Emergency financial support is available for families whose students are enrolled in a community school in Baltimore County and seven other jurisdictions and are at risk of eviction, losing their housing or experiencing homelessness.
Governor Wes Moore announced on Nov. 26 that applications are open for the Community Schools Rental Assistance Program. Program funds can help families pay for past due rent or utility bills, 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.
“Few things are more important to a child’s growth and development than a safe, stable home,” Moore stated in a news release. “The Community Schools Rental Assistance Program will help vulnerable students and their families threatened with housing instability keep a roof over their heads.” Officials say the interagency initiative bolsters the administration’s mission to end child poverty and drive economic mobility.
To qualify for rental assistance under the program, a household must have a student enrolled in a community school in the jurisdiction where they live. Currently, schools in Baltimore County, Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Frederick, Prince George’s, Montgomery, Washington and Wicomico counties are eligible. 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. Proof of citizenship is not a requirement.
Since local application portals opened, more than 1,300 applications have been received through local programs, with more than 400 households already receiving assistance, according to the Governor’s office.
The state of Maryland designates a community school as a public school with a high concentration of poverty among its students and that receives a concentration of poverty grant. Poverty grants were established under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a plan passed by the General Assembly to elevate and transform public education. The grants are used to fund school staff and provide wraparound services such as dental and vision care, behavioral and mental health services, safe transportation, extended learning time and resources to improve student attendance.
According to the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), 358 schools in all but five jurisdictions received concentration of poverty grants in fiscal year 2023. More recent reports indicated that more than 100 community schools are in Baltimore County, including dozens in the northwest.
The Community Schools Rental Assistance Program was established by state legislation signed into law last year. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) Division of Homeless Solutions manages the program. In consultation with MSDE and the Governor’s Office on Children, the department administers the funds and awards them to local nonprofit organizations, which then assist families in their respective jurisdiction. Cornerstone Franciscan Family Services is the local agency partner for Baltimore County families.
“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 DHCD 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.”
For more information about the program, visit the Community Schools Rental Assistance Program webpage. Eligible county households can apply at families.cornerstonefranciscan.org/programs