember Glass spearheaded the County’s efforts to provide rental assistance for people at risk of eviction by securing $2 million in rental assistance. With assistance from state and federal partners, that funding grew to over $100 million and helped prevent evictions and homelessness in Montgomery County – keeping over 12,000 individuals and families in their homes.
The 2022 nationwide homeless count was flat from the previous two years, which was attributed to widespread eviction moratoriums, billions in rental assistance and an expansion of federal housing vouchers that fortified the safety net. Some of these resources have since expired or been reduced. Montgomery County and jurisdictions throughout Maryland are facing a funding cliff that will end emergency rental assistance throughout the state.
The Emergency Rental Assistance resolution was cosponsored by Councilmembers Natali Fani-González, Kate Stewart, Gabe Albornoz, Sidney Katz, Will Jawando, Laurie-Anne Sayles, Andrew Friedson, Dawn Luedtke and Kristin Mink. The resolution, sponsored by Council President Glass, can be read here.
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Release ID: 23-079