$1M Set Aside To Help Baltimore County Residents Avoid Eviction

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — An additional $1 million has been allocated to support Baltimore County residents struggling to pay their rent and other housing-related expenses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The response from the first phase of Baltimore County's Eviction Prevention Program was so overwhelming that Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski allocated the $1 million to take effect when the state moratorium on evictions is lifted.

The county also has allocated an additional $2 million in Community Development Block Grant–Corona Virus (CDBG-CV) funds for the second phase of its eviction prevention efforts. In June, the county issued an RFP to enter into grant agreements with eligible community-based organizations to address homelessness and expand eviction prevention efforts through subsistence payments and security deposits.

The second phase will allow partnering organizations to tackle the issue of eviction prevention in a more comprehensive manner and will focus on the county residents impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Families across Baltimore County are facing significant financial challenges as a result of the pandemic, and it’s critical that we help as many of those families as we can. These additional funds will help more families avoid homelessness and provide a bridge while they get back on their feet,” Olszewski said in a news release. “We will continue to identify ways to provide resources that help our families weather this storm.”

Applications for the first phase of the Eviction Prevention Program have closed. The additional funding will enable the county to provide support to more of the families who already applied prior to the deadline. The county anticipates that at least 800 households will receive assistance through the second phase.

The original $1 million for this phase of the Eviction Prevention Program came from the county’s allocation of federal Coronavirus Relief Funds and Emergency Assistance to Families with Children through the Department of Social Services. The additional funds will come from the County’s allocation of federal Coronavirus Relief Funds.