Governor Moore Announces Funding for Eviction and Homelessness Prevention Through Community Schools Rental Assistance Program
ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore today announced that applications are open for the Community Schools Rental Assistance Program in eight local jurisdictions. Families and students who are enrolled in Community Schools in these jurisdictions while experiencing homelessness or at risk for housing instability can apply for emergency financial support through the program.
“Few things are more important to a child’s growth and development than a safe, stable home. The Community Schools Rental Assistance Program will help vulnerable students and their families threatened with housing instability keep a roof over their heads,” said Gov. Moore. “This is a collaborative, interagency initiative that brings together housing supports, educators, and community partners in order to bolster our administration’s mission of ending child poverty.”
The Community Schools Rental Assistance Program was created by Senate Bill 370 / House Bill 428 and signed into law by Governor Moore in 2024. In consultation with the Maryland State Department of Education and the Governor’s Office on Children, program funding is administered to local grantees by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.
To qualify for assistance from the program, a household must have a student enrolled in a Community School in a participating jurisdiction living in their home. Applicants must demonstrate an obligation to pay rent and experience housing instability, such as homelessness, risk of eviction, utility shut-off, or being behind in paying rent or utilities.
Program funds can help eligible families pay for past due rent or utility bills—including late fees and court fees related to eviction—as well as costs related to renting a new home, including moving fees, security and utility deposits, and first month’s rent. Households may be eligible for up to 15 months of assistance related to current housing instability.
“Through the Community Schools Rental Assistance Program, we are building partnerships and pathways that create a new entry point to receive critical housing aid and prevent homelessness,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day. “These resources will help ensure the families struggling to keep up with rent and utilities, the single mother with children living in their car or a hotel room, or the homeless, couch-surfing high school student that’s running out of places to stay, all keep a roof over their heads.”
Since local application portals opened, more than 1,300 applications have been received through local programs, with more than 400 households already receiving assistance. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development is actively engaging local grantees to identify community partnership events and outreach opportunities to amplify the resources available.
The Community Schools Rental Assistance Program is managed by the Department’s Division of Homeless Solutions. The division administers more than $50 million annually to support outreach, legal services, housing counseling, eviction prevention, emergency rental assistance, shelter construction and operations, and other safety net programs. It is also the home of the state’s new Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs, which educates renters and landlords about their rights and responsibilities—including publishing a statewide Tenants Bill of Rights with every residential rental lease in Maryland. The office also coordinates with state and local enforcement agencies to address violations of state rental laws.
The Maryland State Department of Education provided key data to prioritize funding areas, guided the program design and alignment with community school strategy, and supported partnership development meetings between each local school district and the rental assistance organization in their county. The department will also assist with promotion of the program through outreach to families and students via their community school coordinators.
“Community schools exist to remove barriers to learning so that every child can focus on thriving in the classroom and beyond,” said State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carey M. Wright. “When families have stable housing, children can stay in their schools and maintain their relationships with educators, mentors and friends. The Community School Rental Assistance Program is a powerful example of how Maryland aligns efforts to meet the whole needs of our students and their families.”
This investment is targeted to support the administration’s work to end childhood poverty and drive economic mobility through working with the Governor’s Office for Children. Recipients of the program will work with participating organizations in the ENOUGH Initiative to ensure resources reach communities where childhood poverty is highly concentrated.
“Children cannot thrive without a stable home, and by employing an all-of-government approach to reach families, this program will ensure more Maryland children and their families can stay in their homes,” said Governor’s Office for Children Special Secretary Carmel Martin. “Through the ENOUGH Initiative, community organizations have built strong relationships with Community Schools, working with school staff to better connect students and their families to resources. This program will further leverage the strength of the existing partnerships between ENOUGH communities and Community Schools to make sure this program reaches Marylanders who need it most.”
Application portals for Community Schools Rental Assistance Program funding are open in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Washington, and Wicomico Counties.
For more information about the program and how to apply, visit the Community Schools Rental Assistance Program webpage.
