Greetings AAP Members,
My name is Jalen Dickens, and I am your new Apartment Assistant Program (AAP) specialist.
I come to you from a career in property management where I was an Assistant General Manager and Marketing Manager at an apartment community in Northern Virginia.
How can I and the AAP better serve you? Do you need help in obtaining rental assistance? Do you need technical or financial assistance in complying with new requirements for multifamily buildings? Please feel free to reach out to me on any matter at jdickens@mhpartners.org or at (301) 812-4147.
I look forward to working with you all and becoming a resource for you and your tenants!
Eviction Moratorium Update
As of March 22, 2021, there are two eviction moratoriums in place: one is at the state level and one is at the federal level. Below is what you need to know about both.
But first, If you are considering evicting a tenant for failure to pay rent, we encourage you to get in touch with the new AAP Specialist, Jalen Dickens, to learn more about what rental assistance may be available to your tenants to forego eviction proceedings.
Maryland Eviction Moratorium
In Maryland, the state remains under a state of emergency, which means that the courts cannot issue a judgment for possession or warrant for restitution if the tenant can show they have suffered a loss of income due to COVID-19 or the state of emergency. That said, there have been changes to what cases the District Courts are hearing.
Beginning on March 15th, Maryland District Courts transitioned into Phase IVof their reopening, which includes holding hearings for new eviction cases, resumed hearing non-emergency eviction cases, pending cases, and will set hearings on newly filed cases.
If a hearing was held and judgement was made for possession in favor of the landlord, those cases may proceed to eviction. Landlords may file a Warrant of Restitution if within the time set by law but will be determined on a case by case basis.
The District Court will have hearings in person and remotely via videoconference or telephone. If you are instructed to come in person, you may ask to participate by phone or video by contacting the clerk’s office. More information about preparing for remote hearings is available here.
CDC Eviction Moratorium
As you may recall, last fall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an order temporarily halting evictions in the United States due to the pandemic. The current order says that a landlord shall not evict a tenant before March 31, 2021, if the tenant gives you a declaration that they meet certain conditions. The tenant must declare that:
- They have made their best efforts to get governmental rental assistance;
- They earn less than $99,000 ($198,000 for joint filers);
- They used best efforts to make timely partial payments, if possible;
- They lost income, work, or wages, or have had extraordinary medical expenses; and
- Eviction will force them to become homeless or move in with others in overcrowded conditions.
Last week, the CDC took a key step toward extending the order beyond March 31. The move doesn’t mean that the the agency will absolutely extend the order, but it now appears likely. Whatever happens, we will keep you informed of the latest news. For more information on the current CDC eviction ban, go here.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the AAP at jdickens@mhpartners.org.
