BALTIMORE — Baltimore residents facing eviction can find some potential reprieve by attending a Rental Assistance Program at Morgan State University on June 27.
Sponsored by the Baltimore City Community Action Partnership and the Mayor’s Office of Human Services, the event is aimed to help low-income families in the city with court-ordered evictions set to occur on or after July 12 remain in their homes. Families can apply to receive self-sufficiency case management and financial assistance in alleviating outstanding financial obligations that may be the cause of their evictions in an effort to thwart the potential displacements.
“We’re just trying to do as much as we can with the funding we have to help people so they don’t have to worry about find another place,” said Ebony Wilder, the Public Information Officer for CAP. “They can stay where they are.”
The program is designed to intercede financially so that the eviction can be abated before it’s scheduled to take place, Wilder said. Funding for the initiative is limited, Wilder said, and CAP is hoping to help about 200 families. The event will also host resources for career and job placement and training, as well as information about utility assistance programs also offered by CAP.
Wilder said her office recognizes the issues that can compound as residents begin to accrue outstanding financial issues related to their housing, such as rent issues that can lead to eviction, or unpaid utility bills that can also result in lack of service, liens, or displacement. Often once a person loses utility service or is evicted once, it begins a spiral that makes getting future housing or utility service more difficult and more expensive, potentially creating issues of long-term displacement or housing insecurity.
“We definitely know first hand how challenges in the past can really impact your future,” Wilder said.
The June 27 Rental Assistance Program will take place at Morgan State’s Student Center, 1700 E. Coldspring Lane. Residents must register online for either the 8:30 a.m. or 1 p.m. session. Space is limited, so reservations are required and walk-ins will not be accepted.
Participating residents must bring with them the following documents:
- Photo ID
- Social Security card
- Copy of current lease signed by the landlord and tenant
- Landlord’s contact information
- Proof of income (received in the last 30 days)
- Eviction notice or warrant of restitution
Wilder is hoping the success of the program will not just lead to more stabilized households but also potentially more resources being made available for future efforts.
“We know there’s a need,” Wilder said. “We can open it up and help more people.”
