Maryland General Assembly Falls Short in Advancing Measures to Keep Families Housed and Hold Landlords Accountable

Despite Overwhelming Support from Local Officials and Advocates, Senate Leadership Caves to Landlord Lobbyists and Blocks Protections for Renters

Annapolis, MD- Amid a growing housing crisis and a looming recession, the Maryland Senate refused to pass Good Cause Eviction – the one housing bill pending that has been proven in other jurisdictions to reduce evictions and displacement while holding corporate landlords accountable. Good Cause Eviction (SB 651/HB 709), which was passed by the House of Delegates last year and has passed in 8 other states and 23 localities, would have allowed counties to require that corporate landlords provide renting families a legitimate reason for any eviction. The General Assembly also cut the budget for eviction prevention funds by 50% at a time when renting families need this support the most. Despite this resistance, Renters United Maryland (RUM) and legislative allies passed key policies that advance housing justice, including a measure that will provide tenants with advance notice of any scheduled eviction date so that tenants can plan and prepare to lessen the catastrophic effects of eviction.

Maryland Senate Caves to Corporate Lobbyists on Good Cause Eviction

To defeat Good Cause Eviction, landlord lobbyists successfully peddled the false narrative that counties should have to choose between strong rent stabilization laws or good cause eviction – they couldn’t have both or else the sky would fall and developers would stop developing. This last-minute, take-it-or-leave-it proposal – which was not part of any bill or committee hearing – would have stripped counties like Montgomery and Prince George’s ability to maintain strong rent stabilization laws that include “vacancy control,” which preserves affordable housing for generations and still pass good cause eviction. A letter urging the General Assembly to reject this false choice, led by Montgomery County Councilmember Kristin Mink (District 5), garnered nearly 50 signatures from local elected officials, including a majority of the Baltimore City Council, Montgomery County Council, and Prince George’s County Council as well as Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Comptroller Bill Henry. 

“It didn’t make sense to force us to choose between rent stabilization and good cause eviction. Renters need both,” said Tonia Chestnut, President of the Enclave Tenant Association. “But instead of standing with tenants, the Senate gave even more power to the same landlords who’ve already taken advantage of us. That choice will have real consequences for all Maryland families.”

In contrast to the speculative fearmongering of corporate lobbyists, the actual research is clear: Good cause eviction laws have absolutely no impact on housing development. Slower housing development is tied to restrictive zoning codes, land use policies, burdensome permitting processes that drive up development costs, and fluctuations in the financial market. 

Amidst the finger-pointing, the Senate lost sight of the real families becoming homeless because corporate landlords refuse to disclose a legitimate reason for certain evictions.  Rebecca Clausen is a 30-year military veteran and mother was evicted in March after her landlord filed a no-cause, retaliatory eviction case. She had complained to the landlord and Anne Arundel County agencies about serious threats to the health and safety of her teenage daughters that the landlord refused to fix.  Instead, the landlord responded with a no-cause eviction. Ms. Clausen fought back in court, but lost because Maryland law permits no cause evictions: “I served my country honorably for 30 years, including combat service” said Rebecca Clausen “Yet, the very laws and freedoms in Maryland that I stood up to defend have failed my family.  As a result, we will become one of the thousands of homeless families in Maryland.”

“There was an opportunity here to do right by renters and our legislators dropped the ball,” said  Detrese Dowridge, Executive Director with Baltimore Renters United, “Good Cause Eviction is the baseline protection that ensures renters aren’t afraid to exercise their rights. Without it, even existing protections can be meaningless if tenants fear non-renewal of their leases.”

Cuts to Eviction Prevention Funds

The Maryland General Assembly also cut money for eviction prevention funds by 50%. Eviction prevention funds pay 1-3 months of past-due rent to help families overcome short-term financial setbacks that could otherwise cause them to become homeless. While the FY 25 budget contained $10 million for eviction prevention funds, the FY 26 budget has only $5 million.  This massive cut in funding for housing stability at a time when Maryland families are facing a full-on assault from the federal government through layoffs and benefits cuts is deeply disappointing and short-sighted. 

RUM Presses Forward on Housing Justice

Despite resistance to tenant protection legislation, our coalition and partners managed to advance some important issues. This includes a statewide requirement for 6 days of notice of a scheduled eviction (HB 767/SB 442), continued funding for the Access to Counsel in Eviction program through FY28 (SB 154), and hindering an effort to make it easier to evict renters without due process (SB 46).

Conclusion

The fight for housing justice in Maryland doesn’t end with this session. Renters United Maryland and our partners will continue to organize during the interim, uplift tenant voices, and demand accountability from lawmakers. We hope the legislature returns next year with the courage to stand up to the landlord lobby and deliver on the promise of housing as a human right. Our communities can’t afford another year of half-measures while families are evicted, displaced, and pushed deeper into crisis.