BALTIMORE, Md. — Housing advocates picked up the fight of an estimated 200 public housing tenants behind on their rent outside the Baltimore District Court on East Fayette Street when news came of an apparent victory.
“We have kids, children. We don’t need to be out here and our kids on the streets,” said Shantel Knox who owes $215 in back rent, “We need this and thank you! Whooooh! Thank you!”
Because of hardships faced during the pandemic, many tenants couldn’t pay rent for months, if not years and most of the assistance, which had been available to them has now simply run out.
“We’re learning that some of these cases are actually getting dismissed, which is one of the outcomes we’ve hoped for,” said Detrese Dowridge of Baltimore Renters United.
“Did they offer any reason? Do you know why?” we asked.
“No, I haven’t talked to anyone yet,” she responded.
While it appeared the call for the Housing Authority of Baltimore City to halt evictions had worked, HABC Executive Director Janet Abrahams says that’s not the case.
“There was a technicality on the notice,” said Abrahams, “We will be refiling all those cases. Yes.”
Late payments pre-dated the pandemic and a moratorium on evictions followed.
The Housing Authority then filed the paperwork for more than a thousand tenants to receive emergency funds totaling $3 million, but to no avail.
“What has happened is the residents, although we filed the paperwork for them and they received the funding, they still stopped paying their rent,” said Abrahams, “Right now, the Housing Authority is about $4 million in arrears, and so we have no choice.”
No choice, but to collect the past due rent or to evict, opening the door to 14,000 others on the waiting list for Section 8 vouchers and the 9,000 in line for public housing.
