* 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 Henry
A Resolution Entitled
A Council Resolution concerning
title
Request for State Action: Governor Hogan and Evictions
For the purpose of calling on Governor Hogan to allocate at least $175 million for rental assistance and eviction prevention in Maryland from Coronavirus Relief Funds or another source; to expand the eviction moratorium to cover all types of eviction cases and to extend the moratorium until the public health emergency has ended and sufficient financial assistance is available for residents to avoid eviction; and to take all other necessary steps to prevent homelessness and evictions during the public health emergency.
body
Recitals
Whereas, Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera has ordered Maryland’s trial courts to gradually return to “full operations” this summer, with evictions and foreclosures to resume on July 25, 2020;
Whereas, The Chief Judge and the Governor’s moratoria on evictions only delayed evictions for non-payment of rent, but did nothing to suspend rent obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic;
Whereas, The City of Baltimore is currently facing its highest unemployment rate since the Great Depression, and unemployment benefits are not sufficient;
Whereas, Rental housing providers are reporting that May 2020 rent delinquency rates are 100% higher than the May 2019 rent delinquency rates - and that there are even higher delinquency rates in family buildings and more affordable units, which are especially likely to house our City’s “essential workers” during the pandemic;
Whereas, Essential workers, who are disproportionately Black and Brown families, have been hit hardest by the coronavirus and are now most at risk of eviction in the wake of the pandemic;
Whereas, Over 50,000 Baltimore City residents are at risk of eviction when evictions are scheduled to resume on July 25 and thereafter;
Whereas, Baltimore City residents are already at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection and mortality due a history of low-quality housing, environmental contamination, and resulting pre-existing health conditions;
Whereas, Mayor Young announced the creation of a $13 million City Rental Assistance program, using federal aid to assist tenants in paying past-due rent, but the City needs at least 3 times this amount, given prior recession history and the nature of our service-sector-oriented economy; and
Whereas, The State of Maryland has $1.3 billion in Coronavirus Relief Funds that could be allocated in part to provide rental assistance and eviction prevention, as has been done in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other states.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of Baltimore, That the City Council calls on Governor Hogan to allocate at least $175 million for rental assistance and eviction prevention in Maryland from Coronavirus Relief Funds or another source; to expand the eviction moratorium to cover all types of eviction cases and to extend the moratorium until the public health emergency has ended and sufficient financial assistance is available for residents to avoid eviction; and to take all other necessary steps to prevent homelessness and evictions during the public health emergency.
And be it further resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Governor, the Mayor, the Housing Commissioner, the Mayor’s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.