Credit screening is one of the most common tools used in tenant screening. But credit checks don’t account for the income stability provided to families with housing assistance like the Housing Choice Voucher. Too often this practice reinforces economic disparities and limits access to safe, stable homes for those who need them most.

That needs to change.

Families shouldn’t be denied the opportunity to rent because of credit screening that doesn’t reflect their actual ability to pay rent.

We need your voice to let decision makers in the Maryland General Assembly know that you want their support in removing barriers that make it harder for families with housing assistance to find safe and stable homes using the four simple steps below. To learn more about BRHP’s advocacy efforts in support of HB 315/SB 335, check out our fact sheet on the bill and watch BRHP Executive Director, Adria Crutchfield’s testimony at the Senate hearing last week.

Share your support for HB 315/SB 335 TODAY!

1) Use the letter template below to craft your message.

2) Use the Maryland General Assembly Find My Representatives look up tool to enter your home address and find your Maryland Legislative District Representatives. Click here.

3) Use the tool on the Maryland General Assembly website to email your State Senator and State Delegates by clicking “Email” beside “Contact Checked Legislators”

4) Your email browser will open, and you can copy your message into the body of the email. Give your email a subject like “Support for HB 315/SB 335” and send.

Email Template

Dear Members of the Committee, 

My name is [Name], and I am [identification like “a Maryland resident” or “resident of a specific town”]. I am writing to express my strong support for the passage of HB 315/SB 335, legislation that strengthens Maryland’s source of income protections by clarifying appropriate screening practices for renters who use income-based housing assistance.  

[ENCOURAGED PERSONAL STORY SECTION] (One short paragraph)

I would like to begin by briefly sharing why this bill matters to me: 

[Insert a personal story, experience, or explanation of why fair screening practices are important to you, your family, your organization, or your community. Examples: difficulty finding housing due to credit screening; or a general reason for caring about fair housing.] 

Families relying on Housing Choice Vouchers and other income-based subsidies frequently encounter credit and income screening practices that effectively shut them out of rental housing even though their rent is largely covered by the housing subsidy and any amount they pay is capped for affordability. As the bill recognizes, this undermines both the purpose of housing assistance and the intent of the state’s source of income protections.  

By clarifying appropriate screening practices, HB 315/SB 335 preserves landlords’ ability to assess tenant suitability while ensuring that criteria are relevant, fair, and aligned with the structure of housing assistance. This legislation helps reduce avoidable denials, shortens housing searches, and strengthens stability for families across the state.  

For these reasons, I respectfully ask for your support for HB 315/SB 335.

Sincerely, 

[Name] 
[Organization, if applicable] 
[Address] 
[Email] 

SB 335 will be heard by the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. Use the template testimony and submission instructions below to show your support for the legislation to the committee. Learn more about SB 335 at the fact sheet here.   
 
SB 335 – TEMPLATE TESTIMONY 
For Individuals or Organizations Supporting the Bill 

February 10, 2026 
 
Judicial Proceedings Committee 
Maryland Senate 
2 East Miller Senate Office Building 
Annapolis, Maryland 21401 

RE: Support for SB 335 – Human Relations – Discrimination in Housing – Income Based Housing Subsidies 

Dear Chair Valderrama, Vice Chair Charkoudian, and Members of the Committee: 

My name is [Name], and I am [title/role, organization, or identification like “a Maryland resident”]. I am writing to express my strong support for SB 335, legislation that strengthens Maryland’s source of income protections by clarifying appropriate screening practices for renters who use income-based housing assistance. 

[ENCOURAGED PERSONAL STORY SECTION] 
I would like to begin by briefly sharing why this bill matters to me: 
[Insert a personal story, experience, or explanation of why fair screening practices are important to you, your family, your organization, or your community. Examples: difficulty finding housing due to credit screening; supporting clients who lost opportunities because of screening barriers; or a general reason for caring about fair housing.] (One short paragraph is ideal.) 

Families relying on Housing Choice Vouchers and other income-based subsidies frequently encounter credit and income screening practices that effectively shut them out of rental housing even though their rent is largely covered by the housing subsidy and any amount they pay is capped for affordability. As the bill recognizes, this undermines both the purpose of housing assistance and the intent of the HOME Act.  

