'We Mean Business:' County Beefs Up Eviction-Prevention Efforts

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Secure housing is no-longer a given, as the coronavirus pandemic has overturned the local economy and left thousands unemployed. Anne Arundel County is looking to fix that.

County Executive Steuart Pittman debuted a new set of eviction-prevention initiatives on Thursday. Anne Arundel County committed $127,333 to the efforts that partner with local social service providers.

"As our residents approach the end of eviction moratoria and the reopening of our courts, we must intervene, and we will," Pittman said. "We have brought together a team of nonprofit organizations and experienced attorneys to educate and represent the people who are the backbone of our economy and the most vulnerable among us."

Pittman's announcement follows a recent halt on most evictions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention instituted a moratorium on Sept. 4 that prohibits many oustings through the end of the year.

That does not mean rent is canceled, however. Renters who cannot make payments must give their landlords a signed declaration certifying that they fall below an income ceiling, would likely become homeless if evicted and are trying to pay their bill.

In Maryland, courts will still hear failure-to-pay-rent law suits during the moratorium. They will just delay their judgements until the New Year.

Housing advocates worry that this bandages a problem without fixing the root cause. Pittman hopes to put legal resources toward eviction cases before it's too late.

"We want to help renters facing eviction early on in the process," said Kathleen Koch, executive director of Arundel Community Development Services. "Our staff and our partners can now help determine whether there is a legal basis to halt or prevent their eviction."

Koch's team handles the county's contracts with the legal service providers that Pittman introduced on Thursday. Anne Arundel County will partner with Maryland Legal Aid, Community Legal Services of Prince George's County and The Fair Housing Action Center of Maryland.

The county's largest investment went to Maryland Legal Aid, a group offering lawyers to tenants with the lowest income. The $50,000 investment comes from Pittman's Community Grant Support.

Anne Arundel County will send $42,333 in federal coronavirus relief funds to Community Legal Services of Prince George's County. The nonprofit will supply attorneys to low- and moderate-income renters at no cost to the tenants. The county will pay the group a small stipend for each tenant they help.

The Fair Housing Action Center of Maryland will support this network by hiring more staff for its Tenant & Fair Housing Intake Line. This team will answer questions and point at-risk renters to the available resources.

Interested residents can call the line at (443) 447-7336. The county will support this work with $35,000 from its general fund.

Arundel Community Development Services will also point tenants to the county's existing resources. The Anne Arundel Conflict Resolution Center will be available to mediate conversation between renters and landlords. Self Help Centers will lead tenants through the legal challenges of self-representation.

In the most severe cases, Arundel Community Development Services will refer eligible residents to its Eviction Prevention Program. The $4.6 million initiative helps tenants cover overdue rent when coronavirus affects their finances. The program has paid more than 500 landlords during the pandemic.

Arundel Community Development services hired an attorney to grow the Eviction Prevention Program. The new-hire, Lisa Sarro, will create an intake process for clients, negotiate agreements with landlords and train caseworkers on legal and referral process.

"We call ourselves Operation Eviction Intervention, Pittman said. "And we mean business."

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