Most tenants facing eviction do not have legal representation, but a pilot program in Baltimore seeks to change that.
The cost of eviction to the individual is high, with disruptions to families, health, and often jobs. The cost to city and state services in the wake of this disruption is measured in the millions of dollars. Yet, research shows that tenants with legal representation avoid eviction over 90% of the time. United Way of Central Maryland is part of a pilot program that will connect tenants with free legal representation via their 211-phone helpline.
Franklyn Baker, president and CEO of the United Way of Central Maryland, said the city of Baltimore has one of the highest eviction rates in the country with 140,000 eviction filings a year in a city of only 125,000 rental units. He said the statistic speaks to the vulnerability of the population.
"Because the people in this city are very vulnerable, they're having multiple eviction filings in a given year," Baker said.
Research by the Public Justice Center
projects that helping renters avoid eviction via legal representation would lead to more than $35 million in cost savings for the city and state. The study pointed to savings in areas including homeless shelters and transitional housing and lost funding at schools due to chronic absences, as well as costs incurred when homeless children enter the foster-care system.
The pilot program is funded by a $4 million grant from the Maryland Legal Services Corporation, and has the local United Way partnering with Civil Justice Incorporated, a legal referral service. Last year, Maryland passed legislation guaranteeing tenants access to legal counsel, and Baker said this pilot is part of the first wave of implementation in the state.
"If we can get it working well through this legal-representation process in the city, our hopes are pretty high that some other parts of the state could really benefit from this," Baker said.
The Maryland United Way Helpline is a free, confidential service available 24 hours a day year-round in more than 140 languages and can be reached by dialing 211.
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Coloradans who want to help move the needle on homelessness can still sign up for a lobbying day next Tuesday at the State Capitol.
Cathy Alderman, chief communications and public policy officer with the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, expects dozens of people to join this year's effort. Folks will meet up in the morning to hear from a couple of legislators. And they'll get a brief training on how to talk with lawmakers about bills that impact people experiencing homelessness.
"Then we send people out in teams to go find legislators - in their office, sometimes they're debating on the floor, sometimes they're in committee - and we encourage them to support our priorities," she said.
Alderman added this year's legislative priorities include homelessness prevention and resolution, housing availability and access, health care, and economic justice. The group is backing a number of bills, including House Bill 25-1168 which adds protections for victims of gender-based violence in rental housing. Those interested can sign up for the event online at 'ColoradoCoalition.org.'
The coalition is also pressing lawmakers to improve the infrastructure needed to address homelessness across the state. Alderman says House Bill 25-1032 would create a homelessness council, made up of representatives from all state agencies and important stakeholders like local governments and nonprofits, to set a statewide strategy.
"Which we think is really important because it kind of sends a message to the entire community that the state is making this a priority," she explained. "But it needs its local government and nonprofit partners to do the work."
The coalition also supports Senate Bill 25-008, to help people experiencing homelessness and survivors of natural disasters and domestic violence get access to driver's licenses and other vital documents. Alderman said they'll also be tracking any measures related to renter's protections.
"Trying to create that balance between renters and landlords to make sure that folks can stay stably housed. Because we know that it's much more difficult to get housed once you've lost your housing," she added.
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A bill making its way through the Maryland General Assembly could protect renters from unjust evictions.
House Bill 709 would create what is known as a "good cause" law. It would enable but not require local governments in Maryland to put eviction laws in place in their communities to prevent landlords from evicting tenants without cause. People could still be evicted for disorderly conduct that disturbs other residents, a major breach of a lease or causing damage to the property.
Erica Puentes, legislative coordinator for the advocacy group Progressive Maryland, said the idea is to help keep Maryland families stable.
"Good cause laws require transparency and accountability from corporate landlords for why they're choosing to evict a tenant," Puentes explained. "'Good cause' would prevent people from being evicted unless the landlord provides a good reason."
A number of city leaders, including the mayors of Baltimore and Takoma Park, have expressed support for a good cause law in the past few years. But some developers and landlords have voiced opposition, saying it would make it more difficult to evict problem tenants.
Corporate landlords file more than 5,000 eviction cases a year without providing a reason, according to the Public Justice Center.
Puentes emphasized all eyes are on the Maryland Senate, where the bill stalled in committee during last year's session. She added the law would give power to local governments to make new tenant laws and policies.
"There is a lot of appetite and need in Maryland for 'good cause,'" Puentes stressed. "Ultimately the counties and municipalities should have the power, and under 'good cause' they would have the power, to enact this legislation, based on the needs of their constituents."
The Public Justice Center reported more than 5,000 Maryland families are made homeless from evictions each year.
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Economists warn affordable housing is harder to come by in North Dakota, putting more people at risk of not having a roof over their heads but some new funding proposals could take a big bite out of the issue.
Leading up to this legislative session, a task force had been studying the issue. Some recommendations now on the table include a bill to set aside $200 million for communities to get more affordable housing projects developed.
Chandler Esslinger, executive director of the Fargo Moorhead Coalition to End Homelessness and board chair of the North Dakota Coalition for Homeless People, said boosting access with the funds is a good start, as service providers convey urgency to state lawmakers.
"This is what we need to meet demand," Esslinger asserted. "If you don't want to see increasing homelessness in your community, this is the type of investment that's truly required."
Esslinger acknowledged so far, lawmakers appear receptive to the need for action. She and other advocates said the crisis requires bigger commitments, but the $200 million figure might be easier to pass. Some residents who testified about the issue said the efforts might be well-intentioned but they are unsure using taxpayer dollars would be effective.
The current plan calls for additional studies to review work being carried out, with $10 million to aid efforts directly dealing with homelessness.
Denise Dykeman of Minot, who volunteers at homeless shelters, said the public needs to realize how a personal financial crisis can quickly spiral into an unstable situation.
"If folks don't have a support structure, like a group of family (members) that they can go to, you can end up homeless very easily," Dykeman pointed out.
She added barriers like mental illness and domestic violence further complicate some people's attempts to find steady work and a home to live in.
The Community Action Partnership of North Dakota said boosting homeless grant funding would expand services focusing on immediate needs, like emergency shelter and rental assistance.
Disclosure: The Community Action Partnership of North Dakota contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy and Priorities, Health Issues, Housing/Homelessness, and Hunger/Food/Nutrition. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
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