Public Housing Authorities already verify income, determine affordability, and adjust assistance when income changes. These safeguards ensure rent stability, making additional credit or income screening unnecessary and duplicative. Rent relevant criteria like rental history, landlord references, and verified eviction outcomes offer a more accurate and fair assessment of tenant risk.  

Importantly, credit scores were not designed for rental decisions and rarely include rental payment history. Research and federal guidance from HUD indicate that relying on credit scores for assisted tenants may produce unjustified discriminatory impacts, particularly on Black renters, women led households, and low-income families.  

By clarifying appropriate screening practices, SB 335 preserves landlords’ ability to assess tenant suitability while ensuring that criteria are relevant, fair, and aligned with the structure of housing assistance. This legislation helps reduce avoidable denials, shortens housing searches, and strengthens stability for families across the state.  

For these reasons, I respectfully urge a Favorable report on SB 335. 

Thank you for your time and consideration. 

Sincerely, 
[Name] 
[Organization, if applicable] 
[Address] 
[Email]

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING TESTIMONY 
Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee (SB 335) 

1. Before You Begin 
– Create a MyMGA account. Written testimony must be submitted via the Maryland General Assembly’s MyMGA portal. https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Account/Register 
– Save your written testimony as a PDF file – only PDFs will be accepted by the committee   
– Save your written testimony with a file name that includes the bill number, the name of the organization and/or person testifying, and FAV (to indicate your support). For example, “SB0335_Smith_FAV.pdf.”  
– Understand that written testimony is posted publicly on the bill page. 

2. Submission Window 
You must submit written testimony between 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM on Friday, February 6 

3. Submitting Written Testimony 
– Log in to the MyMGA feature on the Maryland General Assembly home page (see icon in the upper right corner) https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/ 
– Click MyMGA → Witness Signup. 
– Scroll down to the House → Economic Matters Committee  
– Select the bill: SB 335 – Human Relations – Discrimination in Housing – IncomeBased Housing Subsidies.  
– Choose Position: Favorable. 
– Choose Testimony: Written  
– Click Upload Files, select your PDF and hit OK.
– Click Save under Witness Signup to submit your testimony.  

HB 315 will be heard by the House Economic Matters Committee on Thursday, February 5, 2026. Use the template testimony and submission instructions below to voice your support for this legislation to end credit barriers for assisted tenants. Learn more about HB 315 at the fact sheet here.   
 
HB 315 – TEMPLATE TESTIMONY 
For Individuals or Organizations Supporting the Bill 

February 5, 2026 
 
Economic Matters Committee 
Maryland House of Delegates 
230 Taylor House Office Building 
Annapolis, Maryland 21401 

RE: Support for HB 315 – Human Relations – Discrimination in Housing – Income Based Housing Subsidies 

Dear Chair Valderrama, Vice Chair Charkoudian, and Members of the Committee: 

My name is [Name], and I am [title/role, organization, or identification like “a Maryland resident”]. I am writing to express my strong support for HB 315, legislation that strengthens Maryland’s source of income protections by clarifying appropriate screening practices for renters who use income-based housing assistance. 

[ENCOURAGED PERSONAL STORY SECTION] 
I would like to begin by briefly sharing why this bill matters to me: 
[Insert a personal story, experience, or explanation of why fair screening practices are important to you, your family, your organization, or your community. Examples: difficulty finding housing due to credit screening; supporting clients who lost opportunities because of screening barriers; or a general reason for caring about fair housing.] (One short paragraph is ideal.) 

Families relying on Housing Choice Vouchers and other income-based subsidies frequently encounter credit and income screening practices that effectively shut them out of rental housing even though their rent is largely covered by the housing subsidy and any amount they pay is capped for affordability. As the bill recognizes, this undermines both the purpose of housing assistance and the intent of the HOME Act.  

Public Housing Authorities already verify income, determine affordability, and adjust assistance when income changes. These safeguards ensure rent stability, making additional credit or income screening unnecessary and duplicative. Rent relevant criteria like rental history, landlord references, and verified eviction outcomes offer a more accurate and fair assessment of tenant risk. 

