Eviction hearings resume in Maryland

Housing advocates are warning of a tsunami of evictions as Maryland courts began hearing failure-to-pay-rent cases on Monday.

HOUSING ADVOCATES ARE WARNINGOF AN EVICTION CRISIS.

THIS...AS MARYLAND COURTS BEGIN TOHEAR DELINQUENT RENT CASES.WMAR-2 NEWS MALLORY SOFASTAIIIS HELPING YOU REBOUND.

SHETELLS US HOW RENTERS CANDEFEND THEMSELVES IN COURT.UNLIKE SOME OTHER STATES &MARYLAND DOESNEVICTION BAN ..

INSTEADRENTERS WILL NEED TO APPEAR INCOURT AND PROVIDE DOCUMENTSSHOWING THAT THEY CANTHEIR BILLS BECAUSE OF THEPANDEMIC.

OUT OF A JOB ..

ANDON THE VERGE OF LOSING THEIRHOMES ..

THOUSANDS OFMARYLANDERS WILL SOON RECEIVA SUMMONS TO APPEAR IN COURTBrian Frosh, Maryland AttorneyGeneral: 3:26 we expect atsunami of evictionproceedings over the nextseveral months.

UNLIKE INCRIMINAL CASES ..

PEOPLEDEALING WITH THE CIVIL JUSTICESYSTEM DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TOAN ATTORNEY IF THEY CANAFFORD ONE ..

WHICH IS WHYRENTERS NEED TO READY THEIRDEFENSE.

STARTING WITH THEGOVERNORPROHIBITING EVICTIONS WHILETHEREZatar Shah, Public JusticeCenter: 19:46 a judge will notenter a judgment for evictionif the tenant can show thatthey had a substantial loss ofincome related to the virus orthe state fo emergency :12ACCORDING TO THE COURTSJUDGE WILL DETERMINE THESUFFICIENCY OF THE EVIDENCEPROVIDED.

HOWEVERSTATE OF EMERGENCY ENDS ..THIS DEFENSE IS NO LONGERVALID.

RENT RELIEF PROGRAMSHAVE PROVIDED ACCESS TO FUNDS..

BUT NOT ENOUGH TO ADDRESSTHE OVERWHELMING NEED.ACCORDING TO A SURVEY BY THEMARYLAND MULTI- HOUSINGASSOCIATIONMARYLAND RENTERS WEREDELINQUENT IN THEIR PAYMENTSTHROUGH MID- AUGUST ..

WITH 42PERCENT OF DELINQUENTRESIDENTS OWING MULTIPLEMONTHS OF RENT Matt Hill.attorney, Public JusticeCenter: 1:57 it seems to bethe attitude amongst a numberof government officials thatuntil we see homeless peopleat our door, weto pay attention to this issueand thatwrong and short-sighted andcallous HE SAYS RENTERS NEEDTO CALL ON THE GOVERNOR ANDMARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY TOPROVIDE REAL RELIEFTHROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR ..IN THE MEANTIME ..

RENTERSNEED TO ADVOCATE FORTHEMSELVES OR RISK LOSINGTHEIR HOMES MH: 6:26 We donhave to do this.

People wantto pay the rent, no one sitsback and says oh I can justget by without paying therent, everybody knows the rentneeds to get paid but somepeople are going to need morehelp paying the rent andthatin the middle of a pandemic:13 THE GOVERNORSAID THEY EXPECT THEMORATORIUM TO REMAIN IN PLACEFOR THE FORSEEABLE FUTURE.

THEMARYLAND MULT-HOUSINGASSOCIATION IS ALSOENCOURAGING RENTERS TOCOMMUNICATE WITH PROPERTYOWNERS OR MANAGERS IF THEYHAVING PROBLEMS PAYING TRENT ..

SAYING EVERYONE LOSESTENANTS SHOULD TALK TO THEIRLANDLORDSTHEIR LANDLORDS ABOUT COMING UPWITH A PAYMENT PLAN ..

AHAVING IT IN WRITING.

THEREARE ALSO A NUMBER OF LEGALSERVICES THROUGHOUT THE STATETHAT CAN PROVIDE FREE ADVICEAND IN SOME CASESREPRESENTATION.

WE HAVE MOREINFORMATION ON OUR WMAR 2 NEWSDOT COM SLASH REBOUNDMARYLAND.SO MANY PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLINGTO MAKE ENDS MEET DURING THISPANDEMIC.

THE MARYLAND PUBLICSERVICE COMMISSION HAS TAKENEMERGENCY ACTION TO PREVENTYOUR GAS, ELECTRIC AND WATERFROM BEING SHUT OFF.

IT'SPROHIBITING RESIDENTIALUTILITY SERVICE TERMINATIONSTHROUGH NOVEMBER 15TH.

ANEXECUTIVE ORDER WAS SET TOEXPIRE TOMORROW.

THE EXTRATIME WILL GIVE CUSTOMERS TIMETO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCEPROGRAMS OR MAKE PAYMENTARRANGEMENTS WITH THEIRUTILITY.