BRHP Secures $3 Million Grant to Prevent Eviction of Thousands of Families in Baltimore Region Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic

For Immediate Release: May 25, 2022

Contact: BRHP, 667-207-2100

Baltimore, MD – The Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership (BRHP) announced today that it is the recipient of a $3 million grant from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development to administer Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds to families assisted by the Baltimore Housing Mobility Program who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. BRHP assists over 4,300 families across six jurisdictions throughout the Baltimore region with housing, and the grant will centralize requests for emergency rental assistance.

ERAP funds provide direct financial assistance and housing stability services to renters who are struggling to make payments for their rent and utilities. Assistance can be used for rental arrears, utility and home energy cost arrears, and other expenses related to housing incurred due, directly or indirectly, to the COVID-19 outbreak after March 13, 2020. An application for assistance can be initiated by either a landlord or tenant.

While BRHP provides prospective rental assistance to its participants through the Housing Choice Voucher, the organization is aware of the increasing immediate need for rental assistance for participants who are behind on rent due to COVID-19-related financial hardship. The direct administration of emergency rental assistance by BRHP to program participants and property owners renting to participants will mitigate the risk of eviction and keep families stably housed.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development to simplify the process of getting emergency rental assistance into the hands of families who need it most,” said Adria Crutchfield, executive director of the Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership. “We are building on our existing infrastructure as a regional housing provider to reach families and property owners faster with less paperwork requirements. In doing so, we are reducing the case load of local jurisdictions also administering ERAP funds.”

On March 8, 2022, BRHP began accepting and reviewing applications for the emergency rental assistance from qualifying participants and property owners of the Baltimore Housing Mobility Program. The organization has received over 500 applications and completed review for nearly 60%. Now that the funding has been received, BRHP will issue payments to approved applicants on a rolling basis starting in June. BRHP is working with the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and local housing authorities to prevent duplication of assistance. 

For more background on the Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership: www.brhp.org

For more background on the Maryland State Department of Housing and Community Development’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program: https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Pages/EvictionPrevention/default.aspx

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