Importantly, credit scores were not designed for rental decisions and rarely include rental payment history. Research and federal guidance from HUD indicate that relying on credit scores for assisted tenants may produce unjustified discriminatory impacts, particularly on Black renters, women led households, and low-income families.  

By clarifying appropriate screening practices, HB 315 preserves landlords’ ability to assess tenant suitability while ensuring that criteria are relevant, fair, and aligned with the structure of housing assistance. This legislation helps reduce avoidable denials, shortens housing searches, and strengthens stability for families across the state.  

For these reasons, I respectfully urge a Favorable report on HB 315. 

Thank you for your time and consideration. 

Sincerely, 
[Name] 
[Organization, if applicable] 
[Address] 
[Email] 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING TESTIMONY 
Maryland House Economic Matters Committee (HB 315) 

1. Before You Begin 
– Create a MyMGA account. Written testimony must be submitted via the Maryland General Assembly’s MyMGA portal. https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Account/Register 
– Save your written testimony as a PDF file – only PDFs will be accepted by the committee   
– Save your written testimony with a file name that includes the bill number, the name of the organization and/or person testifying, and FAV (to indicate your support). For example, “HB0315_Smith FAV.pdf.”  
– Understand that written testimony is posted publicly on the bill page. 

2. Submission Window 
You must submit written testimony between 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM on Tuesday, February 3 

3. Submitting Written Testimony 
– Log in to the MyMGA feature on the Maryland General Assembly home page (see icon in the upper right corner) https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/ 
– Click MyMGA → Witness Signup. 
– Scroll down to the House → Economic Matters Committee  
– Select the bill: HB 315 – Human Relations – Discrimination in Housing – Income Based Housing Subsidies.  
– Choose Position: Favorable. 
– Choose Testimony: Written  
– Click Upload Files, select your PDF and hit OK.
– Click Save under Witness Signup to submit your testimony.  

On December 2, BRHP Executive Director Adria Crutchfield hosted our final BRHP In Conversation event of the year, featuring economist Dionissi Aliprantis alongside research collaborators Dr. Stefanie DeLuca and Pete Cimbolic discussing their soon-to-be released research paper, “How Good It Can Get: Housing Mobility Programs and the Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership.” The event brought together housing-mobility practitioners, researchers, and BRHP participants and property partners to hear a discussion from the researchers on what drives success in housing mobility programs, and how we at BRHP can harness those insights to further our mission. 

Aliprantis shared findings that underscore the transformative impact of the Baltimore Housing Mobility Program: 

Massive Neighborhood Improvements: Families participating in the Baltimore Housing Mobility Program move from neighborhoods ranked among the lowest in the region to communities with dramatically higher socioeconomic status (SES). These moves exceed improvements seen in other prominent programs like Gautreaux and Moving to Opportunity.  

“The thing that’s really remarkable about Baltimore is just the magnitude of changes in neighborhoods.” — Dionissi Aliprantis 

Better Schools, Better Futures: In Maryland, schools in the lowest-ranked neighborhoods typically perform at the 10th percentile statewide, while those in the highest-ranked neighborhoods reach the 80th percentile. BRHP families gain access to schools performing higher than those available to poor Black families in Baltimore City – 1.7 grade levels higher for 4^th grade – a change that can shape long-term educational and economic outcomes. 

“Housing policy can achieve what decades of education policy have struggled to deliver: meaningful improvements in school quality.” – Stefanie DeLuca 

Regional Design Creates Choice: While well-documented practices like pre-move counseling, extended search times, and post-move support are critical, Aliprantis’ research finds that the regional design of the program accounts for two-thirds of its success, because opportunity neighborhoods aren’t confined to Baltimore City. By spanning the region, Baltimore Housing Mobility Program opportunity areas give families real choices. 

As Aliprantis shared, the Baltimore metro area is home to roughly 130,000 poor Black residents, most concentrated in the lowest-ranked SES neighborhoods. Poor white Baltimoreans, by contrast, are more evenly distributed across all SES tracks. Even at the same income levels, Black and White households live in very different neighborhoods. At the highest incomes, Black households live in neighborhoods about 20 percentile points lower in SES than their White counterparts, and the gap widens as incomes decrease.  

