* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Ramos
A Resolution Entitled
A Council Resolution concerning
title
Informational Hearing - Avoiding an Eviction Crisis
For the purpose of calling for a multi-faceted and comprehensive hearing on the looming eviction crisis and what we can do to avoid it by: inviting the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success, the Acting Commissioner of the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Executive Director of the Community Action Partnership, to report on the outcomes of the Eviction Prevention Program and what more can be done; inviting representatives from the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the Esperanza Center to discuss the challenges renters who are immigrants are facing and provide recommendations on additional protections; and inviting representatives from the Public Justice Center and the Fair Housing Action Center of Maryland to report on evictions thus far, outline the rights of tenants now and the rights granted by new laws passed in the General Assembly and the City Council, and make recommendations for additional protections.
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Recitals
Whereas, the COVID-19 pandemic has had an economic impact on employers and employees;
Whereas, many renters were able to use the City’s Eviction Prevention program to stay in their homes;
Whereas, the Governor issued an eviction-related order lasting throughout the State of Emergency, and the Centers for Disease Control also issued an eviction-related order that was recently extended through June 30, 2021;
Whereas, these eviction orders do not offer protection to numerous renters especially in instances when a landlords decline to renew a tenant’s lease, and evictions for lease non-renewal are up over 85% compared to last year;
Whereas, the City’s eviction prevention program has a backlog of over 5,000 families who have applied for rental assistance;
Whereas, more than 3,000 Maryland tenant households have been evicted through court proceedings during the pandemic, many more have been illegally evicted, and tens of thousands of eviction cases are pending;
Whereas, the City Council and the General Assembly passed important legislation to assist renters over the past few months; and
Whereas, the Council finds that there is a looming eviction crisis and that it would be prudent and beneficial to have a thorough, comprehensive discussion with various stakeholders to discuss where we are and what we can do as City to best mitigate this crisis.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of Baltimore, That the Council calls for a multi-faceted and comprehensive hearing on the looming eviction crisis and what we can do to avoid it by: inviting the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success, the Acting Commissioner of the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Executive Director of the Community Action Partnership, to report on the outcomes of the Eviction Prevention Program and what more can be done; inviting representatives from the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the Esperanza Center to discuss the challenges renters who are immigrants are facing and provide recommendations on additional protections; and inviting representatives from the Public Justice Center and the Fair Housing Action Center of Maryland to report on evictions thus far, outline the rights of tenants now and the rights granted by new laws passed in the General Assembly and the City Council, and make recommendations for additional protections.
And be it further resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Acting Commissioner of Housing and Community Development, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success, Executive Director of the Community Action Partnership, the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, the Executive Director of the Esperanza Center, the Executive Director of the Public Justice Center, the Executive Director of the Fair Housing Action Center of Maryland, and the Mayor’s Legislative Liaison to the Baltimore City Council.