BRHP is reversing this trend, helping poor Black families access higher-opportunity neighborhoods at rates that outperform both the overall Housing Choice Voucher program and the rental market. As Aliprantis noted: 

“Despite the fact that there’s clearly this very strong force, this tide we’re fighting against, BRHP somehow is finding incredible success and allowing participants to navigate to these opportunity neighborhoods in a way that is just really remarkable.” 

Families are not just moving to higher-SES neighborhoods. They are doing so while maintaining cultural and social preferences, such as living in communities with a higher Black share, without sacrificing access to opportunity. 

Residential segregation and concentrated poverty remain pressing challenges in Baltimore and across the U.S. BRHP’s work demonstrates that housing policy can achieve what other interventions for these families often fail to: meaningful improvements in school quality, neighborhood safety, and long-term opportunity for families. 

As Aliprantis reminded us: 
“Why do we care about all of this? We care about the individuals participating in the program and how we improve their outcomes.” 

Dr. DeLuca added: 
“It’s possible to provide choice for families who have been cheated of such choices historically and individually.” 

The conversation also raised important questions: Why do some families still face barriers to the highest-opportunity neighborhoods? Future research will combine quantitative analysis with qualitative interviews to understand factors impacting neighborhood selection such as credit screening, landlord practices, and neighborhood preferences. 

At the same time, future research will look further into what the impact of these moves to higher SES neighborhoods means for the families in our program. As BRHP Managing Director of Research and Innovation, Pete Cimbolic, shared, “I’m really, really excited to see what this means in terms of the impacts on households, the children, their long-term outcomes. What is the impact for that child, for that family?” 

BRHP remains committed to evidence-based practices, bold collaboration, and thoughtful, community-centered mobility work as this conversation and the research continues. We look forward to the publication of the full research findings in the near future.  

To watch the full BRHP In Conversation, check out the replay on our YouTube channel here. 

By Emily Hovermale, External Affairs Director 

For Immediate Release: December 3, 2025 
Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership Contact: Emily Hovermale, 667-207-2167, ehovermale@brhp.org  

Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership Announces Two New Board Members 

Organization Strengthens Leadership with Expertise in Fair Housing and Community Advocacy 

Baltimore, MD – The Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership (BRHP) is proud to announce the appointment of two new board members Jean Zachariasiewicz and Michael Sarbanes, who bring deep expertise in fair housing, civil rights, and community development to BRHP’s mission of expanding housing opportunities for low-income families in the Baltimore region. These leaders began their three-year terms on November 20, 2025.     

The new board members bring a wealth of experience and a shared dedication to advancing economic mobility, racial equity, and community impact. Their collective expertise reflects the organization’s commitment to addressing complex housing challenges with innovative solutions and strategic leadership.   

Michael Sarbanes is a long-time advocate for equitable communities and expanded opportunities for children and families. His career spans leadership roles in law, government, and education, including serving as Executive Director of Engagement for Baltimore City Public Schools and leading community development initiatives that advanced inclusionary housing and transportation access. He currently serves as the Executive Director of UMBC’s George and Betsy Sherman Center, which brings together initiatives to support transformational education in urban schools in Baltimore City. ”I am honored to join the BRHP board of directors,” Michael shares, “BRHP manages with great skill many complexities in order to create something simple and essential— the opportunity for people to live into their gifts.” 
 
Jean Zachariasiewicz is a Baltimore-based attorney with extensive experience in civil rights and fair housing litigation. She has served as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and previously practiced fair housing law in Washington, D.C. Jean currently serves as Counsel at Gallagher, Evelius & Jones, where she focuses on litigation that promotes equity and justice. Jean reflects on her new role as board director, “I have been an admirer of BRHP for many years because it actualizes some of my core beliefs — that safe, affordable, stable housing can transform lives, and that integration benefits all of us. So, I was thrilled when given the chance to be part of this exceptional organization.” 
 
“We are excited to welcome this exceptional pair of leaders to the board of directors,” said Rachel Thornton, BRHP board director and chair. “Jean and Michael bring the vision and commitment needed to ensure BRHP continues to lead in our mission of expanding housing opportunities for families with low incomes in the region. ”  
 
Adria Crutchfield, BRHP executive director added, “Our new board members bring unique perspectives and deep expertise in housing justice and community advocacy that will strengthen our ability to protect housing rights at a time when these rights are increasingly under threat. I am eager to collaborate with them to drive BRHP into a future of greater impact for our families, community, and nation.”  

The new members join BRHP’s 19 existing board directors in guiding the organization’s strategic priorities, including rental assistance, housing mobility counseling, advocacy, and consulting services. 

A full list of BRHP’s Board of Directors, visit BRHP’s website here. 

### 

About the Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership

The Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership (BRHP) is a non-profit organization that expands housing choices for families with low incomes who have historically been excluded from housing in well-resourced neighborhoods by helping them to access and transition successfully to safe, healthy, and economically vibrant communities. As the Regional Administrator for the Baltimore Housing Mobility Program, BRHP has opened pathways to a better future for low-income families for over 10 years.  

BRHP currently provides over 4,300 low-income families rental assistance in the form of Housing Choice Vouchers, coupling assistance with counseling support for families as they move from areas of concentrated poverty to areas of opportunity in Baltimore City and the five surrounding counties.  

With a focus on career development this month, Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership (BRHP) dives into how stable housing in opportunity areas impacts career development for its participants. BRHP continues to highlight its mission of providing families with the assistance to move to safe and vibrant communities. Not only does the ability to move into these resource-rich communities impact a family’s access to better quality education and safer neighborhoods, but it also impacts their career development and employment opportunities.  

“Because I moved into an opportunity neighborhood, the schools themselves were better equipped to handle my kids, so I didn’t have to go up to the schools as much. And because of that I was able to find a job that allowed me to move up.” – Jessica C., Former BRHP Participant 

A study on rental assistance and its reduction on hardship by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities concluded that federal rental assistance reduces poverty, housing instability and improves adult and family well-being while providing a platform to expand opportunities for low-income families. Particularly, having housing stability affords individuals with opportunities to focus on job searching and career training while reducing the stress of housing insecurity. 

Limited housing stability can directly or indirectly impact holding down a job  for individuals, especially working mothers, in a negative way by exposing families to chaotic, precarious living arrangements that can interfere with ability to secure and maintain stable employment on top of other challenges like childcare and family needs. With the stability provided by housing assistance, families can focus on developing other areas of their life, most importantly their careers, rather than focusing their time on struggling to meet basic needs.  

Jessica C., a former participant with BRHP, and a graduate of BRHP’s Growing Assets and Income (GAIN) family self-sufficiency program, sat down with us to discuss her previous employment struggles and describe how finding housing stability with BRHP directly impacted her career development.  

With passion, Jessica voiced that having two children with special needs took all her time as she worked to maintain their health. She struggled to find and keep a job that allowed her to take care of her children while also being the sole financial provider.  

With the Baltimore Housing Mobility Program, Jessica was able to move into an opportunity area with strong support systems and services, particularly in the school setting, for her children. Finally, with her basic housing needs met and access to quality schooling that provided the support her family needed, Jessica was able to pursue her career full-time and eventually build up her savings  to purchase a home in Harford County.  

“One of the biggest benefits of being with BRHP is having the support and the resources there.” – Jessica C., Former BRHP Participant 

Jessica’s experience with the housing mobility program not only gave her the opportunity to create a stable, safe place for her children, but it also gave Jessica a chance to build her assets and gain access to the wealth-building pathway of homeownership. 

Jessica’s journey reflects the powerful connection between housing stability and career growth. With the support of BRHP, she was able to focus on her goals, care for her family, and build a path toward financial independence. At BRHP, we see firsthand that when families have access to quality homes in communities that meet their needs, they’re better positioned to pursue meaningful work, increase their income, and invest in their futures. For families like Jessica’s, housing mobility is about more than where you live; it’s about what becomes possible when you are finally home. 

 For a more in-depth look at Jessica’s story, click here.

Written by: Savanah Winn, Communications Associate